MID’s Groundwater Replenishment Program
By Emerson Drake
Let’s cut to the chase. We only have some much water in the aquifer and we’re taking it out faster than it refills. We need to start somewhere, and the following comment need to be read and understood. I didn’t write them. They were in response to an article Eric Caine wrote. First the comment with the author’s permission.
MID Groundwater Replenish Program Opinion
This surplus MID Water must stay in the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin for groundwater sustainability and SGMA compliance for all or the state will take over the Modesto Sub-basin and reclassify the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin as a Critically Over-drafted groundwater basin.
Don’t be fooled by the misleading propaganda, this MID Groundwater Replenish Program is available to all in the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin , East, West, North and South including the cities that are solely dependent on groundwater as well.
If the MID Board overprices the Groundwater Replenish Program water the program will be a complete failure. A perfect example of an overpriced failing program is the OID’s ten year program where farmers are dropping out of the program because they simply can’t afford the $200 an acre foot with sub-cost of production commodity prices, high inflation and interest costs. The old district game of overpricing of the water in these programs is intentional and makes the water unaffordable thus opening the door to out of basin south of delta water sales which is detrimental of our groundwater basins and property values.
It’s unfortunate that the main opposition of the MID GRP appears to be Mapes/Lyons who is well documented for selling the MID tail water that’s commingled with their other buckets of water then sells it out of the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin to Del Puerto Water District and others disguising it as conjunctive use water for sale.
Please educate yourself and read this 34 page detailed Provost & Pritchard report paid for by Lyons/ Mapes called the (Mapes / Del Puerto Water District Pilot Water Transfer Program dated March 7, 2022) which is available at the MID office upon public document request. This detailed report has maps of the Mapes/Lyons ranch and wells mentioned in this report.
In my opinion this water blending and exporting out of the Modesto Sub-Basin by Mapes/Lyons is not benefiting the MID taxpayers, MID, nor the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin.
In my opinion the so-called Friends of MID are not really friends of MID when they condemn using surplus MID water that would benefit Modesto Groundwater Sub-basin for SGMA compliance and groundwater stability.
MID and other local (Special Districts) should develop drainage policies that eliminate drainage water and operational spills, then redirect that conserved public water to take care of the groundwater depletion hot spots in the Modesto Groundwater Sub-basin. For groundwater in-lieu recharge everyone that has district water available to them and pumps groundwater should be charged a high enough per acre foot rate by the districts to discourage pumping per newly proposed district policy.
MID’s water rights dictate that their water is for its place of use and purpose of Use, within their service Area, sphere of Influence & the Modesto Groundwater Sub-Basin for SGMA compliance, not for export out of basin when groundwater levels are dropping.
The MID should be complemented for developing this Groundwater Replenish Program and we wish it success for the benefit of all and the Modesto Groundwater Sub-basin.
Please educate yourselves by reading the long history and background of the MID Groundwater Replenish Program meeting on the MID website. In the end, truth will prevail we pray that the MID Directors will have the courage to make the right decision to protect Modesto Groundwater Sub-basin for future generations.
Here is the link to Eric’s original article.
Eye On Modesto 