News Archive
Water Banking Approved
On April 12th, 2011, the Madera County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing regarding the County's issuing permits for the Madera Ranch Banking Project. Following a presentation by Madera Irrigation District General Manager Lance Johnson and Board Vice President Carl Janzen the Hearing was opened to public comments. There was only one public speaker, John Purcell a landowner near the project, who expressed his strong support for the Project. There were no speakers for the opposition.
During the discussion period the Board of Supervisors expressed unanimous support for the project with several stating additional groundwater banking and recharge facilities in Madera county are greatly needed to capture excess flood water like that occurring this year and last. Supervisor David Rogers stated that "we can no longer rely on the State and Federal governments for help. We have to help ourselves and the Madera Ranch Project is a perfect example of the kind of self help we need to improve our water supplies and reduce groundwater overdraft in Madera." County Supervisors Wheeler, Domenici, Rodriguez and Chairman Bigelow echoed Rogers' view.
MID Board President Gary Bursey thanked teh supervisors and County staff for their efforts and careful consideration of the Project. Bursey stated "it has been a long and arduous process requiring a team effort to get to reach this milestone." Bursey added that "over the last two years the Madera Ranch water bank could have stored a total of 110,000 acre-feet of water, enough to meed the needs of MID water use for nearly a year." And "the District is planning to start banking some water this year using existing facilities once the final Department of Fish & Game permit is issued in the next 45-60 days."
Questions may be directed to Lance Johnson, MID General Manager, at 559-673-3514.
