MID Board Report Archive

Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board Meeting of Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Contact: MID Public Affairs Department, Kate Hora, (209) 526-7454
The next MID Board meetings will be March 27, April 10 and April 24.

Board approves Resolutions of Necessity for Westley-Rosemore project

Following a public hearing, the Board by majority vote approved 19 Resolutions of Necessity (RONs) for acquisition of property by eminent domain for the Westley-Rosemore Transmission Line project. The votes in each instance were:  Aye – 4, Abstain – 1. RONs are the first step towards acquiring property by condemnation. MID is continuing to negotiate with the property owners and hopes to settle on mutually agreeable prices for all of the easements.

The Westley-Rosemore Transmission line will bring power from sources throughout the western U.S. to serve MID’s 112,000 residential, agricultural, commercial, and industrial electric customers. By increasing MID’s import capacity by 55 percent, this high-voltage power line will ensure that customers continue to have dependable electric service over the next 20 years. This high-voltage power line will be especially important on hot summer days when customers’ need for electricity is greatest. This 16-mile, 230-kV power line rounds out a package of resources that includes MID-owned power generation plants, purchases of renewable wind energy, and energy conservation programs. The Westley-Rosemore line will also help MID meet new mandatory federal standards for reliable electric service.

The projected in-service date for the Westley-Rosemore line has been revised to summer 2008, and the project cost estimate raised from $22 million to approximately $27.5 million. The project components have not yet been put out to bid. A sharp rise in the price of construction materials such as steel and concrete is largely responsible for the cost increase.

In related actions
The Board by majority vote approved:

• A $20.1 million increase to the 2007 MID budget for expenses related to the Westley-Rosemore Transmission Line and associated projects. These expenses were not included in the 2007 budget approved by the Board in Dec. 2006 because the Board had not yet acted on the Resolutions of Necessity.
• An amendment to the agreement with Electrical Consultants, Inc. for design and construction management services related to the Westley-Rosemore project. This amendment increases the contract by an amount not-to-exceed $710,000. 

Board approves 2007 water allocation and rates
By majority vote, the Board approved a base irrigation water allocation of 36 inches and a five percent increase over 2006 water rates, as follows:

• An irrigated water service charge of $21.50 per acre, with a minimum charge of $107.50 regardless of acreage.
• An additional 36 inches of irrigation water at $10.75 per acre-foot.
• For landowners who are not taking surface irrigation water in 2007, a facilities maintenance charge of $10.75 per acre, with a minimum charge of $53.75 regardless of acreage. (A landowner pays either the irrigated water service charge or the facilities maintenance charge, not both.)
• Supplemental groundwater may be available at a cost of $20.00 per acre-foot.

Water report

Assistant General Manager Walter Ward, Water Operations, said the latest measurements show the Central Sierra snowpack at just 60 percent of normal for this time of year. The state’s updated forecast for April-July runoff has been revised to only 66 percent of normal. As a rule of thumb, for each day that passes without additional snow accumulation, the spring runoff forecast is lowered by one percent. It’s dry on the valley floor, too, with season-to-date rainfall in Modesto measuring 6.76 inches, 28 percent below the historical average. Water elevation in Don Pedro Reservoir is a healthy 798.91 feet, thanks to carryover from a good water year in 2006. This water storage level is ample for the 2007 irrigation season, which begins this week. If conditions continue this dry, however, Don Pedro could end 2007 at a significantly lower level, although how much lower is uncertain. There is a possibility of lower water carryover into 2008 than has been seen for a number of years.

Don Pedro Board of Control report

Director Hensley reported that campground reservations continue to increase each year. It is recommended that reservations be made as far in advance as possible. The division manager position has been filled, and recruiting for seasonal jobs has begun. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dept. is investigating recent incidents of vandalism.

In other actions
The Board by unanimous vote approved resolutions

• Authorizing the General Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement, and
• Changing the wording of the MID Basic Retirement Plan to describe management members of the Retirement Committee using generic language, rather than with specific job titles.