Due to ongoing drought conditions, we will not have a 2022 irrigation season.

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Even though we’ve had a few storms recently, we do not have the capacity or the means to deliver an irrigation season to irrigation customers during this drought year. Here’s why:

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• In order to have an irrigation season we must have water available to divert BOTH from the Forbestown Ditch and from Mother Nature through Dry Creek for a combined total of 12 CFS (cubic feet per second). Due to the drought, we do not have this.
   

• NYWD’s main conveyance system is The Forbestown Ditch, which can presently hold a maximum of 24 CFS. It is an open ditch and loses an average of 35% of its water along the 10 miles, due to seepage.
   

• In 2005, the NYWD Board of Directors signed a new contract, that took effect in 2010, dramatically changing how the 24 CFS is allotted in the Forbestown Ditch. Because of this and the ongoing draught, since 2012, irrigation seasons have been extremely inconsistent.
   

• Prior to 2010, South Feather Water and Power (SFWPA) was contractually owed 11 CFS at the head of the Forbestown Ditch and they were responsible for the seepage and water lost along the way. This arrangement left about 4 CFS (out of 24 CFS) that NYWD diverted for irrigation purposes. When Mother Nature was good, it combined with water from Dry Creek to provide the needed 12 CFS to produce a full irrigation season most years.
   

• After 2010, under the new agreement, NYWD now owes SFWPA 11 CFS at the bottom of the Ditch and NYWD is accountable for all the water loss along the way, leaving virtually no water to divert from the Forbestown Ditch for irrigation purposes. Even with SFWPA’s recent offer to reduce demand by 2.0 – 4.0 cfs at the bottom of the Ditch, there is not sufficient additional Mother Nature water through Dry Creek to initiate an irrigation season.
   

We must work to pipe the Forbestown Ditch so we can regain the 35% of our water lost to seepage and take advantage of the additional capacity provided by the proposed 42-inch pipe. Engineering is complete on the project, but ongoing lawsuits by South Feather Water & Power Authority and a few seasonal agriculture customers, have stalled the project. The NYWD Board and the NYWD staff remain unanimously supportive of piping the Forbestown Ditch and need your support in the coming years to accomplish this goal.

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Until the Ditch is piped, the only potential for an irrigation season in future years will be in extremely wet years, when Mother Nature allows.

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I’m always willing to discuss the details further with you, call me at (530) 675-2567.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jeff Maupin – NYWD General Manager

At yesterday's Board Meeting, Yuba Water committed more than $1.4 million to water education, water management and more.

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“The board’s actions today further solidify the role of Yuba Water in supporting a wide range of projects that have a direct, tangible impact on our communities, our children and the future of Yuba County,” said board chairman Andy Vasquez.

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A $104,000 grant from the agency will support a water conservation quantification and expanded water use feasibility study for the North Yuba Water District. The study will evaluate the district’s facilities, including a review of conservation measures and potential economic growth opportunities within its service area based on possible water conservation measures. The study will also support the district’s Forbestown Ditch Pipeline Replacement Project, which will improve water conveyance in the area and increase efficiency by reducing raw water loss and minimizing water contamination.

During a brief special meeting on Wednesday, the North Yuba Water District voted 3-0 to appoint former director Donald Forguson to fill the vacant Division 4 position.

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President Gary Hawthorne, Vice President Doug Nielson and Director Fred Mitchell voted to appoint Forguson. Director Ginger Hughes was present but had technical difficulties and her vote was not recorded, according to NYWD General Manager Jeff Maupin.

 

Forguson was one of three individuals who wrote letters of interest in filling the vacancy. Marieke Furnee and Peter Pillsbury Jr. submitted letters along with Forguson.

Notice to Public Drinking Water Systems

Ongoing Dry Conditions in California - Prepare for Drought Impacts Statewide

Water Source Contingency and Conservation Planning

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Dear Yuba County Resident,
Yuba County and the vast majority of California are currently experiencing historic levels of drought. A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions resulting in water shortages.

 

Despite the current conditions, Yuba County is in a better position than many other parts of the state because of the availability of groundwater in our region. Thanks to decades of responsible management by Yuba Water Agency, the cities of Marysville and Wheatland, Yuba County and local farmers, irrigators and water providers, our groundwater levels are in good condition. Our region has also been preparing for drought by investing in infrastructure improvements throughout the county, including through partnerships with the state and others.

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Although groundwater will help safeguard some of our water supply this year, we are deeply concerned by the potential of another dry year – or multiple dry years – ahead.

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The current drought is already impacting local irrigators and businesses, domestic well owners and the environment. A lack of water could also threaten our ability to fight fire as we face another high-risk wildfire season. That’s why we all must do our part to conserve water.

 

See the reverse side of this flyer and visit  saveourwater.com or your local water provider online for more tips on how to save water. To report a domestic well going dry, contact the Yuba County Office of Emergency Services at  yuba.org or by calling (530) 749-7520. For additional information on dry well reporting, statewide data and financial resources, visit the Department of Water Resources’ webpage,  mydrywatersupply.water.ca.gov.

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Thank you for doing your part to save water.
 

Sincerely,

City of Wheatland

California Water Service

Linda County Water District

Olivehurst Public Utility District

Browns Valley Irrigation Dsitrict

Yuba Water Agency

Yuba County
North Yuba Water District

Camptonville Community Service District

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Click Here to Download the Letter & Water Conservation Tips

Notice to Public Drinking Water Systems

Ongoing Dry Conditions in California - Prepare for Drought Impacts Statewide

Water Source Contingency and Conservation Planning

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With California experiencing its second consecutive dry year, and due to the effects of climate change, we are all reminded that drought planning and conservation are now a California way of life.

 

The first six months of water year 2021 rank as the fourth driest on record. With warm temperatures and extended dry conditions, melting Sierra Nevada snow is soaking into parched ground rather than running into reservoirs. On some streams, runoff is lower now than during the critically dry year of 2014–15.

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These conditions may contribute to reduced yield from your ground and/or surface water supply sources, challenges with water quality, and difficulties in meeting normal system demands resulting in water shortages or low pressure during peak demand periods, such as those that normally occur in the late summer and early fall months.

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Sustained preparation and planning are critical. Most of California’s water systems were able to manage drought impacts and maintain the high quality of water delivered to their customers during the last drought by taking actions early.

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The State Water Resources Control Board urges you to prioritize three actions: 1) closely evaluate your water supply; 2) develop a contingency plan to mitigate any water supply problems that might result from current and future conditions, and 3) encourage your customers to conserve water voluntarily. The following components should be included in your system evaluation and drought contingency plan:

 

Evaluate Your Water Supply

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An accurate determination of the system source capacity, including ground water levels, well yields, well-pumping capacities and pump bowl settings (depth to the pump’s intake). The information you collect should include the following:

 

a.  Monitor the depth-to-ground-water level in your wells under both pumping and non-pumping conditions: Depth-to-groundwater is a very good indicator of well capacity. Too often, a well’s pumping capacity is used as the sole indicator of pumping conditions with no attention given to ground water depth. As a result, depletion of the ground water table over time may not be apparent. In addition, not monitoring groundwater levels over pump bowls can ruin good pumping equipment if excessive drawdown in the groundwater table allows air to enter the pumping equipment. If water levels drop below your pump bowl settings, significant damage to pump impellors, bearings and motors is likely to occur. As a result, your system could be without water until a new pump can be installed, and you might encounter significant equipment and labor costs to replace burned-out pumps and motors.

 

b.  Read and record well pumping capacity: We strongly recommend that you read and record your well flow totalizing meter on a regular basis. This can help you monitor usage and identify your degree of water loss or

“unaccounted-for-water.” Unaccounted-for-water is the difference between the water you produce from your sources and the amount actually delivered to customers.

 

c.  Monitor and record the water levels in your system storage tanks during various high-demand periods of the day: We recommend that you monitor and record the level of the water in your storage tanks at the same time each day, which will help you identify increasing system demand or reduced source capacity conditions that can lead to major supply problems.

 

d.  Repair any obvious leaks in your storage tanks and distribution system.

If your distribution system is over 25 years old, consider starting a leak detection program to identify and repair leaks in your distribution system that may not be obvious, particularly unaccounted-for-water losses. Water that is not wasted through unrepaired leaks will be available to customers when needed. It will also save you money, because you will consume less power for pumping water that will ultimately be wasted anyway.

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Create a Contingency Plan

 

To start your drought contingency plan, review your past water use data and anticipate upcoming demand. Then, plan appropriately for anticipated shortages. Minimally, your plan should include:

 

a.  Serious water conservation measures that will help mitigate water shortage problems: If your system has experienced water shortages in prior years, and additional source capacity has not been brought online, it is imperative to begin conservation efforts immediately. Outdoor watering, and other non-essential water use should be curtailed.

 

b.  A temporary or permanent interconnection to a neighboring utility that has excess production capacity: Such interconnections should be

discussed with the appropriate Division of Drinking Water District office before implemented. Arrangements for an interconnection should be made ahead of an emergency, so now is the time to plan one if appropriate.

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c.  Installation of treatment on standby sources that have water quality issues: If you anticipate that you will need to treat standby sources to maintain drinking water quality standards, begin the planning and permitting process now and install the necessary equipment as soon as possible. Treatment equipment and constructional materials are already in tight supply and may not be available later to cover an emergency installation. Some treatment requires testing before it can come online, and this should be considered in your planning timeline.

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d.  Join a Mutual Aid & Assistance Program: Belonging to mutual aid associations, such as California Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (CalWARN), will give you access to information on topics like emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual assistance processes for public and private water and wastewater utilities. Benefits include a mutual assistance agreement, process for sharing emergency resources among signatories statewide, and resources to respond and recover more quickly from a disaster or drought.

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It is important that even for systems that use groundwater wells that have never experienced an outage, you take steps to verify water table depth and well pump settings as indicated above. If you believe your water system will be facing water shortage problems, we recommend you contact your district office to alert them and work through the steps needed to remain in compliance.

 

Create awareness that voluntary conservation is critical

 

Conservation extends existing supplies, helping to ensure California’s communities and ecosystems weather this crisis. The State Water Board urges you to work with all customers in your service area to voluntarily reduce:

 

a.  Watering of outdoor landscapes that causes incidental runoff onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures.

 

b.  Individuals washing privately-owned cars with a hose, unless they are using a positive action shut-off nozzle.

 

c.  Applying potable water directly to driveways and sidewalks.

 

d.  Using potable water in an ornamental fountain or other decorative water feature.

 

e.  Using water to irrigate turf and ornamental landscapes during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall.

f.    Serving drinking water that was not requested in eating or drinking establishments.

 

g.   Irrigating turf on public street medians or publicly owned and/or maintained landscaped areas between the street and sidewalk.

 

The State Water Board also encourages you to coordinate with:

a.  Hotels and motels to ensure they allow guests to opt out of having towels and linens laundered daily.

 

b.  Homeowners’ associations, community service organizations, or similar entities to ensure they support water-efficient landscaping.

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For more information about water supply planning, water conservation, drought-related events, and more, visit the Water Board’s new drought webpages. They include a new visualization tool that allows you to explore water system supplies and demands. The water conservation portal offers water-saving tips and suggested conservation measures, references to policies and laws, and more resources. These pages will be continuously updated so check back regularly.

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Thank you for your continued partnership in ensuring Californians have access to high quality water. Together, we can make every drop count.

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Click here to download the complete letter.

This is an important message for North Yuba Water District customers. It’s currently September 9th at 4:00pm. I’m Jeff Maupin, North Yuba Water District General Manager. It is extremely important that you avoid all unnecessary water use at this time.

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There is currently no fire in the District and none of the District infrastructure is currently threatened. Please do not leave your sprinklers on for an extended time and please do not use massive amounts of water to soak your property. These actions are currently draining the water supply and may result in a lack of water available to fire personnel should the fire move into our District.

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Again, this is September 9th at 4:00pm, please avoid all unnecessary water use so that ample water supply is available to fire personnel if needed.

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Please share this message with your neighbors and report any excessive water waste through our website form at w-w-w-dot-n-y-w-d-dot-org

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For updated Yuba County emergency information and to sign-up for the county’s CodeRed alert system, visit w-w-w-dot-be-prepared-yuba-dot-org

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Thank you for your support in conserving water during this critical time.

The Yuba Water Agency is committing close to $14 million in grants and loans for water infrastructure upgrades, levee maintenance and Yuba County’s annual CalPERS payment.

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– The largest commitment – a nearly $10.9 million loan – will be used by the county to make its annual unfunded liability payment to CalPERS in one lump sum, rather than financing it through the system at a 6.5 percent interest rate. The low-interest loan is expected to save the county approximately $325,000. This is the third year in a row that the agency has provided the loan to the county.

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– The agency’s second largest commitment will see the city of Wheatland receive a $1.3 million grant and a $1.3 million low-interest loan to begin design engineering of improvements to its wastewater treatment system and connection to the Olivehurst Public Utility District’s existing wastewater plant. The improvements and connection to OPUD’s facility is expected to protect groundwater quality, improve water supply reliability and expand economic development along the Highway 65 corridor.

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“This funding will help us get the project shovel-ready,” said Jim Goodwin, Wheatland city manager, in a press release. “That’s going to be incredibly important to help us qualify for state and federal grants as recovery efforts get underway.”

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– The North Yuba Water District will also benefit from a $480,000 grant to improve water supply by piping the district’s Oreleve Ditch, which is a mile-long section of the larger Forbestown Ditch. The Forbestown Ditch is currently unpiped and is prone to breaches. Up to 60 percent of the water in the ditch is lost due to seepage and evaporation, and it experiences contamination issues. The district serves approximately 3,100 customers.

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– Lastly, the Marysville Fire Department will receive a $17,500 grant to help with the maintenance and inspections of levees and to reduce fire risk, which is part of the department’s vegetation management program. The funding will be used to continue the program and hire three additional seasonal positions to help manage vegetation along the levee. Vegetation management is carried out along the levees of the Yuba and Feather rivers and Jack Slough.

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The funding committed to the various projects was approved by the Yuba Water Agency’s Board of Directors during a meeting on Tuesday.

PRESS RELEASE COURTESY OF THE YUBA WATER AGENCY

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Residents in Challenge, Rackerby, Brownsville and Forbestown will have a more reliable, safe drinking water supply with the help of funding from Yuba Water Agency. 

 

The grant, worth up to $225,725, was approved today by the water agency and provides the necessary funds for the North Yuba Water District to continue its Forbestown Ditch to Pipeline Replacement Project, which is the conveyance system that provides water to approximately 3,100 customers in the foothill communities. 

 

“This is a very good project that will be extremely beneficial to the community,” said Yuba Water Agency Vice Chairman Randy Fletcher. “It will ensure that North Yuba Water District customers have better access to a reliable supply of safe drinking water.”

 

Water is currently delivered through an unpiped ditch, which has experienced multiple breaches in the past. Additionally, up to 60 percent of the water traveling down the ditch is lost due to seepage and evaporation, and the remaining is prone to contamination from dirt, trash, metals and illegal marijuana grows.

 

“Piping the ditch will vastly improve, if not completely resolve, the issues that we currently experience,” said NYWD General Manager Jeff Maupin. “This will be extremely beneficial for delivering water to our customers and curtailing the amount of water that is currently lost.”

 

NYWD will use the funding from Yuba Water Agency for the next phase of the project, which includes, but is not limited to, California Environmental Quality Act work, landowner agreements and further grant preparations. 

Yuba Water Agency invests in infrastructure projects like this to ensure access to a safe, reliable water supply for Yuba County residents, which is one of the agency’s primary mission areas.    
 

In a major milestone for the Forbestown Ditch Piping Project, the North Yuba Water District (NYWD) Board of Directors approved the Project plans and scope of work during a special meeting earlier this month.

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Approximately two years ago, NYWD received a $500,000 planning grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board “Prop 1 funds” to complete this engineering phase of the Project, including creation of a construction plan and final construction budget, now estimated at $10 Million.

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With help from a second grant, awarded Monday from the Yuba Water Agency for $225,000, the Project will continue uninterrupted into permitting and environmental reviews, the final phase before construction.

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Originally dug in the 1860’s, the Forbestown Ditch is an unlined, open canal, approximately 10 miles long. The Ditch conveys water to the NYWD Treatment Pond, and is the sole source of drinking water for approximately 3,100 residents of Brownsville, Challenge, Rackerby and Forbestown.

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Moving to a piped Ditch will lower the possibility of breaches like the those recently experienced in 2017 and 2018. A piped Ditch will also save a significant amount of water lost from seepage and evaporation, increase the amount of water available for customers and eliminate a vast majority of dirt, trash and contamination from entering the treatment pond.

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“Our customers have endured massive blowouts on the Ditch, and periods of uncertainty with their drinking water,” said NYWD General Manager, Jeff Maupin. “Piping the Ditch was literally a ‘pipe dream’ until a few years ago. Now through the actions of our Board of Directors and the availability of Prop 1 funds, piping the Ditch is finally a possibility.”

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NYWD was recently designated as a Severely Disadvantaged Community (SDAC) with an annual median household income less than 60 percent of the Statewide annual income. Potential funding sources to complete the construction include an additional Prop 1 grant of up to $5 Million from the State and a matching grant of up to $5 Million from the Yuba Water Agency.

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“This is truly an historic project for the North Yuba Water District,” said Randy Fletcher, Yuba County Supervisor and Yuba Water Agency Director. “When you consider the Ditch was constructed when Abraham Lincoln was President, these residents are long overdue for a safe, secure way to receive their water.”

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The Forbestown Ditch has quite a storied past. First called the “Miner’s Ditch,” the Ditch and the District have changed ownership and names several times, and weathered numerous epic blowouts over its 150 years. Historical photos of the “Miner’s Ditch” are on the NYWD website, and an actual segment of an old wooden flume, used to repair a breached segment of the Ditch, is on display at the Forbestown Museum.

Complaints by two local unnamed residents were filed with the State Water Board, claiming NYWD had intentionally submitted misleading statements in a grant application. This prompted an investigation which was closed today and a statement was issued by the State Water Resource s Control Board Office of Enforcement clearing NYWD of all allegations:

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"CONCLUSIONS: The investigation did not find credible evidence of an intentional omission of facts, misrepresentation, or fabrication of data that would alter the eligibility of the grant application. The Quit Claim relationship between NYWD and SFWPA was provided in the application. Reliable aluminum data showing exceedances of the MCL in the ditch water was provided by the NYWD in their application, and that data was not treated by the DFA as significant in ranking the application. The DFA acknowledged the benefit to irrigation water customers as well as to domestic users in their evaluation of the application prepared by Northstar and Mr. Maupin on behalf of the NYWD. The grant application was reviewed, in accordance with the DFA’s standard practice, in a 19-step process documented in the application assessment package. The application package provided by NYWD was compliant with State Water Board requirements, and as a result the Forbestown Ditch Planning Project was determined to be eligible for funding."

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Click here to download the full State Water Resources Control Board statement.

On May 7th, 2019, the following robocall was sent to NYWD domestic water customers:

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This is an update message for our customers. I’m Jeff Maupin, General Manager of North Yuba Water District. Late Thursday a blowout occurred in a section of the Forbestown Ditch, north of the treatment plant. I’m happy to report the repairs have been successfully completed and water is again flowing to the treatment plant.

Thank you for your help conserving water during this incident, it is now safe to resume all normal water activities.

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Should any new issue arise, I will contact you like this, with an automated call again.

Thank you for your patience and support. You can always reach us here at the North Yuba Water District at 530-675-2567.

On May 5th, 2019, the following robocall was sent to NYWD domestic water customers:

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This is an important message for our customers. I’m Jeff Maupin, General Manager of North Yuba Water District. Late Thursday a blowout occurred in a section of the Forbestown Ditch, north of the treatment plant. This breach has completely stopped the flow of water reaching our treatment pond, the source for your potable water.

Repair crews have already identified the location of the breach and begun repairs. We believe the repairs can be complete by early this week.

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The treatment pond stores enough water for 10-14 days of potable water, so we do not anticipate a disruption in service, but in an abundance of caution, we are asking all North Yuba Water District customers to actively conserve water and avoid all unnecessary water-related activities until the ditch is repaired.

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I will contact you again when more information becomes available. Thank you. Should you have any questions before then, please contact the North Yuba Water District at 530-675-2567.

North Yuba Water District (NYWD) has received a $75,000 grant from the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s Water SMART program to make additional improvements to their irrigation canal system.

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The project enabled NYWD to significantly reduce water loss and ditch maintenance expenses by piping a portion of the canal especially prone to water seepage.

“This year, and in all years when Mother Nature does not give us an overabundance of water, we were not able to provide an irrigation season to our customers,” said NYWD General Manager, Jeff Maupin. “It’s important that we piped the worst spots, so if Mother Nature gives us a good year again, we can stretch that water supply a little further.”

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Letters of support for the grant were submitted by Congressman John Garamendi, Senator Jim Nielsen, Assemblyman James Gallagher, the Yuba Water Agency and Yuba County Supervisor Randy Fletcher.

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“Irrigation water is critical for small agricultural businesses and critical for fire protection,” said Supervisor Fletcher.  “I was happy to write this letter of support and I will continue to do everything I can to secure funding for future NYWD projects.”

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NYWD provides irrigation water to over 100 parcels in Dobbins and Oregon House, and provides domestic water service to approximately 2500 residents in Brownsville, Forbestown, Rackerby and Challenge. For more information about the NYWD, visit www.NYWD.org.