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OID Plans Start To Water Season
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The start of the 2013 Oakdale Irrigation District water season will be Monday, March 11. The OID Board of Directors unanimously approved the date in an action at the March 5 regular meeting.

OID General Manager Steve Knell said that water will be brought into the main canals on the night of Sunday, March 10. He said deliveries will start on Tuesday, March 12 and the water will be throughout the system by Thursday, March 14. The first rotation of 2013 is proposed to be a 14-day rotation.

According to the agenda item, the Bureau of Reclamation’s projection for the inflow to New Melones Reservoir was 651,000 acre feet. This was the third driest January and February combination on record. Near-term forecasts do not show significant precipitation. The BOR predicts a full allotment of water for OID this year.

“I’m getting a lot of calls. Everybody wants water,” commented director Herman Doornenbal.

“People are ready for the water to come in,” added director Steve Webb.

In other business, the board approved the availability for surplus water for out-of-district water users and fringe parcels. There are currently no firm water transfers (sales) in place this year. Knell said that the district has water available.

The fringe parcels that submitted for annexation will get the water at the in-district rate. Knell said that the current out-of-district water rate is $55 per acre foot but that will increase to $100 per acre foot by 2016. OID will monitor the water budget through the irrigation season and curtail deliveries if water supplies prove insufficient to meet existing customer demands.

The next regular meeting of the OID Board of Directors will be at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in the OID boardroom, 1205 East F. The next Joint Board meeting for the Tri-Dam Project will be at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 21 in the South San Joaquin Irrigation District boardroom, 11011 East Highway 120, Manteca.