The Oakdale Irrigation District’s 2010 irrigation season will officially end on its 17th rotation on Sept. 30 and the 2011 irrigation season will then begin, with unanimous approval by the district’s Board of Directors at the Sept. 21 regular meeting. The final irrigation of this year will be at the end of a 12-day rotation at midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 12.
OID General Manager Steve Knell said that the following day, on Oct. 13, district employees will drain and winterize the system. Staffers will then report for work on Monday, Oct. 18 for the winter work season.
Knell said that even though the district ended up with a surplus of water this year, according to reports, this year was actually two percent warmer than average. Director Jack Alpers said a report he saw said there were fewer days over 100 degrees. Knell noted that with evapotranspiration (ET) there are actually 13 climatic factors (including wind, temperature, solar radiation, soil type, and plant type to name a few) that determine the water use for a crop.
Knell also reported that OID will run Knights Ferry water through the end of the month, after which point Knights Ferry will receive tank water for cattle due to work that South San Joaquin Irrigation District will be performing on the canal.
In discussion items, the board heard a report from staff about the possibility of ID 46 merging with the district to become part of OID’s rural water system. ID 46, located in the Tioga neighborhood area, is experiencing water system issues with a pump and wells that will require significant expense to repair and replace. In order to come into the OID, it would cost approximately $23,000 per lot and water meters would be required. The improvement district must elect a committee, which will then have to return to OID with what the neighborhood has decided to do about their water situation.
In other business, Kevin Johansen of engineering firm Provost and Pritchard presented OID with a large, framed aerial photo of the district’s new North Side Regulating Reservoir. A representative from OID consultant CH2MHill also spoke and stated that the project had a number of environmental compliance issues to overcome and thanked district staff for their professionalism.
The next regular meeting for the OID Board of Directors will be at 9a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5 in the OID boardroom, 1205 East F.
