NYWD Will Lose Most of Its Water – If We Do Not change Strategies Immediately

To the NYWD Community:

Here is what is at stake: Our Water

I traveled to Sacramento last year and spent hours with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to learn first-hand about the permits that authorize water for NYWD. The information I am providing below is directly from the agency. The information is factual – it is not opinion.

Here is what I learned:

1. Water permits lead to licenses. Once the process has been started it ultimately leads to a license – OR a revocation of the permit altogether. NYWD has two primary permits.

• Under these two permits NYWD is entitled to 23,700 acre feet of water.

• To get a license, we must use all of our allotted water for beneficial purposes. Beneficial use is defined as only two things: domestic and irrigation. This definition is stipulated by DWR.

• NYWD has never put its entire water allotment to beneficial use.

• Since Jeff Maupin was hired in 2011, NYWD has only ever used an average of 11% of our allotted water.

• The planned plastic pipe will only transport 11% of our allotted water.

• NYWD’s permits EXPIRED in 2004. NYWD applied for extensions of these two permits.

• DWR has decided NOT to grant an extension on one of the permits. DWR is instead finalizing a license that permit.
• The license which will replace that permit – is only authorizing the amount of water that NYWD has used annually since 2011: 2,700 acre feet. 2,700 is only 11% of the water we are currently authorized to use.

• The extension for the second permit will be granted – but only for an additional approximately 16 years.

• 89% of NYWD’s allotted water does not go to beneficial use- it goes to hydropower production and a water sale to Yuba City.

• NYWD therefore has APPROXIMATELY16 years to show beneficial use of 89% of its allotted water.
• The plastic pipe that the General Manager and current Directors are pushing, is only designed to hold 24 cfs or approximately 11% of the water NYWD is entitled to.
• Once in place – NYWD will NEVER be able to put more water down that pipe.

• IF NYWD CANNOT SHOW BENEFICIAL USE FOR THAT 89%, IT WILL BE LOST FOREVER WHEN THE PERMIT EXPIRES IN APPROXIMATELY 2030.