Strategic Management of EID Reservoirs Yields an Opportunity to Bring Non-Rate Revenue for Reinvestment in Infrastructure

Last week, the El Dorado Irrigation District (District) Board of Directors approved a 2026 temporary water transfer agreement to transfer a portion of water supplies not needed to meet customer demands. Under the terms of the agreement, upon completion of all necessary regulatory approvals, the District may transfer up to 5,000 acre-feet of supplies from a combination of Weber Reservoir, Silver Lake, and Caples Lake. The District will instead rely upon other supplies to meet the needs of its customers during 2026.

"The District's diverse and robust water supply portfolio allows our agency to leverage some of the most senior water rights in the state and two watersheds to meet the needs of our customers. This year, like most, we are fortunate to have more supplies than demand while concurrently positioning the District to face the potential for dry conditions in 2027. In doing so, we must ensure we will meet our customer needs this year and next," said General Manager Pravani Vandeyar.

If executed, this will be the fifth transfer the District has conducted since 2015 to bring much-needed non-rate revenue that will be reinvested in aging water infrastructure. Between 2015 and 2022, years when prior transfers were feasible, transfers have yielded a total of approximately $5.7 million for the District, and 2026 has the potential to bring up to another $1.6 million toward the long-term security and stability of the District's water supply portfolio. In 2026, the District plans to transfer water to Westlands Water District, as it has successfully executed in three of the four prior transfers.

Operations Director Dan Corcoran indicated: "Operations, Engineering, and Legal staff have worked together diligently over the past several months to position the District perfectly for this opportunity, and we are excited to once again work with our Westlands partners to deliver this water where it is needed to meet our state's agricultural needs."

Under the terms of the agreement, District customer needs will always be prioritized, and the District could cease the transfer if it determines any portion of the supply to be transferred is necessary to meet District customer demand. The transfer is expected to occur during July through September once all necessary approvals are secured.