Surplus Water: Placer County Water Agency Plans Sale

Auburn, Calif.  – The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors has approved a resolution that allows for the transfer and sale of up to 20,000 acre-feet of surplus water to the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The Board took the action at its meeting on July 21.

Under the Reservoir Re-Operation Agreement with PCWA, the Bureau of Reclamation will pay $300 for each acre-foot delivered, from PCWA storage, to Folsom Reservoir. The water will support Central Valley Project operations, providing an environmental benefit to the delta.

“Normally, the ability to transfer surplus water is limited to dry years” General Manager Einar Maisch said. “However, as California continues to recover from drought conditions, federal and state reservoirs, which serve multiple purposes, remain strained. The sale and transfer of water will help alleviate some of the pressure on those systems.”

The release of surplus water also means more hydroelectric generation for PCWA during the months of mid-July through September.

In other news, Board Directors

• Recognized Director of Field Services, Tom Reeves, for more than 34 years of service to PCWA and its customers. The Board passed a resolution congratulating him on his retirement.