SAFER Social Science Data Request #1
(Note: SAFER White Paper watersheds = Lower San Joaquin River, Harp Lake, Senguerr
River, Palomas Lake Complex, Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, Laguna de Rocha)
Lower San Joaquin River: from reservoir to confluence with Merced River (Restoration
reaches)
Land ownership, water resources law and management, and basic demographics
1. Is this watershed land use rural/agricultural, urban, or both? If both, please
provide an estimate (%) of each type by area. Estimate population density for
each. The watershed is mostly rural/agricultural.
For the counties of Merced, Madera and Fresno, the approximate percentage of
urban land and rural land are1 (2002 report):
Merced: 71.4% farm land, 28.6% urban land
Madera: 46.9% farm land (53.1% split into forest and urban)
Fresno: ~49% farm land; ~40% forest (government owned), ~11% urban
From land use data2 of the three counties combined:
Agricultural classes: 56%
Native classes: 39%
Urban classes: 5%
Population density:
For the state of California, the estimated population density is 242 people per
square mile3.
 The approximate population density for the urban land is: 3400 (based on
values below).
 The approximate population density for the rural land is: 250 (based on
values below –rough average).
By county4, the number of houses per square mile (rural+urban combined) is:
Merced: 43.3
Fresno: 53
Madera: 23
California: 87.8 (for comparison);
and the population density per square mile (rural+urban combined) is:
Merced: 132.2
Fresno: 153.2
Madera: 70.6
California: 239.1 (for comparison).
1
http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/02/10/02-010.pdf
http://www.water.ca.gov/landwateruse/lusrvymain.cfm
3
http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/california-population-2013/
4
http://www.greatvalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/environmental-indicators-2011.pdf
2
Pop. density - Urban data
The population density (people/mi2) in main cities is5:
Merced: population = 136,969; density = 2,882
Fresno: population = 654,628; density = 3,822
Madera: population = 78,413; density = 3,502
Pop. density - Rural data
The rural density in the Central Valley6 may be between 10 – 500 people/mi2.
2. For the main stakeholders in your watershed, characterize their livelihoods
(economic activities), such as: subsistence/production farmer,
subsistence/production rancher, subsistence/production fishers/aquaculture,
tourism, oil, etc.
Using the e-WRIMS database7, I selected the water right owners of more than
1,000 AF/year and considered them the main stakeholders of the watershed (for
which the water source is the San Joaquin River). The main stakeholders are:
1. U.S Bureau of Reclamation: Irrigation
2. Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Power generation
3. Friant Power Authority: Power generation
4. Southern California Edison Company: Power generation (upstream of
Millerton Lake)
5. Orange Cove Irrigation District: Power generation
6. Madera-Chowchilla Water and Power Authority: Power generation
7. Menefee River Ranch Company: Irrigation
8. Patricia J. Manning: Irrigation.
According to the land use data for the Merced, Madera and Fresno counties,
3. To the extent possible, classify the main stakeholders from the previous response
as property owners or renters
The main holders of water rights in the Lower San Joaquin Basin are government
institutions and utility companies.
4. Provide an estimate of annual income for the various stakeholders above
Source 8
 The per capita annual income in the Central Valley in 2007 was $29,790
(29% below the state average of $41,805).
 In the North San Joaquin Valley (Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin
counties) the average annual income was $19,000 - $25,000 between 2000
– 2007.
5
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=20698
http://www.cirsinc.org/index.php/rural-california-report/entry/what-is-the-status-of-rural-californiatoday.html
7
https://ciwqs.waterboards.ca.gov/ciwqs/ewrims/EWServlet?Redirect_Page=EWWaterRightPublicSearch.j
sp&Purpose=getEWAppSearchPage
8
http://www.greatvalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3rd_2009_Economy.pdf
6


In the South San Joaquin Valley (Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern
counties), the average annual income was $22,000 - $27,000 between
2000 – 2007.
For comparison purposes, the average annual income for the Sacramento
Metropolitan Region was $28,000 - $36,000 between 2000 – 2007.
Wages in agricultural jobs:
Region
California
Sacramento Metropolitan Region
North San Joaquin Valley
South San Joaquin Valley
Other sources of information:
Hourly
$9.83
$10.43
$9.66
$9.16
Annual
$20,446
$21,694
$20,093
$19,053
http://www.greatvalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2nd_2005_Economy.pdf
http://aic.ucdavis.edu/publications/oldanrpubs/peoplecv.pdf
5. What is/are the most common property resources based management approaches?
For example, is land tenure associated with historic rights (e.g., indigenous
population, large estancias/ranches created by colonials and still held by families,
communal use of agricultural land, such as Mexican ejidos)?
Private property?
6. For the case of agriculture, is this activity dependent on surface water or
groundwater?
Agriculture is mostly dependent on surface water but on dry years the dependency
on groundwater increases?.
7. In terms of water consumption, agriculture or other human consumptive use, are
there any potability or other basic water access issues? Please specify these.
 Urban areas: groundwater impairment may come from leaking
underground fuel tanks, industrial waste discharge, commercial facilities,
failed septic systems, municipal treatment ponds and landfills.
 Rural areas: groundwater pollution comes from fertilizers, pesticides,
animal waste and irrigation leaching.
i. Drinking water: levels of nitrates have increased due to the use of
nitrogen-based fertilizers and planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops9.
9
http://www.greatvalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/environmental-indicators-2011.pdf
Water law and water resource management topics
8. What is the water law? (riparian, appropriative or other) of the country?
In California, water rights law is administered by the State Water Resources
Control Board (the State Water Board).
Water rights can be either riparian (First priority rights) or appropriative (Second
priority rights). Appropriative water rights are emitted by the State Water Board.
Some water rights can only be held by government. These include pueblo rights,
which can only be held by municipalities that were originally Mexican or Spanish
pueblos, and federal reserved rights, which can only be held by the federal
government.
Water rights are also classified “Senior” and “Junior”. Permits issued after 1914
are considered Junior and come with stricter limits on amount and timing of the
diversion.
Riparian and pre-1914 rights are Senior. They usually include more supply and
fever diversion limits.
9. Are surface water and groundwater managed separately?
Yes. California law distinguishes between surface water and groundwater.
Surface water law is well defined and regulated (see item 8). Not the same case
for groundwater. The State Water Board doesn’t have the authority to issue
permits for groundwater diversions (when groundwater is due to percolation),
except for diversions from subterranean streams (S.S.: groundwater flowing in a
known and definite channel).
There are two kinds of groundwater rights:
(1) overlying groundwater rights (for water that is extracted for beneficial use in
the property above ground). These rights are similar to riparian rights.
(2) Appropriative groundwater rights (for water that is extracted to be used
somewhere else). Appropriative rights are available for groundwater that is
surplus to the needs of the overlying owners.
The first have higher priority than the second.
The state Water Board has the authority to take action to stop wasteful or
unreasonable uses of groundwater, or to stop groundwater diversions that harm
state resources (such as fisheries). The Court System has primary jurisdiction over
most groundwater rights determinations.
Counties may have their own system of regulating groundwater. For example, the
County of Fresno manages the “Water well permitting program” through the
Environmental Health Division (Fresno County Department of Public Health)10.
10
http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/DivisionPage.aspx?id=1630
10. Who manages the water systems (i.e. are there water entities, like public or
private companies)? Please, include the name of all the entities that may be
involved and their character (public/private). Also, specify the type of resource
that they manage (surface and/or groundwater).
Surface water11:
Millerton Lake is the lower-most impoundment of the upper San Joaquin River
Waters. This water is used to supply the Friant-Kern and Madera Canals for
which there are 28 long-term Friant Division water service contractors: 23
agricultural water providers and 5 municipal and industrial contractors.


Friant Water Authority is a public agency that oversees the distribution of
surface water through the Friant-Kern canal.
Madera-Chowchilla Water and Power Authority maintains the Madera
canal
In wet years, pumping is avoided by provision of water from the Friant Division.
Several Friant districts use percolation basins and channels to recharge the
groundwater reservoir by banking surface water in order to provide for dry years.
Friant Division is part of the federally-operated Central Valley Project (managed
by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Interior Department)). The USBR wons and
operates Friant dam12.
Power is generated through the three outlets of the Friant dam. 15 MW for the
Friant-Kern canal outlet, 8 MW for the Madera-Chowchilla canal outlet, and 2
MW for the outlet at the base of the dam (this last one produces power from water
releases that serve local farms along the San Joaquin River directly downstream
from Friant Dam, as well as releases to a fish hatchery below the dam and for
wildlife management purposes). All this is managed by the Friant Power
Authority (couldn’t find information regarding this company other than it is
comprised of eight member water, irrigation, and municipal utility districts)13.
11. Who manages or monitors water quality with respect to humans and ecosystems
(public or private water entities; public health agencies)?
California Department of Water Resources (CDWR): Public
http://www.water.ca.gov/waterquality/sjr_realtime/
United States Geological Survey (USGS): Public
http://ca.water.usgs.gov/sanj/nawqa.html
San Joaquin River Restoration Program: Public
http://restoresjr.net/flows/index.html
11
http://www.friantwater.org/friantdivision.html
http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Friant+Dam
13
http://www.restoresjr.net/program_library/05-PreSettlement/Expert%20Reports/Friant%20Water%20Users%20Authority%20Expert%20Reports/McKusick_
Friant%20Power%20Authority%20Report.pdf
12
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Public
http://www2.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/proposed-strategy-san-joaquin-river-basin-water-qualitymonitoring-and-assessment
Water districts?
12. Are there water rights, and on what basis (historic, pertains to land ownership or
other)?
Yes.
The main rights are related to the Central Valley Project (Federally reserved
rights? - appropriative)14
 The Friant-Kern canal flows south and has an initial capacity of 5,000 cfs
that gradually decreases to 2,000 cfs at its terminus in the Kern River
(water is used for supplemental and new irrigation supplies in Fresno,
Tulare, and Kern counties).
 The Madera canal flows north-west to supply the Madera county and has
an initial capacity of 1,000 cfs that decreases to 625 cfs at the Chowchilla
River.
 The water that is released to the river is used to supply riparian demands
and currently, through the San Joaquin River Restoration Project, to
provide for fish habitat improvements.
13. What are the costs of water if it is sold, and sold by whom to whom?
Water projects to contractors (surface water)
See file: Selected Water Prices in California15
 Estimated State Water Project Contract Units water charges for the San
Joaquin Area (2003): $74/AF
 Central Valley Project Contract water charges through the Friant-Kern
Canal (2005):
o Urban: $10-27/AF
o Rural: $22-30/AF
 The urban water costs for typical single family households in the San
Joaquin Hydrologic region. For the city of Merced, a flat rate of $18.33
Utility companies to users
Rates and tariffs – City of Fresno (Public Utilities)
Fresno receives 60,000 AF annually from Friant Dam (Central Valley Project)16
Rates for the City of Fresno (page 1-1)17
Rates and tariffs – Visalia (California Water Service Co.)18
14
http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Friant%20Division%20Project
http://www.water.ca.gov/pubs/planning/california_water_plan_2005_update__bulletin_160-05_/vol4background-selectedwaterprices.pdf
16
http://www.fresno.gov/Government/DepartmentDirectory/PublicUtilities/Watermanagement/watermeters.
htm
17
http://www.fresno.gov/NR/rdonlyres/1C6E6C60-880B-4F95-A883066D77BBCEB3/27472/WaterStudyFinal.pdf
18
https://www.calwater.com/rates-and-tariffs/vis/
15
14. Are water scarcities managed now? And if so, what does this look like, and who
monitors and who manages? Is there any legal recourse (e.g., stakeholders you
mentioned who need water but may not get it, or who may experience poor water
quality)?
Yes. Calendar year 2013 is considered to be the driest year in recorded history for
many areas of California (Central Valley included). Year 2014 is projected to
follow the same trend19202122.
On January 17/2014, California Governor declared drought state of emergency
and commanded state agencies, led by the California Department of Water
Resources, to execute a state-wide water conservation campaign in order to
reduce water usage by 20%23.
19

Monitoring agencies:
o CDWR
o State Officials?

Operating agencies:
o State Water Board: Changes in reservoir releases and diversions
required to implement a water quality control plan; cease or reduce
diversions to water right holders based on water shortages
o CDWR and State Water Board: expedite the processing of water
transfers including those pertaining to Central Valley Project and State
Water Project. Accelerate funding for water supply enhancement
projects.
o CDWR: Monitor groundwater levels. Work with counties to control
the right procedures on installation of new wells and to identify areas
that may experience problems with residential groundwater sources.
o Department of General Services (and all state agencies): implement
water use reduction plans for all state facilities.
o The State’s drinking water program: work with local agencies to
identify communities that may run of drinking water and will provide
technical and financial assistance to help these communities address
drinking water shortages.
o California Department of Food and Agriculture: support farmers by
connecting them with state and federal programs that they may use
during the drought.
o Department of Fish and Wildlife: monitor and develop contingency
plans for state Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves to manage
http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/rescond.pdf
21
http://www.drought.gov/drought/
22
http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/v
23
http://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=18368
20
reduced water resources in the public interest. Work with Fish and
Game Commission to determine whether restricting fishing in certain
areas will become necessary and prudent as drought conditions persist.
o The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will hire
additional seasonal firefighters to suppress wildfires and take other
needed actions to protect public safety during this time of elevated fire
risk.
o Local urban water suppliers and municipalities
Legal recourses:
I am not aware – could not find information on legal recourses but,
 CDWR announced that it won’t be able to provide any water to
contractors, so agencies will have to rely on existing supplies such as
groundwater or what’s stored behind the dams24.
24
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-31/california-water-officials-cut-delivery-as-state-droughtdeepens.html