-August 27,2019-
Friant Water Authority is carrying out geotechnical investigations this summer using the term “Capacity Correction Project” along a 30-mile stretch of the Friant Kern Canal in southern Tulare County.
The problem – the capacity of this key eastside Valley canal has been reduced by 60% due to recent land subsidence. That in turn has been caused by several years of vigorous groundwater pumping by nearby farms.
While Friant-Kern Canal’s carrying capacity has been compromised by various factors, including subsidence, since it began operation in 1951, the scale of the problem driven by rapid and severe land subsidence in the Corcoran/Tulare Basin areas is another matter.
By 2015-2016 land elevations dropped by two feet near Corcoran and there was a problem moving water near Deer Creek. Water managers say “There is no way to operate the canal to eliminate impacts to water users caused by this amount of subsidence.“
Something has to be done. The water in this canal feeds not just farms but whole communities, many disadvantaged, and their drinking water. In wet years it is this canal that allows farms to replenish groundwater to help manage the subsidence problem.
After some serous study of alternatives, Friant is now focusing on the idea of building a parallel canal to the east of the existing Friant Kern near Porterville.
Friant Water Authority’s Chief of External Affairs Johnny Amaral says the board has selected this 30-mile parallel canal as its “preferred alternative” to fix the problem. Amaral joined the organization in March.
South Valley water contractor Dan Vink, whose water districts represent 400,000 acres in this area says the parallel option is considered superior to building new pumps to move water above the sinking structures rather than engineering a new canal that can withstand future sinking.
A solution won’t come cheap. Amaral says the official estimate for this 30-mile canal is $357 million.
How to fund it? Vink argues “multiple sources are the only way” noting the project is federal and can’t arguably be fixed with only state funds. “We need locals and farmers themselves” to help pay along with Federal dollars, he says.
Amaral says federal representatives like his old boss Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy who represent some of this region for the GOP and Diane Feinstein- Democrat, are all on board and supportive.
“We are looking at cost sharing among all” agrees Amaral. Still state Senator Hurtado has authored a $400 million bill that may pay for part of this.
The time table is short but doable expects Amaral “We want to be moving dirt by the summer of 2020.”
Vink says while all eyes are on repair of the Friant Kern water project ,yesterdays big project Temperance Flat “has taken a back seat.” Vink is skeptical that Friant contractors will be able to afford Temperance Flat water in any case.