History
The Pleasant Valley Water District was formed on January 23, 1963, pursuant to the
California Water Code for the purpose of contracting with the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation (USBR or Reclamation) for a long-term water supply. The intended water
supply was to be delivered from the California Aqueduct (or San Luis Canal) through the
Coalinga Canal (also called the Pleasant Valley Canal). A majority of the District lies
with the Federal service area of the Central Valley Project’s San Luis Unit and although
the canal and associated pumping plant were constructed with capacity for delivery to
the District, it has not received a long term Central Valley Project water contract to
date. During the late 1980’s the District was able to obtain periodic one-year contracts.
Acquisition of a permanent contract does not appear to be foreseeable. Landowners
within the District currently purchase supplemental water supplies from senior water
rights holders located within Sacramento and Feather Riversystems. When available,
the District will apply to the Bureau of Reclamation for Section 215 waters (flood waters)
on the Sacramento River and also accepts CVP contract supplies transferred in from
other Federal Water Districts.
In 1967, the District applied to the State Water Resources Control Board for a yearly
entitlement of 13,500 acre-feet of water from the Los Gatos, Warthan, Jacalitos and
Zapato Chino Creeks for groundwater recharge. The permit was approved on conditions
that certain facilities be constructed by December 1969. These conditions were not met,
and, subsequently, the permit was revoked in May 1972. There still remains the
potential to develop these water supplies in the future, especially along Los Gatos
Creek.
Numerous Federal and State studies have been performed within Pleasant Valley
including the potential for a ground water bank. Calculations indicate a potential
storage capacity of nearly 1,000,000 million acre feet. The studies can be accessed