While many local growers have begun harvesting their crops, the Fresno Irrigation District will continue surface water deliveries past the scheduled Aug. 31 shutdown.
Deliveries throughout the district now will end Sept. 15 with one exception: East side deliveries will end Sept. 30.

Groundwater Sustainability

Why is the district delivering water this late in the season?
“Achieving groundwater sustainability depends on taking advantage of all available surface water supplies,” said Bill Stretch, assistant general manager of FID, in a news release. “We encourage all of our users to irrigate with surface water for the remainder of the irrigation season.”

High Sierra Summer Storms Add Water

Stretch explained that the district was able to extend the season “due to receiving a higher than anticipated entitlement from the April through July runoff, as well as receiving additional precipitation from several storms in the higher mountain elevations during the months of July and August.”
District crews will use the off-season shutdown to conduct maintenance, repairs, and build projects that will enhance water system infrastructure for next year.