Board seats on four Tulare County irrigation districts will be on the ballot this election.

Lisa McEwen

SJV Water

At least one of the districts has been in the news recently for its connection to a groundwater agency being sued for allegedly not doing enough to stem sinking beneath the Friant-Kern Canal.

The Porterville Irrigation District is within the boundaries of the Eastern Tule Groundwater Agency, which is being sued by Friant Water Authority. A Porterville board member typically also serves on the board of Eastern Tule.

Friant Water Authority sued Eastern Tule earlier this year for not paying what Friant says it owed for its share of repairing the canal. Friant also recently hit several irrigation districts, including Porterville ID, with hefty fees to pay for the canal repairs that it says Eastern Tule has shirked. Some of those districts are appealing that fee.

Two-term Porterville ID board incumbent and area farmer Tim Witzel is being challenged by Jared Plumlee, who manages operations for Booth Ranches, a citrus grower, packer and distributor.

Booth Ranches does not own any acreage in Porterville ID, but Plumlee lives in the district.

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“With irrigation districts, you put a boundary up and often don’t peek over the fence,” Plumlee said. “I’ve been outside the fence, I’m coming inside and bringing some different ideas. I’m familiar with the processes of multiple other districts, and Porterville might face issues that others have solved.”

For Witzel, the issues are basic, system maintenance and bringing in water. Porterville ID contracts for surface water from the Friant-Kern Canal.

“I’m just trying to keep water in the area and flowing the way it should,” Witzel said. “We have a lot of repairs that need to be done. We are trying to get everything lined up, to fix older pipelines or repair ones that have leaks.”

The district also faces another looming challenge after the entire Tule subbasin was placed on probation by the state Water Resources Control Board in September for lacking a groundwater plan that regulators were confident would stem subsidence along the Friant-Kern Canal and protect shallow domestic wells.

Under probation, most farmers will have to register and meter their wells, report extractions and pay pumping fees. If a new plan isn’t approved within a year, the state could set its own pumping limits in the region.

The situation is complicated, Plumlee said.

Especially Porterville ID’s relationship with Eastern Tule which was specifically called out at the hearing for its groundwater accounting policies. Members of the Water Board called the policies “alarming.”

Plumlee said while he has heard “rumblings” of mismanagement of groundwater accounting, he couldn’t comment without reviewing the data.

Another Porterville ID board member, Edwin Chambers, did not file for re-election though his term is expiring. No one else filed for that seat. Without an incumbent or any challengers the board may have the option of appointing someone to the vacancy, according to Maryalice Cypert, elections program coordinator for County of Tulare.

Related Story: Madera County Farmland Conversion Program Begins With $10 Million in State

Other Tulare County Irrigation District Elections:

• Alpaugh Irrigation District

Sitting directors William Mitchell, Ranveig Magden and Luis Vasquez IV all face challengers in this election.

Nora Field, Robert Bontrager and Kevin Saeland have filed for the incumbent seats.

Magden, who serves as board president, said the cost of water continues to be a top issue.

Additionally, many farmers are frustrated with regulations spawned by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act as well as land use changes coming to the area, including new solar farms and the High Speed Rail line bisecting the district.

“Why isn’t the state capturing more water and focusing on big lakes that would create microbusinesses and recreation activities?” Magden asked. “Instead of these doomsday scenarios, why not do something positive? Nobody loads up the family to spend the weekend at the solar farm.”

• Exeter Irrigation District

Farmer Mark Rip is running for the Division 2 seat held by incumbent and farmer Robert Ward.

• Terra Bella Irrigation District

Farmer Levi Paulin is challenging incumbent Kurt Parsons, a farmer, for the Division 4 seat.

Director Geoffrey Galloway’s term is expiring, but because no one is running against him, he will be appointed in lieu of an election.

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