Army Corps General Grilled About Trump's Tulare County Water Dump

By SJV Water

Published 6 months ago on

February 26, 2025

Army Corps Lt. General William H. Graham received a grilling on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, about the release of irrigation water in late January from Success and Kaweah lakes in Tulare County. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)

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Even as Kaweah and Success lakes returned to normal operations, with some releases sent into local rivers last week after recent storms, the United States Army Corps of Engineers was being grilled in Washington, D.C. about whether the earlier water dump in January adhered to established practice and “common sense.”

Lisa McEwen

SJV Water

“I’m going to speculate that you have a lot of work to do to regain the trust and confidence of farmers, local stakeholders, scientists and all of us that you’re going to follow common sense and facts rather than an executive order that contradicts all those things,” said Rep. Mike Levin (D-Oceanside) after repeatedly challenging Army Corps Lt. General William H. Graham to explain last month’s releases.

The exchange happened Tuesday during a State of the Civil Works Program oversight hearing.

Levin referred to a Jan. 24 executive order by President Trump that urged federal officials to exert all efforts to get more water to southern California to help fight devastating wildfires.

On Jan. 29, the Army Corps, which operates the dams at Kaweah and Success lakes, notified downstream users they were about to release water “at full capacity,” meaning as much as the rivers could handle.

The notice, which wasn’t shared with local communities, sent water managers scrambling to prepare for flood-level flows. Eventually, the Army Corps agreed to lower flows and the water, about 4,800 acre feet from Kaweah and 2,500 acre feet from Success, didn’t cause any damage and was collected in groundwater recharge ponds.

“How do you respond to the scientists and farmers who say these releases contradicted established flood safety rules, established coordination practices that had been in place with local authorities for decades and just sound science?” — Rep. Mike Levin (D-Oceanside)

Still, the action caused consternation among Tulare County water managers who felt it showed a disconnect between locals and some federal agencies.

“I don’t believe I have an answer to that,” Graham responded.

“You have nothing to say to local farmers who are worried about water shortages this summer, or local communities who felt they were out of the loop?” Levin pressed.

“Uh…I don’t have anything else to respond.”

Graham repeatedly stated the releases were done in accordance with the Army Corps’ water manual.

SJV Water sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the Army Corps Feb. 3 asking for internal communications about the January releases to better understand how the decision was made and by whom. The Army Corps has, so far, not provided any documents.

Location map for Lake Kaweah and Lake Success — Locater map for Lake Kaweah and Lake Success (SJV Water)

Kaweah Flood Releases Fill Rivers, Creeks, Ditches

Meanwhile, the current release of excess water from Lake Kaweah, which locals will see flowing in rivers, creeks and ditches for the next few weeks, is part of normal water operations, according to local managers.

The goal is to slowly reduce the amount of “encroached” water behind Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah from 58,000 acre feet to 45,000 acre feet. The Army Corps typically draws down lakes in fall in anticipation of a wet winter. Water stored above that level is considered “encroached” into that flood control space but is typically allowed during dry winters.

“We are in a flood release ordered by the Army Corps of Engineers,” said Shane Smith, general manager at Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, which coordinates with dam personnel to direct water westward. “If these flows and releases remain consistent, it will take approximately another two weeks.”

St. John's River Visalia, California — The St. John’s River, fed by storm releases from Lake Kaweah, will be full through Visalia for the next several weeks. (SJV Water/Lisa McEwen)

Daily outflow is holding steady at about 1,000 cubic feet per second while inflow from recent rain and snow in the Kaweah River watershed is at about 500 cubic feet per second.

Lake Success Is at 39% Capacity

To the south, Schafer Dam at Lake Success near Porterville is not in a flood release as Tule River inflow is at about 333 cfs and its pool level is holding steady at about 32,000 acre feet, or about 39% full.

Smith explained Visalians are seeing water flowing through town in Mill Creek because it is one of the main channels used to divert water from the Lower Kaweah River to farmers and other water users.

Excess water released in February is not an ideal time for farmers as crops don’t need much irrigation.

But James Silva, manager of Consolidated Peoples Ditch Company and several other ditch companies, said growers are taking water for pre-irrigation tasks and recharge.

“The timing of a flood release doesn’t always work for every grower,” he said. “But the benefit is pre-irrigation. They are able to use surface water to meet these demands rather than using deep wells.”

Pre-irrigation can help decrease pests and control weeds by drowning roots.