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Contact: Kevin Kelly at (760) 427-1593 

IID Previews 2008 Water Apportionment Model During Public Workshop 

The Imperial Irrigation District unveiled its proposed system of apportionment for the equitable distribution of water during a public workshop in the IID Auditorium Oct. 23, and both the subject matter and sense of urgency attached to it produced a record turnout of water users and concerned citizens.

The IID Board of Directors has declared an anticipated supply/demand imbalance (SDI) for the coming year, triggering the need for a system of apportionment to be in place Jan. 1, 2008. The board had previously adopted an equitable distribution model based on the straight-line method of apportionment in November of 2006.

Economist Rodney Smith and IID consultant Dr. John Eckhardt presented the contours of the pilot program, including the basic agricultural apportionment of 5.13 acre-feet to be assigned each eligible acre for as long as the SDI remains in effect. The presenters also discussed the underlying principles and proposed rules that will guide the district's implementation of the plan.

The purpose of equitable distribution, both men said, is twofold. The first is to manage an increasingly finite supply among all classes of water users and avoid exceeding IID's annual entitlement of 3.1 million acre-feet from the Colorado River. At the same time, Smith reminded those in attendance, the district must structure the pilot program in such a way that it does not create any unused entitlement water at the end of the SDI year that would flow to a junior rights holder.

In addition to the basic apportionment, agricultural water users would have access to a pro rata share of water from an IID-managed supply of last resort and market-driven internal water exchange that would allow for private transactions between willing buyers and sellers. To prevent hoarding and speculation, Smith recommended that IID treat the supply of last resort as a source of price competition to the internal water exchange.

Following the presentation, IID board President Stella Mendoza asked for and received public comment. Many of those who addressed the board, including Imperial County Farm Bureau Executive Director Nicole Rothfleisch, questioned the take-or-pay provision of the plan. There was also considerable attention paid to the short timeline in which IID has to adopt rules and regulations before the SDI takes effect.

Before adjourning the meeting, Mendoza urged IID staff and consultants to convene a meeting with stakeholders and gather public input before scheduling a second workshop to address their objections and allay any lingering concerns.