Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Sales topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Plumas County Flood Control district approves sale of 2,025 acre‑feet of carryover water for $374,625
Summary
The Plumas County Flood Control and Water Conservation District voted to sell 2,025 acre‑feet of carryover state water stored at San Luis Reservoir to Rosedale Rio Bravo Water Storage District for $374,625 to eliminate operating deficits and shore up the district’s finances.
The Plumas County Flood Control and Water Conservation District approved an agreement to sell 2,025 acre‑feet of carryover state water to Rosedale Rio Bravo Water Storage District for $374,625, the board confirmed during its Feb. 18 meeting.
The sale uses water that the county carried over to storage in the San Luis Reservoir and reflects a negotiated price of about $185 per acre‑foot, significantly higher than the approximately $115 per acre‑foot the county pays the state for its annual allocation, according to district staff. Flood Control staff told supervisors the sale will not transfer water rights — the district retains its long‑term rights and is selling only excess carryover water.
The county’s flood control representative described the sale as part of a long effort, including amendments from the Department of Water Resources and legal work, to allow short‑term transfers of excess state project water. Staff said the sale will help put the Flood Control District on a solvent footing after years of operating deficits tied to water costs and loans; staff also said the district recently received settlement funds that further improved its balance sheet.
Board members asked about the one‑time nature of the transaction and whether proceeds would be used for long‑term needs. Staff answered that the payment is a lump‑sum sale with a short completion window (4–6 weeks) to avoid the risk that stored carryover water would spill from storage, and that future sales would be renegotiated to current market prices and depend on annual state allocations.
Officials said the county has approximately 2,700 acre‑feet of annual allocation and that in the wet year two years ago the district carried over a large portion of that allocation, creating the available 2,025 acre‑feet. Staff also described outreach to local districts (including Sierra Valley Groundwater Management District) about alternative uses or buyers but said this buyer in the Kern area is ready to take the full amount.
The board approved the transaction without recorded dissent. Staff said the Flood Control District will continue to evaluate future short‑term sales depending on allocation levels and market conditions.
Ending: Supervisors said they will continue oversight of flood control finances and consider additional water sales as allocation and market conditions evolve; staff will return with implementation details as the sale is finalized.
