City manager and GA representatives report progress on pipeline design and litigation; council keeps GA item on agenda
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Summary
City Manager Ron Strand briefed the council on transition of GA responsibilities to Travis Reed, a $7.6 million state grant for pipeline design, coordination with Provost & Pritchard and U.S. Army Corps, and ongoing litigation and mediation planning; council decided to leave the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority item on the agenda for transparency.
City Manager Ron Strand told the Ridgecrest City Council he was transitioning his Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) responsibilities to Travis Reed and said the authority had hired Blue Mountain and Omar Dandishi to work with Provost & Pritchard on completing a 100% design for an imported-water pipeline. Strand said the city and GA had a $7.6 million design grant from the state and that early engineering review suggested the full build might be near a $200 million estimate; he said approximately 75% of the pipeline cost currently had funding commitment.
Strand and other speakers described coordination between the GA’s design team and the Army Corps of Engineers, noting the city will turn complete plans over to the Corps for construction. Strand also discussed recent litigation developments, including settlement of a Searls Valley matter, ongoing briefs in another case, and the possibility of mediation early in 2026 with the city, county, the water district and other parties.
Council members debated whether GA reports should be moved from council agendas to committee or remain on the council agenda for the public’s opportunity to hear and ask questions. Several councilmembers said keeping the GA item on regular agendas helps transparency because many residents cannot attend daytime GA meetings; others said committee placement would be appropriate for housekeeping and less controversial items. The council ultimately withdrew the proposal to move the item and received a report-out on Dec. 10 GA actions, including board rotation, teleconferencing policy updates and approvals for several professional-service agreements.
Strand said the GA expected to proceed toward mediation and, if necessary, a safe-field trial in mid-2026, and emphasized the pipeline remains central to the city’s long-term sustainability and growth plans.
