Projects and Facilities
James Irrigation District has long been a leader in conservation and water storage efforts. The District is constantly seeking new opportunities to conserve limited resources, employ cutting-edge agricultural techniques, and invest in sustainable energy.
In total, James ID has roughly 900 acres dedicated to recharge. The District captures high flows from the Kings and San Joaquin Rivers and recharges surface water for later recovery, with the first dedicated facilities constructed in the James Bypass in the mid-1990s. Additionally, on-farm recharge has been employed since 2017. Certain parts of the district contain soil that is particularly conducive to recharge efforts, as it quickly absorbs water and allows for storage for future use.
Below is an overview of some of the District’s major infrastructure initiatives.
The Lateral K Recharge Basins, located along Placer Avenue south of the Jame Bypass, is roughly 220 acres that are used for recharge, regulation, and storage flows. The project was completed in 2004 and has been in use since.
Over the last two years, James ID has installed solar panels above the recharge basin, which will be turned on and operational in the near future. This project is expected to provide 5 megawatts of energy for the district’s operations, which it shares with its growers during wet years. This represents approximately 75% of the District’s usage.
James ID built additional dual-use basins, which are used for both recharge and temporary water storage during the growing year, including Recharge Basins C & E.
James ID has an additional 65 acres of dedicated recharge basins located just north of Floral Avenue, which has been in expanded and continual use for the past few decades.
The Southwest Banking Facility is a joint project with our partners at Fresno Irrigation District, located on their Lower Dry Creek canal system. Our two organizations share the roughly 100 acres to capture stormwater flows from the Fresno metropolitan area and use those flows for recharge efforts.
The first flows were recharged in 2019 and have been in operation since.
Southwest Groundwater Banking Facility Partnership with Fresno Irrigation District in action