Aquaterra Water Bank

The Aquaterra Water Bank Project is a large-scale regional water supply and managed groundwater banking facility located on approximately 4,600 acres in Fresno County, California, within the jurisdiction of the McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MAGSA). The project is designed to optimize water storage and recovery to support sustainable groundwater management under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Key infrastructure includes 63.5 miles of conveyance canals, 19 pump stations, over 88 to 90 recovery wells, and approximately 3,480 to 3,500 acres of recharge basins protected by new levees. The facility is engineered to have a total storage capacity of 800,000 acre-feet, with the ability to recharge up to 208,000 acre-feet annually between October and February and recover up to 148,000 acre-feet annually between May and September. At least 10 percent of the banked water will remain in the aquifer to ensure replenishment. The project involves complex environmental and operational considerations, as detailed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report and various technical memoranda. Operational plans emphasize protecting native groundwater quality, ensuring that nearby wells do not go dry or lose more than 50 percent of their pumping efficiency, and coordinating with existing surface water rights holders. Environmental mitigation requirements for construction include strict adherence to air quality standards, such as using CARB and USEPA Tier 4 Interim or better diesel engines, utilizing aqueous diesel fuel, and implementing idling restrictions. Additionally, the project mandates specialized personnel, including a Qualified Project Archaeologist, and requires a Worker Environmental Awareness Program to protect sensitive biological resources and maintain the confidentiality of archaeological sites.