CARATAN GROUNDWATER RECHARGE FACILITY AND FUTURE RECHARGE FACILITIES PROJECT

The District proposes constructing the 160-acre Caratan Recharge Facility and 520-acres of Future Recharge Facilities, which would convert a total of approximately 680 acres of previously irrigated crops into recharge ponds. The project would use existing District conveyance infrastructure to the extent possible; however, the Caratan Facility would require installing a 0.2-mile pipeline along Woollomes Avene to connect the proposed recharge basin to the FKC. Additional conveyance infrastructure may be needed for the Future Recharge Facilities; however, these projects are still in the planning phase, therefore, this information is unknown at this time. The Caratan Facility would have a water-saving capacity of 5,560 acre-feet per year with a 10-year average annual capacity of 55,600 acre-feet to recharge groundwater with surface water. The Future Recharge Facilities would have a water-saving capacity of 15,920 acre-feet per year with a 10-year average annual capacity of 159,200 acre-feet to recharge groundwater with surface water. The Caratan Facility and Future Recharge Facilities would allow the District to store excess contract water in-District in low-demand months, or during wet-periods, for use in high-demand months, or during dry months when water availability is limited. Additionally, the ability to recharge an additional 21,480 acre-feet per year would help meet the District’s goals identified in the Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and support the Kern County Subbasin in reaching sustainability by 2040.