Shallow Well Drilling and Water Conservation Project

The Turner Island Water District is undertaking a project to construct a new pre-cast reinforced concrete turnout and outlet structure and replace two existing weirs within Mariposa Slough to facilitate groundwater recharge by diverting water to an adjacent recharge basin. This activity is authorized under a Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in compliance with Fish and Game Code section 1602, ensuring environmental compliance for alterations to waterways. The project is designed to enhance regional water sustainability by improving the efficiency of water diversion for subsurface storage. The project is documented under the title Shallow Well Drilling and Water Conservation Project and is registered with the state’s environmental tracking system under project number 2024080044, with a forecast posting date of July 30, 2026. Primary contact for the project is Kel Mitchel, Manager of the Turner Island Water District, and environmental oversight is managed by Jackson Powell, Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. All activities are centered in Merced, California, and are intended to support long-term groundwater management without requiring a solicitation process, as this is an internal agency-approved modification rather than a competitive procurement.