Short-term Transfer of SWP Water to Westside Districts

The Central Coast Water Authority, a joint powers agency and State Water Contractor, has established a program for the short-term transfer of surplus State Water Project supply. Under this initiative, the authority has the option to transfer up to 32,000 acre-feet of water to the Westside Districts, which include the Dudley Ridge, Berrenda Mesa, Lost Hills, Belridge, and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage Districts. This temporary transfer is scheduled to be completed on or before December 31, 2026, within Kings and Kern County, California. The project is designed to utilize existing State Water Project conveyance and delivery infrastructure, ensuring that no new facilities are constructed and no existing facilities are expanded. Because the transfer occurs within the existing place of use and does not alter the rate, volume, or timing of diversions, it has been granted statutory and categorical exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act. The operation is classified under NAICS code 221310 and is managed by the Executive Director of the Central Coast Water Authority.