Oakdale Groundwater Alliance v. Oakdale Irrigation
On March 15, 2016, Oakdale Irrigation District (District), which holds water rights to and diverts water from the Stanislaus River for distribution and use within its 64,000-acre service area, approved a “One-Year Pilot On-Farm Water Conservation Program and Transfer of Consumptive Use Water” (Project). Pursuant to the Project, participating landowners within District’s service area would fallow up to 3,000 acres of farmland during the 2016 irrigation season, potentially conserving up to 9,000 acre-feet of water. The water would be transferred to the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and State Water Contractors in exchange for funds to finance the implementation of water conservation measures on the fallowed land. District concluded the Project would have no significant environmental effects based on its initial study and adopted a negative declaration. (Oakdale Groundwater Alliance v. Oakdale Irrigation District (Nov. 27, 2018, F076288) [nonpub. opn.] (Alliance I).)
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