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Water Transfers and Exchanges

California’s Division of Water Rights manages the Water Transfers Program. AVEK has frequently participated in this program throughout the years when the Agency had surplus water available as a seller. AVEK also at times used the program to participate as a buyer.

Transfers and exchanges of Imported Water between State Water Project Contractors (SWC’s) have allowed AVEK to further improve water supply reliability, increase the region’s groundwater storage, and provide financial benefits to our customers and tax-payers as well as mutual benefits to other State Water Contractors.

As an example, AVEK’s partnership with its neighboring SWC, Littlerock Creek Irrigation District has brought an additional 6,210 AF of water (that would have otherwise been lost) into the region since 2007. Water exchanges with fellow SWC’s, Santa Clara Water District and Central Coast Water Agency (Santa Barbara) again increased AVEK’s water supply in 2017 by 21,281 AF

Figure 2-6 graphically represents the values of Table 2-6 indicating the most-recent AVEK Imported Water transfers and exchanges of SWP (and Non-SWP) supplies through 2017.

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Figure 2-6 - Water transfers and exchanges of SWP (and Non-SWP) supplies through 2017.
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Table 2-6 - Water transfers and exchanges of SWP (and Non-SWP) supplies through 2017.

Key Benefits 

·         The ability to purchase water through the Transfer Program provides AVEK with a sustainable supply to meet customer demands, particularly in dry years when allocations from the state Department of Water Resources are minimal.

·        As DWR allocations vary from one year to the next, the ability to purchase water increases the reliability of our water supply.

·         With two operational water banks, and a third bank in the development stages, the ability to utilize the Transfer Program allows the Agency to purchase water for storage in wet years that can be used in future years to prevent water shortages in times of drought, 

·         Having water stored when purchased in wet years, keeps the cost down, compared to searching for supplies in drought times.

·         AVEK can profit from its water sales as an added source of revenue. As an example, in 2017, AVEK sold water to other State Water Project Contractors – money used to purchase water in the future.

 Learn more about Water Transfers and Exchanges from the California Department of Water Resources

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