Semitropic Water Storage District and Layne Water Development and Storage (LWDS) have signed a long-term contract to finance, construct and market 650,000 acre-feet of groundwater storage that will provide an additional 200,000 acre-feet per year of drought year supply for California water users. This program, which is an expansion of an existing program, already is fully permitted and has satisfied all relevant environmental and political requirements.
"Semitropic's existing groundwater storage program has already stored 700,000 acre-feet and proved its reliability for a dry year supply by returning water from storage in 2001," said General Manager Will Boschman. "Semitropic looks forward to a long-term relationship with LWDS for our mutual benefit in providing drought protection for Californians."
"This agreement is the cornerstone of our intent to develop and market, in association with public agencies such as Semitropic, between 500,000 and a 1,000,000 acre-feet of new water over the course of the next decade," Disque Deane, Jr., president of LWDS, added. "California's future requires new water development and it is our belief that the best way to achieve that goal is by developing environmentally sound groundwater resources, owned, operated and financed by a public/private partnership. Semitropic and LWDS in association with the Layne Christensen Company will make a return on their investment by providing the services required to develop, build, market and manage this essential resource."
Source: Layne Christensen Company
