* “Meeting Notes” is a new feature focused on Kern County water districts, funded through a grant from the James B. McClatchy Foundation. Please consider supporting SJV Water to continue this important coverage.
Meeting: Cawelo Water District board of directors
Date: February 8, 2024
Agenda: CLICK HERE
Major topic: Poso Creek repair funding
David Ansolabehere, general manager of Cawelo Water District reported to the board that there are two projects in relation to repairs being made to Poso Creek that have moved on to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) from FEMA.
CalOES is the office that will reimburse what Cawelo has spent so far on repairs. Ansolabehere said he hopes this means the district can expect funds soon.
Ansolabehere said the district had received a report from FEMA regarding preventative measures the district hopes to implement to keep Poso from overflowing again. Estimated cost for the preventative measures is $3.5 million. The preventative project will soon be moving forward to CalOES also.
As for ongoing work, Cawelo has finished dredging sediment from the creek. It is currently getting construction plans ready for recharge basins.
Ansolabehere also said Cawelo is in the process of fixing about 1,300 feet of levees around Poso Creek. They will also be putting in a new pipeline that was eroded away when the creek overflowed in March of 2023.
One board member asked when the projects would be done. Ansolabehere said reimbursement funding needs to come in before he could say when the project would be complete.
Another member asked how much would be reimbursed for current CalOES projects. Ansolabehere said that should be about $2 to $3 million.
How to attend: Cawelo Water District meets at 9 a.m. on the 2nd Thursday of each month at their district office located at 17207 Industrial Farm Road. You can also join online via Zoom using the Meeting ID: 813 8284 0698 and Passcode: 424688, or via this link.
