The Grassland Water District, working in concert with the Grassland Resource Conservation District, is a water district that almost exclusively provides water to wetlands in the North San Joaquin Valley.  The wetlands cover a vast area and exist primarily as duck clubs - close to 175 in all.  The GWD Board of Directors and staff have long fought to secure and maintain the water supply for wetlands.  The current water supply was secured through Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) legislation in 1992.  This water supply, in conjunction with active wetland management, enticed close to a million waterfowl to reside in the area during January Surveys.  The surveys conducted during the first week of January showed strong numbers of green wing teal (275,000+), which is the highest concentration of green wings in California and quite possibly the nation.

CWA’s partnership with GWD has a long past, particularly with CVPIA, where CWA and GWD worked hand in hand during the legislative process to secure this crucial freshwater supply for valley wetlands.  Currently, CWA and GWD have jointly shared a biologist position to work on current wetland issues and funding for ongoing infrastructure improvements.  This partnership has lead to technical assistance to landowners in the region and the successful funding of 3 one-million dollar North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants.  The grants bring together a host of partners including the GWD, California Department of Fish and Game and Wildlife Conservation Board, Central Valley Joint Venture, and over 35 private wetland properties.

The future of the district will always be tied to the reliability of the water supply.  As we all know, water issues in California will only become more complex with supplies becoming more strained in the future.  A collaborative approach to maintain a reliable water supply, with a host of partners, including CWA, will be paramount for this front-burner issue.