Drill, Maybe, Drill!

At its Mar. 19 meeting, the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District board of directors mulled and tabled a proposal to pay for the construction of a new well that possibly could prevent a cutback in agricultural water delivery this drought year.

The Golden Hills Community Services District would own the well, dubbed the Steuber Well after its location off Steuber Road just north of Highline Road at the east end of the Tehachapi Basin. Under the proposal, set forth by district Manager John Martin and the Golden Hills CSD, the water district would pay for the construction of the well, maintain it, sell the water to agricultural customers and turn it over to Golden Hills in three to five years when that CSD needs the additional water.

Approximately 85 to 90 percent of the cost would be reimbursed by the Golden Hills CSD in the year that they connect to their system, Martin reported in his presentation.

The well, which engineers estimate would produce 300 to 400 acre feet for this year's farming season if completed by July 1, would enable the water district to fill all agricultural orders. The lack of water would put 80 or more acres out of production, depending on the crop.

"This is something the water district is asking for," Golden Hills CSD Manager Bill Fisher said. "They need help because of the drought...we can wait."

The wide-ranging discussion ended when the directors (Rob Schultz absent) concluded they wanted more information on the cost of the venture and expressed doubt that the water production would be assured. David Hadley, Jean Prel and Harry Cowan voted to postpone a decision until after the Golden Hills CSD opens construction bids April 7.

"There are a lot of 'ifs' involved in a well," Chairman Harry Cowan said. "Until you start pumping it, you don't know."

"It's a lot of money to give somebody else," director David Hadley said.

Fisher said the original cost estimate for the well was $300,000. He said that because of the drought – which has placed a high demand on the services of water well drillers – and the short July 1 deadline for completion, the cost may be closer to $425,000. He said that Golden Hills has invested $100,000 in the project, including the purchase of the 20-acre property, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) studies, engineering and design.

"It's a pressing issue," Martin said. A delay now, he said, would set the process back by a month and the season's yield from the proposed well at 200 acre feet instead of the needed 300.

"The district was formed to protect the local economy," he said. "Our mission is to deliver water."

Martin pointed out that next year the district will have to bring up [the hill from the aqueduct] more water to replace the water they are using now.

The water board set a special meeting for 4 p.m. April 8, after the Golden Hills CSD has qualified the bids.

Fisher expressed disappointment at the outcome of the water board meeting.

"I'm shocked," Fisher said. "We are trying to work together."