City of Fresno, Department of Public Utilities, Water Division

Renewal of Water Contract with U. S. Government requires Best Management Practices.

March 1, 2005 , the City of Fresno completed renewal of its contract with the United States Government Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), to ensure a safe, clean and plentiful water supply for generations to come. The renewal of the contract will help in the effort to meet today's needs and to provide for economic development and much-needed jobs. The contract provides up to 60,000 acre-feet of surface water annually to the City, or 40% of the community’s current water demands over a 40-year period. This Class 1 water entitlement is delivered through the San Joaquin River from behind Friant Dam to ponding basins throughout the community to recharge and maintain the underground water supply. It is also the water supply for Fresno's Surface Water Treatment Facility, which relieves the City from relying solely on its groundwater supply. The contract between the City of Fresno and the USBR for this water supply expires February 28, 2045.

A condition of contract renewal requires that the City of Fresno comply with water conservation Best Management Practices (BMP’s). The Water Division coordinates most of the BMP projects through its Water Conservation Program.