Kenneson & Sanchez Basins complete in Kerman

KERMAN, Calif. (KFSN) -- After just two years in the making, the Kenneson & Sanchez Groundwater Recharge Basins in Kerman are now complete.

"As California adapts to a hotter and drier future, these groundwater supplies are becoming more and more valuable as a resource to local farmers, local residents and for the environment," assistant manager of the division of regional assistance for the CA Department of Water Resources, Matthew Bates said.

The 47-acre site on Modoc and Clinton avenues, located in the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), creates an opportunity to replenish the groundwater aquifer.

"The ability to put almost 1000-acre of recharge water into the underground at this site alone is hugely impactful," Kassy Chauhan with North Kings GSA said.

The Fresno Irrigation District (FID) says this infrastructure helps prepare for future wet years when there is extra rain and snowmelt runoff to capture into the aquifer.

That extra water will help prepare for future dry years.

"Having this one strategically put here, we can capture it down stream of the flood diversion so we can take advantage of it throughout the year," FID general manager, Bill Stretch said.

FID says 100% of this water is benefiting local growers, community members and nearby Kerman Unified School District.

"Those benefits are already being seen by some local farmers so it doesn't take long and in a state where we have weather whiplash we've got to be ready. We've got to stay ready to capture that water supply when it's ready," Chauhan said.

The project helps the FID and North Kings GSA get closer to achieving the 2040 sustainability deadline brought on by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act-which requires agencies to develop sustainable groundwater practices.

Funding for the project totaled around $6,000,000, which was a combination of funds from the Department of Water Resources Integrated Regional Water Management Program funding ($1.6M), the United States Department of Agriculture's National Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) Groundwater Recharge Pilot program ($873,000) and FID Proposition 218 funds ($4M).

Land for the project was purchased in 2022 from the Kenneson and Sanchez Families who are being honored for their part by officially naming the basin after their families.

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