[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 1, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE ARVIN-EDISON WATER STORAGE DISTRICT FOR 75 YEARS OF 
                                SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 1, 2018

  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 75th 
Anniversary of the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District.
  Established in 1942 to serve the booming agricultural industry in the 
southeastern portion of California's San Joaquin Valley, the Arvin-
Edison Water Storage District has played an essential role in making 
Kern County the number one agricultural producer in the United States.
  The District provides water to over 131,000 acres of agricultural 
land in Kern County, from both surface water through the Central Valley 
Project's Friant Unit as well as from groundwater. The water irrigates 
tens of thousands of acres of almonds, carrots, citrus, grapes, 
potatoes, and other annual crops with a value exceeding $1 billion in 
2016. And in true California fashion of never letting a drop of water 
go to waste, the water the District provides to irrigate these and 
other crops results from a true conjunctive use process--District also 
recharges the underground aquifer to help stabilize groundwater levels 
in a region that relies on well water as a primary source of 
irrigation.
  To accommodate Kern County's ever-expanding agricultural industry and 
variable surface water supplies, the District has had to take 
innovative approaches to water management and storage. For instance, 
when times are good and water is flowing from rain and melting snow, 
the District developed a network of groundwater banking programs 
connected by miles of canals and pipes to capture this water for use in 
dry years. This approach helped our communities and farmers weather the 
recent multi-year catastrophic drought in California, ensuring that 
they were able to access life-giving water.
  In 1997, the District entered into a 25-year agreement with the 
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California that has empowered 
the District to complete capital improvement projects without 
increasing water costs to Kern County farmers, including expansion of 
the aforementioned water banks.
  I am proud of the work accomplished by the Arvin-Edison Water Storage 
District, currently led by President Edwin Camp, Engineer-Manager 
Jeevan Muhar, Deputy General Manager David Nixon, Director of Water 
Resources Steven Collup, General Superintendent Christopher Krauter, 
and Directors Ronald Lehr, Jeffrey Guimarra, Derek Yurosek, Dennis 
Johnston, John Moore, Charles Fanucchi, Catalino Martinez, and Kevin 
Pascoe. They and their predecessors' efforts have made a lasting impact 
on our community which will continue to play a critical role in the 
lives of Kern County farmers and those who enjoy the products they 
grow.
  The Arvin-Edison Water Storage District's role in shaping the face of 
American agriculture cannot be understated, and I wish the District 
another 75 years of success.

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