The Corcoran Irrigation District Flood Capture and Basin Recharge and Storage Project is a project to increase conveyance capacity to maximize the unused intentional recharge capacity of existing ponds. The key component is to increase the size of the conveyance system utilizing additional unused but available flood flows for recharging. The increased flows will be recharged in an area with existing recharge capabilities that will also be modified to allow for increased percolation abilities in existing ponds. This recharge area historically has been underutilized due to conveyance restrictions. This project proposed to increase the flood delivery system from approximately 650 cfs to approximately 1,200 cfs creating an additional 550 cfs or 1,090 AF/day compared to existing conditions. This project proposes to recharge high-quality surface water providing a direct benefit to the Disadvantaged Community of Corcoran and their nearby CID and City of Corcoran well field as well as urban users. The recharge area is located within 1.25 miles of the City of Corcoran’s Well Field and will have a direct positive benefit. Data suggests that the recharge rate in this area is in the range of 0.25 to 0.35 ft per day. With the increased capacity, water can be delivered to farm fields and flooded to improve soil characteristics.
Project Benefit Overview:
- Address Impacts of Current and Future droughts and other water shortages. Using a flowrate of 550 cfs or 1,090 AF/day and an average runoff period of 15 days it is anticipated that this project would have an additional benefit of 16,350 AF in each above normal water year. Utilizing the total proposed diverted flow rate of 1,200 cfs or 2,380 AF/day, the project would yield 35,700 AF in each above normal water year, which can be recovered later.
- Decreases flood risk in and around the area of the City of Corcoran
- Increases and enhances the beneficial uses of local water supplies
- Increases sustainable yield for the entire Subbasin
- Reduces groundwater extraction
- Soil Health improvements and/or building organic matter, by On Farm Flooding of Fields, this technique is widely used in the Tulare Subbasin to improve soil characteristics
- Provides and an increase of water supply reliability
- Recharges the Upper and the Lower Aquifer benefiting the shallow and deep wells in the area.
Key Components of the Project
- Reconstruct diversion structure at the head of the system
- Reconstruct the flow measurement structure
- Modify the existing canal system to a capacity of 1,200 cfs, with additional turnouts to deliver water to the ponds.
- Excavate ponds to receive additional water, for storage and recharge.
This project will proceed when funds become available, either from grant funding or CID funds.