Groundwater Recharge Project
Currently, the OHWD has been awarded a grant through DWR to do a groundwater recharge project in the Cosumnes River Basin to improve groundwater levels and provide for conjunctive use in the region. The project will benefit OHWD customers and the environment.
OHWD was issued a Stormwater recharge permit which allows the District to pump water from teh Cosumnes River on to local vineyards during the period of December 1 to March 15 . Currently the recharge facility has been operating and recharging about 200 acre feet a year and can reach up to 2500 AF a year.
Environmental Benefits of the Project
Over the years, groundwater pumping has lowered groundwater levels thus effecting the flow in the Cosumnes River. The River in the past has had a connection to groundwater, which helps improve the flow within the river for fish migration. By improve the groundwater, we improve the flow in the river which helps improve fish migration.
Groundwater level benefits
By increasing water levels in the Cosumnes River basin we reduce the pumping cost for our customers. The higher the water level, the less energy it takes to pump the water and the more efficient our pumps become. Instead of building new pipelines or canals to deliver surface water, the district is actually using the underground water basin to transport and store water.
Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration
OHWD Temporary Water Rights permit 2143 to appropriate water from the Cosumnes River
In River Dam Operations
Water Recharge and Surface Supply
OHWD operates three removable dams a long the Cosumnes River. These dams are used to hold water in the river during the late spring time to help recharge the ground water and allow some onstream user to pump riparian water rights from the river.
These dams are construction to be temporary and are removed during the winter and times when fish migration may occur. Several of the dams have fish ladder to allow the fish to migrate pass the dams and provide safe passage for the fish during the crucial times of the year.
Rooney Dam operated by OHWD