County groundwater project rejected
After Lodi voters rejected a proposed irrigation plan on Monday, the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District will explore other options during a meeting today.
The South System Groundwater Improvement Project was defeated by a narrow margin, according to Joe Valente, NSJWCD president Joe Valente. Valente added that a significant number of landowners in the project’s proposed area did not vote, although ballots were mailed out more than a month ago.
“When all was said and done, about 49.5 percent voted in favor of the project and about 50.5 percent opposed it, so it was extremely, extremely close. It looked like about 50 percent, maybe less, of property owners actually voted,” Valente said.
Gloria Bodner, a Lodi resident whose family has farmed their 20-acre parcel for over 45 years, was one of the project’s opponents.
Bodner felt the $18.75 million project, which would have pumped pressurized surface water from the Mokelumne River along seven miles of new pipeline to Bear Creek and Pixley Slough, would not deliver enough water to justify its cost.
“In the past, the system was poorly maintained and often, service was denied due to lack of water. For a farm to be profitable, we need a predictable source of water and predictable costs,” Bodner said.
The NSJWCD board will explore alternative projects during a meeting at 2 p.m. today, Valente said.
The meeting will be held at the Lodi Public Library, 201 W. Locust St., and is open to the public.