McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion Project
Project Overview
The McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion Project is a surface water supply project in the McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MAGSA) Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The project is designed to capture Kings River floodwaters when available. The floodwater is delivered to farmland and spread across fields using on-farm recharge to replenish the groundwater supply.
This $22 million project builds on the success of the Terranova Project, helping protect the long-term future of farming and communities in the region.
Projects like this start rebuilding the aquifer and allow more farmland to stay in production. Additional structures and conveyance like we have here [at the McMullin Project are] critical to reaching resilience in the San Joaquin Valley.
Don Cameron, MAGSA Board President & Terranova Ranch Inc. General Manager
According to research conducted on the Kings River flows, floodwaters from the Kings River are available 2 out of every 7 years on average based on historical data. The McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project will capture these excess floodwaters through canals and pumps to farmland for groundwater recharge on fields throughout the project area.
The current Terranova Project consists of 5,000 acres of farmland, which recharged over 18,000 acre-feet of excess floodwater during the 2023 wet year. The McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project adds an additional 7,500 acres available for immediate groundwater recharge along the canal alignment, with future capacity for up to 40,400 acres.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much recharge capacity will the McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project provide?
According to research conducted on the Kings River flows, floodwaters from the Kings River are available 2 out of every 7 years on average based on historical data. The McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project will capture these excess floodwaters through canals and pumps to farmland for groundwater recharge on fields throughout the project area.
The current Terranova Project consists of 5,000 acres of farmland, which recharged over 18,000 acre-feet of excess floodwater during the 2023 wet year. The McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project adds an additional 7,500 acres available for immediate groundwater recharge along the canal alignment, with future capacity for up to 40,400 acres.
How will MAGSA access Kings River floodwaters for the McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project?
Through an agreement with the Terranova Project, Kings River Conservation District, and the James Irrigation District, floodwaters will be diverted from the Kings River at the James Weir.
What does the McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project mean for landowners in MAGSA?
The McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project is an investment in the future of agriculture in MAGSA. As an area with only groundwater as its source of water supply, it is critical to have the ability to bring in water from outside of MAGSA’s area during wet years to replenish the groundwater supply.
How will construction costs for the McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project be paid for?
A proposed $32.85/acre assessment on landowner parcels greater than 2 acres would fund construction of the McMullin Flood Capture Expansion Project. The landowner assessment could potentially be reduced through grant funding. Learn more at mcmullinarea.org/prop218.
Environmental Review Documents
MAGSA, through its contractor Tetra Tech, is preparing the required environmental analysis and documentation for the On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion Project while providing several opportunities for the public to be involved in the environmental review and construction of these projects.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA):
The Expansion Project was approved on July 8, 2022 pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program (MMRP), and Notice of Determination can be found below.
Public Scoping Meeting:
The McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion project was described in more detail at a public scoping meeting. Members of the public were given the opportunity to comment on the proposed project at the event. Members of the public were also encouraged to provide comments through email, mail, or hand deliveries to the MAGSA office through July 30, 2021. Learn more about the McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion project by watching the public scoping meeting webinar recording or viewing the presentation slides below.