Reclamation, the Department of Water Resources (DWR), and the contractors have previously entered into successive, short-term interim renewal contracts pursuant to the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, which included both federal water service and state conveyance terms and conditions. However, DWR now prefers that its conveyance responsibilities be defined in a separate contract that is exclusive of Reclamation’s water service responsibilities.

The contractors are the Hills Valley Irrigation District, Kern-Tulare Water District, Lower Tule River Irrigation District, Pixley Irrigation District, Tri-Valley Water District, the county of Tulare and the county of Fresno.

The next conveyance contract negotiation session will be held on Monday, June 4, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., South-Central California Area Office Conference Room, 1243 “N” Street, in Fresno, California.

The public is welcome to attend and will have the opportunity to comment. Participation instructions and all pertinent documents will be provided at the beginning of the session. For additional information, including directions to the South-Central California Area Office, please contact Rena Ballew, Repayment Specialist, at 559-487-5504 (TTY 800-735-2929), fax 559-487-5397, or e-mail rballew@usbr.gov.