FID Water Deliveries to Begin March 16
- Fresno Irrigation
- Mar 6
- 2 min read
NEWS RELEASE
Bill Stretch, General Manager
(559) 233-7161
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2026
The Fresno Irrigation District (FID) Board of Directors made the decision today at a special meeting to begin scheduled water deliveries to agricultural customers on March 16. FID will begin filling the canals next week in preparation for a successful delivery season.
It is too early to tell how long the irrigation season will last, but FID projects enough water supplies to likely extend irrigation deliveries through July. FID will have a better estimate on the length of the irrigation season by early summer and will provide updates to users as soon as they are available.
The March 1 state-wide snow survey indicated that the snow water content in the Kings River watershed was 79 percent of the April 1 average. The snowpack was heavily bolstered by the strong and cold mid-February storms, building on a 49 percent of April 1 average snowpack measured on February 1. Projected April through July Kings River runoff is currently estimated to be 80 percent of historic average (2025 was approximately 71 percent of average). Any additional future storms will further increase this projected runoff amount. FID continues to track updates from the Airborne Snow Observatories (ASO) models, National Weather Service and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
Pine Flat Reservoir on the Kings River, the source of the majority of FID’s water supply, is currently at 62% of capacity and rising. A mid-March start to the irrigation season will help protect FID from losing stored water to flood releases because of the upcoming spring snowmelt.
“Our mountains received strong, but warm, storms in October, November, and December, which lead to a weak snowpack and an increase in early season runoff. After an extremely dry January and early February, the strong and cold mid-February storms provided much needed snowpack to the Kings River watershed, and made it clear we need to start water deliveries earlier than anticipated to protect FID’s water supply,” said Bill Stretch, FID
General Manager.
FID’s Kings River entitlement depends upon each day’s natural river runoff. While FID receives most of its surface water supplies from the Kings River, FID also receives San Joaquin River supplies via the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project. The Bureau has announced a 100% allocation for CVP Friant Class 1 contractors and no Class 2 allocation at this time.
FID urges agricultural customers to contact their Water System Operators (WSO) for all water delivery scheduling questions and concerns. Questions may also be directed to the District office by phone at (559) 233-7161.
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Since 1920, the Fresno Irrigation District has proudly delivered water to agricultural and urban communities within Fresno County. Today, the District encompasses over 250,000 acres of prime farmland and municipal areas, including the cities of Fresno and Clovis. As the premier irrigation district in the Central Valley, the District is extensively involved in a host of local, state, and federal water issues.
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