Fresno Irrigation District Advances Groundwater Recharge Efforts with Completion of Carter Bybee Groundwater Recharge Basin - Ribbon Cutting Scheduled
- Fresno Irrigation
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
NEWS RELEASE
Bill Stretch, General Manager
(559) 233-7161
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2026
Basin Constructed with Financial Assistance from DWR SGMA Implementation
and USBR Drought Resiliency Project Grants
The Fresno Irrigation District (FID) has completed construction of the Carter Bybee Groundwater Recharge Basin (“Carter Bybee Basin”), adding to a growing list of completed groundwater recharge basins for FID. The 35-acre Carter Bybee Basin Site, located in the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (NKGSA), adds an opportunity to replenish the groundwater aquifer by an additional 840 acre-feet of water annually, on average.
“The Carter Bybee Basin is FID’s most recent example of FID leading our region in developing a reliable water supply for our community by increasing capacity to capture and recharge water. The basin will further FID’s efforts to mitigate groundwater pumping occurring within its boundaries by capturing surface water in wet years and storing those supplies underground for use during dry years,” stated Bill Stretch, FID’s general manager.
To celebrate the completion of the Carter Bybee Basin Groundwater Recharge Project, you are invited to attend a ribbon cutting and naming ceremony hosted by FID as noted below:
Date: June 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Corner of Jameson and Barstow Avenues, Fresno, CA, (Please enter off of Jameson Avenue following signage.)
CLICK HERE to watch a short video highlighting the construction of the Carter Bybee Groundwater Recharge Basin.
The groundwater recharge project helps FID and the North Kings GSA achieve sustainability by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act’s (SGMA) 2040 sustainability deadline while increasing water supply reliability for growers and community residents reliant on wells for potable water. This is especially important in critically dry years when there is increased reliance on groundwater use. Developing infrastructure now helps prepare for future wet years when there is available stormwater and snowmelt runoff to capture and percolate into the aquifer.
Funding for the project totaled approximately $6 million from a combination of sources including the Department of Water Resources (DWR’s) Proposition 68 SGMA Implementation funding ($978,000), the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s Drought Resiliency Project funding ($4.65M), and local investments through FID Proposition 218 assessment funds ($1M). Land for the project was purchased in 2022 from the Bybee family who are being honored for their part by officially naming the basin after their family. Since the implementation of SGMA, FID has completed construction of 270 acres of groundwater recharge basins with plans to add up to an additional 310 acres of groundwater recharge basin sites.
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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.