Stanislaus, water district lack accord on future of recreation at Woodward Reservoir
Six months of talks between Stanislaus County and South San Joaquin Irrigation District haven’t produced an extended agreement for recreation at Woodward Reservoir near Oakdale.
An SSJID staff member told Stanislaus County’s board of supervisors Tuesday that county staff members were not inclined to accept a six-month extension of the negotiation period to July 1, but the parties were OK with a three-month period for more negotiations.
The regional park is considered a gem for people who enjoy camping, boating, swimming and picnicking near the water and also has attracted thousands for an annual July Fourth fireworks show, concerts and festivals.
Under a long-standing agreement, the county has operated the 6,700-acre regional park for the public at Woodward Reservoir. The Manteca-based SSJID has owned and operated the dam and reservoir, supplying irrigation water to farms and treated drinking water to Escalon, Manteca, Lathrop and Tracy in south San Joaquin County.
The license agreement was last amended in 2005 to address water quality concerns and allow recreation to continue while meeting the standards of a municipal water source.
The 2005 amendment included a timetable for the county and SSJID to negotiate new amendments in the last six months of 2022. Negotiations were held June 21, July 28, Aug. 24 and Oct 20, but the talks did not progress far enough to complete negotiations by Dec. 31, said SSJID General Manager Peter Rietkerk.
Jody Hayes, county chief executive officer, said he talked with SSJID’s general manager Tuesday. “I feel like we will reach an agreement with them, but it will take a few more months to do it,” Hayes said. “We don’t have a proposal for them for amendments. I think that is part of the challenge.”
Representatives of the county and SSJID have not seen eye-to-eye when the discussions have centered on park revenue and expenses. County parks rebuffed SSJID’s proposal for a six-month extension of the negotiation period to July 1.
“The county needs to move amendment of this agreement forward now and without further delay,” county Parks Director Tera Chumley wrote in a Dec. 2 reply to SSJID. “For both parties it would be detrimental to our constituents to delay this process any further.”
Chumley said Tuesday the SSJID has focused attention on park revenue and financial data during the negotiations. So far, the district has not made a proposal to get a share of the revenue from park use, Chumley said, though such as proposal would not surprise the county.
County pays $1 a year to SSJID
At present, the county pays $1 a year to SSJID under the agreement to provide recreational services at Woodward. The county, which also manages the recreation area at Modesto Reservoir, pays nothing to Modesto Irrigation District, Chumley said.
Rietkerk said Tuesday he could not discuss all details of the negotiations. He said staff turnover in the county parks department earlier this year caused delays and not much time remained this year for completing the talks.
Rietkerk said the SSJID has sought information from the county to make sure the recreation activities are on a solid footing. According to Rietkerk’s letter to county parks and recreation Nov. 8, the outstanding issues in the negotiations included the term of the license agreement, fee structures, capital investments and protections to prevent adverse impacts on the water.
His letter to the county said a six-month extension of negotiations would allow for a thorough evaluation of the issues and available data and time to properly craft proposed amendments.
“We have a long history of doing this with the county,” Rietkerk said. “Woodward has been a great asset for water supply and recreation for the region. ... We are asking for additional time.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the county since March 2020, has muddled the financial picture for recreation at Woodward Reservoir, which can get around 400,000 visitors a year.
A county annual report for the 2020-21 fiscal year said Woodward and Modesto reservoirs took in $3.15 million in combined revenue. A monthly parks and recreation report for June 2020 said Woodward’s revenue was $183,000 that month. It was $552,000 in June 2019, the report said.
Chumley said the county has historically made infrastructure improvements for the regional park and is faced with making a significant investment in Americans with Disabilities Act improvements. It also needs to upgrade restrooms built in the 1960s and comply with a state requirement to replace a few testing wells.
To qualify for grants to fund improvements, the county has said it needs a 20-year extension of the license agreement with SSJID.
“The county is interested in continuing our partnership with SSJID,” Chumley assured. “I don’t have any reason to believe they don’t feel the same way.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2022 at 10:42 AM.
