TID board candidates discuss drought, fish and how to charge all those electric cars
Both candidates for a Turlock Irrigation District board seat endorse the agency’s stance on Tuolumne River flows. And they hope to guide TID as it meets state mandates for green power.
David Yonan faces Wayne Zipser in the Nov. 8 contest in Division 2, in and near Ceres between Highway 99 and Santa Fe Avenue. Incumbent Charles Fernandes did not seek re-election to a seat he has held since 2001.
Incumbent Joe Alamo was unopposed in Division 4, the northwest part of TID. So was Ron Macedo in Division 5, the south.
TID irrigates about 149,000 acres between the Tuolumne and Merced rivers. It has about 105,000 electricity customers in the same zone, as well as Patterson and part of the hills to the west.
Zipser, 68, might have more name recognition thanks to his nearly two decades as executive manager of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, retiring in April. He also has worked in farm management.
Yonan, 61, grows almonds and grapes and is an agribusiness consultant. He previously worked for Bank of America.
The new member could confront a fourth straight year of drought in 2023. Farmers were capped at about 80% of their normal deliveries in 2021 and about 60% this year.
TID also faces longer-term challenges under a state plan to roughly double releases from Don Pedro Reservoir to aid fish in the lower Tuolumne. Talks recently were revived on an agreement that could leave more water for farms, although details are not yet public. The Modesto Irrigation District and San Francisco also would be involved in the deal with the State Water Resources Control Board.
On the power side, TID must build upon its current wind and other resources to meet a mandate for 60% renewables by 2030 and 100% by 2045. California also will ban the sale of gasoline-fueled cars by 2035, so the district has begun planning for how to meet the charger demand.
Yonan and Zipser discussed the issues via emailed questionnaires from The Modesto Bee.
Water for fish and farms
On the river flow issue, Yonan said, “... I support TID management and their team of respected hydrologists in the use of a science-based approach to water releases for fish in the lower Tuolumne River.”
Zipser said he hopes the compromise works but noted that the state board “has a history of moving the goal posts on this issue. ... More importantly, the state needs to know that TID will exercise every possible action it can to protect our water community and our economy, which is based on that water.”
Both candidates said the TID staff is skilled at planning for droughts and at managing high flows in wet times. They noted the upcoming construction of two small reservoirs to catch water that otherwise could flow out the canal ends.
“TID historically has been the best-prepared district during situations of both drought and flooding,” Yonan said, “given its ability to respond quickly and utilize its superior team of hydrologists and superior data.”
Zipser cited a drought program that allows farmers to transfer water among themselves, and the balanced use over the long term of groundwater and river supplies.
“(The state) Department of Water Resources says Stanislaus County is the only county in the Central Valley that is not in critically overdraft of our groundwater, and that is an acknowledgment to all of our irrigation districts,” he said.
Wind, solar and more
Zipser said TID has “made great strides” in meeting the 2030 renewable mandate with wind, solar, geothermal and small hydroelectric plants. He would fight a state provision that excludes the large hydro plants at Don Pedro, ”which is in my opinion a very renewable and clean source of energy.”
Both candidates support testing the idea of installing solar panels atop TID canals, which could reduce evaporation while generating power. The district this year got a $20 million state grant to do a pilot project with UC Merced and other partners.
“Ultimately,” Yonan said, “the district will need to invest in more solar but with the addition of battery storage to support it.”
Electric vehicles are coming
The emergence of electric vehicles will require chargers of various types, including home garages, business fleets and public stations.
Yonan said TID has planned well for this: “The district can anticipate where level 3 (DC fast-charging) will be installed and work to have the necessary infrastructure in place to accommodate it. Except for very old residential areas, current infrastructure for level 1 and 2 charging is adequate.”
Zipser said the charging issue is complicated by separate mandates that will reduce natural gas as a source of electricity. And he noted that the West Side portion of the district is growing especially fast.
“TID has a strategic plan until 2025,” Zipser said. “I believe a new long-term strategic plan with a future power supply will fulfill mandates along with keeping TID one of the most low-cost utilities in the state.”
