San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority

08/31/2026

Last week, we were glad to host fellows from the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF 55) for two days touring essential water infrastructure projects across the Central Valley. The group visited the Los Banos Detention Dam, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Del Bosque Farms, Mendota Dam, the Mendota Water Bank, and the Sack Dam subsidence area on day one, getting a firsthand look at vital water storage and conveyance projects serving our region. Participants finished the day with a dinner panel on the future of California water.

Day two took the cohort to the Tracy Fish Facility, the C.W. Bill Jones Pumping Plant, the Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir Project site, and the San Luis Reservoir Romero Visitor Center. All of these site tours offered the fellows an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the importance and breadth of the state’s water systems, from fish protection to long-term storage planning.

Thank you to everyone who hosted a stop along the way and shared their expertise, including Jarrett Martin, Ric Ortega, Joe Del Bosque, Anthea Hansen, and the many other water leaders who gave their time. We're proud to help the next generation of ag leaders see this work firsthand, and we're optimistic about the future of our industry because of them.

08/05/2026

The newly repaved H.G. Fawcett Canalside Trail is what our Community Infrastructure Fund looks like on the ground. The City of Los Banos put a $100,000 grant to work resurfacing the trail from end to end, and it's one of many local projects the fund has supported, with more than $1.1 million awarded across the Valley since 2024.

Now it's time for the next round. Our Board has approved more than $1 million for this year's program, our largest commitment yet, and applications are open to community organizations, nonprofits, and local government agencies.

The deadline is August 14. Learn more and apply at sjrecwa.net/community

07/31/2026

California's water future depends on smart investments in the infrastructure that keeps our water supply reliable.

The Los Banos Creek Detention Dam project is one example of how expanding water storage with existing infrastructure can help California capture more water in wet years, improve drought resilience, and reduce pressure on groundwater.

Our Executive Director, Chris White, recently spoke with Fox26 about why projects like this are so important for California's future.

Watch the story here:

More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy dedicated the San Luis Reservoir, California is rewriting the playbook on water storage.In 1962, Kennedy stoo

07/08/2026

The San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors are excited to announce the third year of our Community Infrastructure Fund, which aims to support and empower local communities through grants for regional projects and initiatives.

Each year, the Exchange Contractors allocates a portion of the proceeds from our Conservation Water Transfer Program to support local projects. We were extremely pleased with the response we received the last two years and to date have provided a total of $1.1 million in grants. This year we are excited to increase our yearly grant allocation to over $1 million.

We invite proposals from community organizations, non-profits, and local government bodies that have projects poised to make a significant impact in areas ranging from water resource development to sewage treatment infrastructure.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals below:

Community Infrastructure Fund RESOURCES Applications Now Open for the 2026–27 Grant Cycle The San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors are pleased to announce the third year of our Community Infrastructure Fund, which supports and empowers local communities through grants for regional projects and i...

06/09/2026

Last week, we were excited to welcome Dr. Andrea Travnicek, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science, to tour various major infrastructure projects underway across the region, including projects at the Jones Pumping Plant, Sack Dam bypass, B.F. Sisk Dam, San Luis Reservoir, and the Los Banos Creek Detention Dam.

We are grateful for Assistant Secretary Travnicek’s leadership and look forward to our continued partnership on these vital infrastructure projects that support our communities and farmers while putting California in a better position to address long-term water challenges.

04/07/2026

Today we celebrated the completion of the Los Banos Creek Detention Dam Project! The project, at a total cost of $5.5 million, essentially transforms a flood control facility into a storage and conveyance site, which if it were to be constructed from scratch today would likely cost a minimum of half a billion dollars.

What this allows for is roughly 8,000 acre-feet of water to be released downstream from late fall to early winter for beneficial use, to later be replenished with 8,000 acre-feet of replacement water. It's a perfect example of an innovative approach to maximize our existing capacity while we continue to push forward additional large-scale projects that will prepare our region and the state for decades to come.

Thank you to our project partners and to Congressman Adam Gray, Congressman Jim Costa, Bureau of Reclamation, and California Department of Water Resources for their participation today!

03/18/2026

We are excited by the Department of Interior’s recent announcement that $889 million in federal investments under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will go toward water infrastructure across the West, marking a significant step forward for California and the Central Valley. Of that total, $540 million will go toward supporting critical water projects across California, including those that improve conveyance, expand water storage capabilities, and modernize infrastructure that serve our local farms, communities, and businesses.

Thank you to California’s congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue and we appreciate the continued focus on investing in water systems that strengthen our communities, support agriculture, and prepare California to address its long-term water challenges.

02/04/2026

Progress continues on the restoration of the historic Miller and Lux map for the Milliken Museum, funded by a grant from our Community Infrastructure Fund. The sheer size of the map requires using a new telescoping platform in order to reach the center!

01/15/2026

History in the making—or rather, history being preserved.

Thanks to a grant from our Community Infrastructure Fund, the Milliken Museum is restoring a rare Miller and Lux map of the San Joaquin Valley from circa 1900. This incredible piece of regional history documents the land and water that shaped our communities more than a century ago.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the careful work to prepare the map for preservation.

We're proud to support projects that keep our shared history alive for future generations.

01/07/2026

We are saddened by the passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who dedicated his career to standing up for California’s agricultural communities and the water systems that sustain our state.

He was a consistent voice for protecting water rights and advancing practical infrastructure solutions that support farmers across the state, helping ensure agricultural and water priorities were heard in national policy debates.

We extend our condolences to his family, staff, and all those who had the opportunity to work with him.