The turlock irrigation district (district) is proposing to modify the water control structure at the end of its lateral 6 canal

The existing facility is more than 80 years old and still utilizes technology from that time period in the form of wooden weir boards and a meikle automatic radial gate. Meikle automatic gates were invented and patented by a former district engineer, and were once an extremely innovative device. They utilized buoyancy and a counterweight system to open a gate when water in the canal rose above a certain level. While these devices were pioneering, the gates were designed to prioritize canal water levels and irrigation service over water conservation. Due to this fact and a lack of remote monitoring or operational capability, they have become an outdated system. The lateral 6 structure currently loses significant amounts of water from our canal system, which passes unused into the districts nielson drain. The district is proposing to modernize the existing facility by installing a contemporary rubicon flume gate system. Rubicon flume gates are mechanized overshot gates that can be remotely monitored and adjusted through the districts existing SCADA control network, allowing the canal operator to quickly respond to changing conditions at the end of the canal. These rubicon gates have already been installed in other areas of the district and have been found to significantly improve water conservation and provide superior methods of managing water. Based on measured water losses through the existing structure during operation, the district anticipates that the new rubicon facility will save at least 150 AF of irrigation water per year.