The phase 1 - kern fan groundwater storage project (project, phase 1) is a joint effort between irvine ranchwater district (irwd, irvine) and the rosedale-RIO bravo water storage district (rrbwsd,…

The phase 1 - kern fan groundwater storage project (project, phase 1) is a joint effort between irvine ranchwater district (irwd, irvine) and the rosedale-RIO bravo water storage district (rrbwsd, rosedale)operating collectively as the groundwater banking joint powers authority (gbjpa). The gbjpa is in the processof developing the kern fan project, a regional water bank in kern county, california, immediately west of thecity of bakersfield that has the potential to store up to 100,000 acre-feet of surplus water made availableduring years when water supply exceeds the california state water project (SWP) contractors total entitlement.due to the large scale of the kern fan project, implementation has been broken up into multiple independentoperational phases, with phase 1 being a standalone project. Phase 1 includes the acquisition of 350 acres inkern county for the construction and operation of recharge basins, recovery wells, and conveyance infrastructureand interconnections. Once implemented, the project has the potential to provide approximately 28,000 acre-feetof new groundwater storage in the central valley. The project aims to enhance water storage opportunities andprovide long-term water supply for rosedales and irvines multiple beneficiaries such as agricultural, residential, industrial, and municipal users, the environment, banking partners, and disadvantaged communitiesalike. The proposed project is critical for enhancing water storage, creating a reliable water supply for futuregenerations, and meeting landmark california sustainable groundwater management act (sgma) goals.