Under this agreement, the southern SAN joaquin municiple utility district shall construct the caratan groundwater recharge facility

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $4.6 million to the Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utility District (SSJMUD) under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief program (CFDA 15.514) on June 25, 2025, to construct the Caratan Groundwater Recharge Facility. The project will convert 160 acres of land in Kern County, California, approximately 5 miles southeast of Delano, into recharge ponds capable of providing an additional average annual volume of 5,560 acre-feet of groundwater recharge. Major project components include site earthwork consisting of grading and excavation, development of interior and exterior levees, and installation of turnouts to facilitate controlled water delivery into the recharge areas.

The groundwater recharge facility represents a strategic infrastructure improvement to enhance long-term drought resilience in California's San Joaquin Valley by enabling the capture and storage of excess surface water during wet years for use during drought periods. The project is scheduled for completion by March 1, 2026, and will directly benefit water users within SSJMUD's service boundaries by increasing regional water supply reliability and reducing vulnerability to severe drought conditions affecting the region.

The district will convert 160 acres, located in delano CA, into recharge ponds as a spreading facility that will provide an additional average annual volume of approximately 5,560 AFY. The project is in kern county, california, approximately 5 miles southeast from delano AND35 miles north of bakersfield. The project latitude is 3544 47.9 n and longitude is 11911 02.0 w . The recharge site is located on a 160-acre parcel. The proposed recharge basin is located immediately west of lake woollomes, directly adjacent to the friant kern canal. The major components of the project include but are not limited to:earthwork such as grading, excavation, and preparation of the sitedevelopment of interior and exterior levees.installation of turnouts to facilitate controlled water delivery into the recharge areas. The main beneficiaries are the water users located within the district s boundaries.