Local growers received some good news Tuesday, as the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors voted to make 15,000 acre feet of additional water available for irrigators to use this season.

The water was made available after the board learned that runoff flow into Don Pedro Reservoir would be more than originally projected.

The board's decision also effectively ended the previous purchase agreement of 7,000 acre feet of surface water made with the Modesto Irrigation District earlier this month.  

Tou Her, assistant general manager of water resources at TID, recalculated flow rates from May's initial projection and realized that there was water to spare.

“There are some of our irrigators that do need additional water,” said Her.

The water will be priced at the Tier 4 rate of $20 per acre foot, and will be made available for irrigators on a voluntary basis once they have reached their 2013 cap of 34 inches per acre.

There will be an open enrollment sign-up period for the water, with dates running from July 29 to Aug 9. Interested irrigators must pay in full for the water once they have signed up. The purchase will be non refundable.

Customers with questions about this voluntary program are advised to call the Water Distribution Department at 883-8356.