The Santa Clara Valley Water District will shut down the water supply for numerous South County agricultural operations, including Morgan Hill-based Andy Mariani’s cherry orchard and the diverse field operations for Chiala Farms.
The Cross Valley Pipeline, which feeds federal water from the San Luis Reservoir into Santa Clara County, will be closed for agriculture use in two weeks, district officials said.
The water district said supply is needed for drinking water for the valley.
“You’re never going to ask Google or Apple to go without water, but a little family farm that’s been here for almost 60 years, they are asking us to give up,” said farmer Andy Mariani. “That’s not fair. It’s just a mess – we don’t know what to do.”
Mariani, along with his brother, relies on the pipeline water to nurse orchards, mostly cherries, on 85 acres of land. Mariani, who operates the popular Andy’s Orchard barn-style farm retail store on his property, said it’s his lone source of water and will decimate his business.
Mariani received an automated message from the water district last Thursday stating that the pipeline will be shut off by the end of the month.
SCVWD Director Dennis Kennedy said the water from the Cross Valley Pipeline feeds three treatment plants in the county and was “not intended for farmers.” He also said farmers knew that it was “an interruptable supply.”
The primary purpose is to provide drinking water, according to Aaron Baker, SCVWD Unit Manager of Water Supply, Operations, Planning and Analysis.
Baker said that water officials have been talking to Mariani “for quite a while” about the water being shut off.
“This is a rapidly changing situation, and decisions are being made very quickly,” Kennedy explained. “The drought continues. We have to respond with actions; we don’t have a lot of time to get the word out.”
Mariani said he did receive a similar automated message a few weeks back that this was a possibility but had also previously been given assurances by the SCVWD that there would be an adequate water supply.
According to the SCVWD, there are 62 surface water accounts from South County that are hooked up to the Cross Valley Pipeline, including 25 agricultural and 37 municipal or industrial.
Chiala Farms uses water from the pipeline but also uses well water for its crops. However, Farm Manager Ian Teresi said the water shutoff will effect 200 acres, where he was planning to put peppers.
“If there’s water to be had, my opinion is, the farmer gets it, and the city should cut down,” said Teresi. “You can’t blame the Water District. You can’t blame them for what’s going on. If there’s not enough water, then we just have to deal with that. But if there is water to be had and the wrong people are getting it for the wrong reasons, then that’s just wrong.”
SCVWD officials will hold a March 13 special meeting on the issue at 4:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the District’s headquarters, 5750 Alamaden Expressway in San Jose.
Kennedy said that all farmers are going to have to rely on well water that has no restriction.
“This is not cutting off all ag water,” he said. “A vast majority of (farmers) are using ground water, and they’re in better shape.”
In 2013, the total amount of agricultural water used was 24,000 acre feed with only 1,328 acre feed coming via the pipeline, according to the SCVWD.
“We’ve already put in a lot of money to our crops this year,” said Mariani. “If an orchard doesn’t get water … it’s dead. Basically, they’re ruining our whole livelihood.”
