Commitment

As the population in Sacramento County has increased, so too has development in an area defined by its agricultural heritage. NCMWC is evolving along with the interests and needs of our shareholders while fulfilling our original mission – to provide irrigation water to farmers at cost.

In March 2004, NCMWC authorized its staff and consultants to finalize an operating agreement with another long-time Sacramento water provider, American States Utility Services, Inc. (ASUS), to provide water and wastewater services to municipal and industrial users in the Natomas Basin.

The partnership allows Natomas to serve all development within its service area, while preserving habitat, encouraging conservation and maximizing the value of our shareholders’ historic water rights. Just as important, the partnership with ASUS makes certain that the water NCMWC draws from the Sacramento River, American River and from groundwater wells stays in northern California.

Protecting area’s agricultural heritage

With roots in agriculture, NCMWC is committed to protecting agricultural operations and preserving habitat. NCMWC supports the mission of the Natomas Basin Conservancy, which manages approximately 3,000 acres of land benefiting 22 “special status’’ species, including the giant garter snake and the Swainson’s hawk.

Through local control and operations, NCMWC is positioned to expertly balance the use of groundwater and surface water to protect the resource and deliver superior service to our growing customer base.
• A flexible, competitive fee schedule that can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of our customers to enhance conservation efforts.
• Our commitment to maintaining agricultural uses to help preserve the area’s scenic, open space.
• An ongoing obligation to maintain and improve positive barrier fish screens to minimize impact on aquatic life.

Regional water management
NCMWC has a proven commitment to the guiding principles of the Sacramento Water Forum to provide a reliable and safe water supply for the region’s economic health and planned development to the year 2030, and to preserve the environmental, recreational and aesthetic values of the lower American River.

In order to maintain an exceptional balance of existing assets, NCMWC is engaged in the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater supplies. This not only improves the availability and reliability of water supplies, despite variable rainfall, it also benefits the environment by leaving surface water in the American River when needed to protect fish such as salmon.

Fast facts about Natomas
Service Territory: 33,223 acres
Water supply sources: Sacramento River, groundwater sources
Water Usage: Water rights for 120,000 acre-feet of water per year from the Bureau of Reclamation
Distribution system: pipelines, pumps and more than 50 miles of canals