It's official: the 2013 Turlock Irrigation District season has come to an end.
The shutdown started at 4 p.m. last Thursday, a few hours later than an initially planned morning shutdown.
The water is still winding its way through the TID canal system, with some farmers still irrigating with the last drops of water. And some water remains stored above drops on the main canal, allowing irrigation to continue through the end of the week week for some customers.
“We're shutting things down slowly,” TID Water Distribution Manager Mike Kavarian said.
The district is still getting calls from farmers who want to irrigate, Kavarian said. Growers had previously asked for an extension to the season, but TID declined due to the limited water available in Don Pedro Reservoir.
Overall, Kavarian said the season went well, considering the lack of water, with limited spills and satisfied customers.
“We did a good job taking care of people under a difficult situation,” Kavarian said.
A few months ago TID sent a Memo out to farmers that there was “Extra” water in Don Pedro, to put in the orders if we needed it? Most farmers adjusted for a “Short” water year, so they were already drying there corn crops for harvest, and the Orchard farmers preparing for harvest, “meaning the water really wasn’t needed. Now the TID is saying there’s a limited supply in Pedro so they “Have” to shut the season down? With no rain Tree crops could really use the water! These “Higher Ups” in the district talk out of two sides of there mouth! So if the abundant water in Pedro a few months ago didn’t get used where did it go? Limited spills, and satisfied customers? “Way to pat yourself on the back Kavarion”
Dear “Interesting”,
What are you talking about?. You sound stupid.
I don’t think the supervisors over the ditch tenders have a clue? They weren’t even good ditch tenders themselves. There LOST
I wander while Kavarion is saying how well this season went, if he is disciplining the WDO & Troubleshooter who where stealing water for there own use?
I am proud of the parents that stood up for their students and children they went and asked why are there no bathrooms for there students proper place for them to eat.why are the the kids having to do exercise witb no water breaks why are the staff misusing funds why are the staff pushing the parents out so tbey dont see the abuse the students are getting.well because the family of Alexadria and Nora Ramos and Debbie Barrera and several other parent are speaking up there is truth in what they are saying the State is giving money for this school and these official are using the name of Military to raise money saying they are doing proper training when there not tbe staff are hinding funds I am proud of the parents who took a Stand for Truth.
Are you proud enough to post it under the correct story? 😉
Dear Diana Avila,
there were no bathrooms available for the students because of the TID board. They shut the water off too early even though they had more available. Shame on them.
Please vote Joe Alamo for TID board.
Dear Guest with the long blog,
I guess you just aired TID’s dirty laundry…even though its not fact but perception. Next time please give us the reader’s digest version. I think Joseph Alamo is better for the board then Dan Mexicano. Vote Alamo! Vote for the legitimate candidate.
It’s obvious you have lots of inside knoweledge about the department. The part about Mike being indecisive is absolutley wrong. He has no problem making decisions, the problem is that the board keeps changing their damn minds and won’t stick by their decisions. IT’S NOT MIKE’S FAULT & you blaming on him shows how ignorant you are about the inner workings at TID and that you are more than likely a pissed off employee that doesn’t do their job right & Mike probably had to get on your ass
The above comment has ” A LOT ” of truths! The Water Dept. of the District is in dire need of Rehabilitation! but that isn’t the only Dept. within the District in Ruins? (The Electrical Dept.) is riddled with problems! The GM is responsible for taking out “His” own Agenda on the Line Crews, Thus ruining the Electrical Dept. “Outside Electrical Crews” costing millions! Managers & Supervisors who couldn’t even pass the Electrical Lineworkers Apprentice Test! (Construction & Maintenance) Through bad hiring practices we now have crews that can hardly do a project that takes skill set. A Dept. Manager that Ex- Assistant GM Cargill placed that can’t even read a set of plans! When Dept. Manager D.C. Womack was at the District almost all projects were done “In-House” with a skilled workforce! Now any project that takes a certain skill set is “Bidded Out” to Outside Contracting? because there is just not enough skilled employee’s! What is this Dept. going to do when “Prada” “Coatano” & “Cabral” retire? TID has hit a “Cross Road” and what is it going to take to get it back to the District it used to be? Get rid of the current General Manager? Start replacing Board Members to ones who can start making decisions? All of the above? Change is in order!
To the last guest. It sounds like your JEALOUS, RESENTFUL, BITTER AND ENVIOUS. Shame on you! Go look in the mirror and SMILE. It will make you fill better:)
VOTE DARREL MONROE!!!
I have to reply to one of the above comments. If Mr. Monroe was responsible for all those offenses why wasn’t he terminated, or with a Discipline system that the district pays every year for at least “positive disciplined” in the 23 years at the district? We all know about Mr. Monroe’s situation at the end of his career with the district, but before that he was never disciplined for one thing? But the allegations you refer to would all point to “termination”, “positive disciplined” etc….. You even refer to him being a bad wdo and couldn’t even do simple math? but he was hired as a wdo and was a wdo for 23 years? Why wouldn’t the district switch him to another position that he could handle, like the district did with numerous other wdo’s? Cargill was one taken off the ditch cause he couldn’t handle the stress, then became assistant general manager! when I was at the district Darrel was the go to wdo to train new hires! I even know that former GM Weis use to call Darrel in his office to get his opinion on certain “field issues”. And if I haven’t degraded your comment enough already, how about this? You state that Macedo use to be one of Darrel’s biggest advocates? Why would Macedo be so “Pro” Monroe if he was such a bad employee of the district? Not smart enough? or was Macedo a big advocate of Darrel Monroe because 4 years ago he helped Macedo when the election? One problem, Macedo did not do one thing that he promised division 5? and Darrel takes that personal, he helped Macedo campaign in the division 5 area, then Macedo turned his back on all the farmers & rate payers that put him on the board!—— VOTE MONROE for DIVISION 5——
The short comings of this Years irrigation season is clearly the fault of the TID Lineman!
The Lineman surly vandalized the liquid water it’s self, so that it evaporated faster, or made the water run up hill! As your director, “I don’t know where the water went? But it’s the linemans fault!”
If Darrel was terminated over a vulgar message he left on Manager Cargill’s voice mail. So what’s going to happen to WDO Gus Valareal & Trouble shooter Scott Cole for (*edited by tcn) a precious commodity of water for there crops that they sale for profit? It was a tuff water year Kavarion stated, but his employee’s were stealing a commodity that the Board of Directors said they had to shut the season down early, “do to a limited supply of water.”???????????
I wish of my board members were replaced. If we get new ones on, then maybe I would have a chance at increasing salaries for all TID employees. Vote Anderson and Olsen for TID board
Ha Ha – I’m not surprised to hear that Larry Weis was asking Monroe for advice. He’s his kind of guy. Almost single-handedly destroyed the District, except for the Board, who let him do it.
Joe Alamo’s campaign is starting to go array. Joe is hypocritically stretching, and reaching for anything that people might believe. Joe is starting to use words like agendas, special interest group, Etc. Joe has resorted to throwing cow poop up into a ceiling fan and hoping something will stick, this makes you look no different than the group you oppose. Hypocritically speaking, Joe, your good at pointing your finger at other people saying all kinds of negative things(all any one has to do is read Joe’s resent campaign flyer, there is nothing positive about it), but you Joe, are the same as the group you are so critical of. Joe, what does it say about you when you’ve raised more than $30,000 for your campaign(where did all this money come from)? Four times the amount of the other three candidates combined. Does the quantity of money contributed to a campaign indicate special interest group? Or what about WHO’s contributed money to your campaign Joe , the monitory contributors to Joes campaign is a very exclusive group, comprised mostly of farmers. Would this indicate a special interest group? What percentage of your financial contributors, are farmers? 95%? Is that special interest? Or what about large campaign contributions(Large camping contributions of anything over thousand dollars) Those contributors are exclusively farmers/growers. what about the appearance of a protected agenda? Joe you are endorsed by all your fellow board members? Joe you have received campaign funds from fellow board members ($1000 from Director Frantz, $250 from Director Fernandez) Does this show that you guys are in cahoots? If you vote in the boardroom does this indicate how the vote would go, 3 to 2? Does this indicate a protected agenda? Or what about the campaigning itself(Director Santos and Director Frantz both personally, have campaigned for you)? Again, I ask you, if there is a board room vote, how do you directors vote? Does helping each other out indicate a protected agenda? One thing this has established is a house super majority with no checks and balances! I hope you 5 TID Directors are doing the right thing? I do know one thing, TID Used to have this secret veil wrapped around it and no one ever knew what went on inside, that is until you five directors took the lead! The turmoil, the disorder, and disorganization, is very disheartening to read about!
I am just you average TID customer. When I flip the switch the light come on. I live in a 2,300 sq. ft. home and my bill last month was $84. The electrical service in our area has only gone down once or twice for a short period of time in many years. I am very happy with both the price and reliability of TID energy.
All this infighting isn’t of much interest to rate payers and rate payers will ultimately decide this election. I think most are pretty happy with there service. So if you’re expecting a coup at TID you’re going to be disappointed.
Dear (Just a Customer) if your electric bill on a 2300 sq. ft. home is $84 a month you must have the luxury of having “Solar” which most of us can’t afford. My house is 1280 sq. ft. and my bill last month was $157 a d my storage building has 2 dusk to dawn lights on a separate meter and it runs $48 a month. So go blow smoke somewhere else with that jibberish, by the way in the peak of the summer season my bill was $280, and I’m in town with shade trees!;)
I wonder if Monroe was almost terminated for leaving a vulgar message on a managers voicemail, what’s going to happen to WDO Valareal and Troubleshooter Cole, for (*edited by tcn) irrigation water? On such a tight water year and there own employees were stealing such a precious commodity! Is this how TID operates, if your in with the rite people “The sky’s the limit” with no repercussions?
I have to correct the Larry Wies comments! Everyone knows at the District that Darrel Monroe is one of the biggest reasons that Larry resigned! When Darrel spilled the beans on water being sold to San Francisco without public knowledge! That’s when Larry ran to Texas!
Well “Truth” your house is likely older and must leak like a sieve. I live on Cedar Ridge without any solar but last month was pretty mild and we made an effort to conserve. Not looking for a fight I was just stating a fact. My bigger point was the consistent delivery of uninterrupted electricty.
Why does it feel that TID runs this site???? Every time there is a slandering comment about about the District or a current Board member it is erased off the comment section? But when it comes to candidates Agundez or Monroe the slandering comments are left on! As public opinion this “IS” being noticed! TID is so strongly trying to keep the current Board Members? The Board members are there for the PUBLIC, but TID is trying to control who is on the Board? Why is this? TID even went as far as writing a article in the Modesto Bee pleading to vote for the incumbents! I hope there’s more people that are noticing what I am?????
I to not look for fight, my home 1600 squre foot, we very moderate use, last month $138.00 are house built in 2005 with energy efficient house? Summer put thermostat at 80 degree and bill around $210.00 in last couple year rate way up! why so high? we on fixed income $1,100 month
THIS SITE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER OR TMZ
Dear Voter who wrote “Why does it feel that TID runs this site????”
How would you know that slanderous comments are not posted? Are you posting those slanderous comments behind the shield of ‘Voter”. I believe you have just committed yourself to the stupid category. BTW, the posts on this “TMZ” sight are not glowing of the TID board.
I’m not suggesting I haven’t had large bills on occasion. I just pointed out that my bill was $84 last month. I said I was very happy with the price. Wouldn’t you be?
(To WDO#22) No not saying I’ve wrote slandering comments on this site that didn’t get put on! But I have read some comments that are on the comment section one day, and then taken off the next day? Why would that be? So #22 learn how to read before you post a comment, if you don’t believe me read my original comment again Jacka**! I’m just stating a fact that I have seen with my own eye’s, so if that puts me in the stupid category then TID has done their job!
To Voter
Maybe slanderous comments shouldn’t be allowed unless someone puts their true name to it. Wouldn’t you agree? Why slander someone. Should I slander you by saying that you are short, fat and stupid? Even if its true?