Calleguas MWD

UWCD has been giving "social distanced" tours of its Freeman Diversion this month. UWCD General Manager Mauricio Guardado explains the Freeman Diversion operat...ion to the Calleguas Municipal Water District executives including GM Tony Goff, Board Secretary Kara Wade, Manager of Operations and Maintenance Rob Peteres and Associate General Manager Henry Graumlich See more

When properly timed, fall planting allows plants to develop solid root systems, preparing them for growth in the spring!

The City of Simi Valley scored a $36,000 rebate for removing thirsty grass at the Simi Valley Welcome Corner! Residents and businesses can learn more about the Turf Replacement Rebate at: bewaterwise.com.

To finish out the 60th Anniversary of "Calleguas Water Week" we would like to acknowledge our employees who work every day to ensure the reliability of high-quality drinking water.

WATER MEANS SECURITY This image - likely taken during a tour of Metropolitan Water District facilities - shows Richard Bard pointing to the California Aqueduct.

EARLY CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS From the archives - here are some pictures that show construction of the original CMWD distribution system. Calleguas built infrastructure outside of Ventura County that included pump stations and a long stretch of pipeline that eventually connected to Metropolitan's pipeline in Glendale! Metropolitan would later acquire these facilities from Calleguas.

WOOD RANCH RESERVOIR BECOMES LAKE BARD The Wood Ranch Reservoir officially became known as "Lake Bard" following a dedication ceremony in May 1967 to honor Richard Bard, a founding Board Member and the first President of Calleguas MWD.

STORING IMPORTED WATER Calleguas officials eventually settled on building a dam and reservoir to store the imported water on property acquired from Adrian Wood. Originally, the storage hub of water received from the Metropolitan Water District was to be located on a section of the Joel McCrea Ranch. The Wood Ranch site was attractive as it would require only 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt for the dam compared to 3 million cubic yards at the proposed McCrea Reservoir.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL Construction of an 8-foot diameter tunnel - well over a mile long in length - through the Santa Susana Mountains was no easy task. It took 50 workers a year and a half to construct the Perliter Tunnel. The tunnel operates as the gateway for imported water to enter into east Ventura County, and a critical part of Calleguas' infrastructure.

FINANCING SUPPLEMENTAL WATER One of the primary reasons for not immediately seeking imported water from the Metropolitan Water District in the early 1950s was addressing the question of cost-effective supplemental water. Of the initial concepts for developing supplemental water, a potential dam site in the Sespe Wilderness was viewed as a viable option. Such a project would allow for a partnership (as well as favorable financing) with the Bureau of Reclamation. However, long delays in adjudicating water rights for the Sespe Creek, including increased costs for the proposed Topa Topa Dam, was enough for Calleguas to move forward and push for annexation to the Metropolitan Water District.

WATER FROM THE COLORADO This image is from November 3, 1960 taken at the Las Posas Country Club. Joseph Jensen, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District, "delivers" some water from the Colorado River for Richard Bard, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Calleguas Municipal Water District.

The 60th anniversary of "Calleguas Water Week" is here! Stakeholders of the relatively new Calleguas Municipal Water District actively campaigned for voters to approve 1) annexation to the Metropolitan Water District for imported water and 2) to finance the infrastructure to connect to the Metropolitan distribution system. Voters turned out in large numbers to overwhelmingly approve both propositions.