Woodward Reservoir’s recreation facilities are aging.
Reviews on sites such as Yelp and Travel Advisor indicate visitor experience is underwhelming at best.
And South San Joaquin Irrigation District, which owns the reservoir and surrounding area, gets just one dollar a year to allow Stanislaus County to operate recreation services at the reservoir.
All three of those things could be changing.
The SSJID Board is weighing exercising a contractual clause informing Stanislaus County the agreement would formally end Oct. 14, 2026.
If the board initiates the move, it will end the arrangement that went into effect in December 1985 a decade ahead of its stated termination in 2036.
Doing so would activate a $2 million early termination “penalty” SSJID would have to pay the county.
It is on top of the prorated share of improvements to the upper intake the county participated in based on their remaining useful life. That cost is estimated to be $820,000.
SSJID General Manager Peter Rietkerk indicated the district in 2022 started evaluating the agreement and the recreational operations.
It was part of an ongoing examination of district facilities “to maximize them for the best benefit.”
Reitkerk said “we believe the district is in the best position to deliver both water and quality recreational experiences.”
There were 482,000 visitors to Woodward in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024. That was up from the previous year when there were 447,000 visitors.
“After a thorough review, SSJID staff is recommending to the Board that it is in the best interests of our constituents to pursue a new direction for management of Woodward Reservoir,” Reitkerk said. “Our priority is ensuring that both water quality and recreation opportunities are responsibly managed for the long term.”
The initial issues that surfaced in 2022 included:
* Some facilities are at the end of their useful life including sewer and drinking water with no firm county plans for their repair or replacement.
* Certain upgrades the county has identified are needed to improve accountability and make facilities more user friendly.
* Improvements are needed to address traffic issues on 26-Mile Road during busy recreation weekends.
* A lack of regular tree management at the time that has since improved.
The county lacks firm plans for ongoing maintenance and capital improvement of the recreational facilities at Woodward Reservoir.
Stanislaus County, meanwhile, is pursuing additional recreational facility responsibilities at other reservoirs within the county even though they are still under contract to maintain Woodward Reservoir through 2026.
Staff concluded that with the lack of a plan to re-invest Woodward-derived revenues necessary to support recreation, the facilities will continue to deteriorate.
County less than engaging
on golden mussel threat
The staff report indicated the county has been less than stellar in terms of their efforts to combat the invasive golden mussel.
It is a program that is critical to protecting the integrity of the water supply for the entire district.
The invasive species rapidly multiply and have proven to be a threat to water deliveries as they gravitate to outtake pipes and such, effectively clogging or choking water flow.
Due to the county’s lack of response, SSJID ordered boat launches at Woodward be suspended in December of 2024 until the county developed and implemented a golden mussel prevention program acceptable to the district.
The district indicated a 30-day boat quarantine banding program that is used at other California reservoirs would be acceptable.
The county’s initial reaction was they would not implement such a program due to additional staff and costs to administer it.
District will explore other
models for recreation
SSJID examination of Woodward Reservoir’s recreation component indicates camping, day use, and concession food/beverage revenue would be $5.1 million in 2027 against direct expenses of $2.7 million.
Indirect expenses including $239,000 budgeted for repair and maintenance represented another $1 million.
Deducting $117,000 for insurance, that would leave $1,181,000 before taxes.
The modeling was done for five years to verify the preliminary cash flow under a new franchise agreement.
A 10 to 15 percent franchise fee based on overall revenue, would send at least $500,000 to the district.
Payment of the $2.8 million contract cancellation cost to the district would take place over eight to 12 years.
The goal is to bump up annual SSJID revenues from $1 to $500,000-plus a year while also getting facility upgrades in place to create a more pleasant experience for users.
The 36,000 acre-foot reservoir a few miles northwest of Oakdale is the cornerstone of the SSJID water distribution system.
The SSJID provides irrigation service to 50,000 acres. It also supplies drinking water to 215,000 people in Manteca, Lathrop, and Tracy.
The reservoir was built in 1918.
