Landowners and Water Users

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District is the steward of water resources that sustain the livelihoods of nearly 1,300 landowners and water users across the Sacramento Valley.

GCID conducts business with sustainability and transparency in mind, always alert to the water needs of the region. We are committed to clear and frequent communication with landowners and water users, providing the information you need to plan operations for the coming year, even during drought and supply limitations.

GCID advocates at the state and federal levels to protect more than a century of water rights on the Sacramento River and ensure a reliable and affordable supply. We invest in science-based research to balance that supply with environmental and ecological priorities.

GCID is committed to protecting the interests and well-being of the landowners and water users we serve.

Resources

Click below for information on water allocation and use across the district.

Water Information

Bureau of Reclamation Notification of Non-Critical Year

Bureau of Reclamation Notification of Non-Critical Year

2025 Water Application Materials

2025 Water Application Materials

See the Staff Directory on the GCID website About Us page for list of water operator phone numbers. Water users may also call the District office at (530) 934-8881, and staff can provide the phone number for your water operator.

Water orders are to be placed with a water operator before 1:30 p.m. on the day prior to needing the water. Service may be subject to an alternative schedule based on irrigation water availability and conveyance system limitations.

During a critical year, water operators will be especially responsive to requested irrigation delivery changes and will make every attempt to implement such changes with very little notice, in accordance with District water conservation measures.

It may be necessary to rotate deliveries if a lateral or other portion of the District’s conveyance system reaches its maximum capacity, to keep flooding fields in the order in which they have been scheduled.

If initial flooding of fields is still taking place, re-flooding can take additional time. Please contact your water operator prior to draining any field(s) and coordinate any scheduled re-flooding with them.

There are no changes to allocations in a Shasta Critical Year.

Yes, water applications and the down payment must be submitted before receiving irrigation water. District staff will help you with the application process, and then contact the water operator(s) to inform them that your application is complete.

A detailed report can be provided to you showing the parcels and crops you applied for in the last Critical Year. Please contact the District office for this information.

The Critical Year water rate is $21.79 per acre-foot. There is no fixed charge per irrigated acre levied in Shasta Critical Years.

Unit duty information is included in water application packets and is listed under the Water Supply and Operations menu tab, Water Applications link, on the GCID website.

Yes, due to the reduced water supply it is important to manage and conserve the available water supply to be able to deliver the allocated 4.1 AF per deeded acre to landowners. The special critical year water conservation rules are included in water application packets and are also available on the District’s website at www.gcid.net, beneath the Water Supply and Operations menu tab on the Water Applications website link.

Example: A landowner receives an allocation of 410 AF for 100 deeded acres (4.1 AF/deeded acre x 100 deeded acres) and plans to grow rice. The unit duty for rice is 5.5 AF per irrigable acre. So, the total 410 AF allocation is divided by the 5.5 AF per irrigable acre rice unit water duty for a total of 74.5 acres of rice that can be planted.

Please contact the office staff who will coordinate with the District Engineering Department to supply you with a one-page request form. Subject to District approval, an encroachment permit will be issued. Please apply well in advance of the date that you seek to install the encroachment.

Yes, please contact the office staff who will coordinate with the District Engineering Department to supply you with a one-page request form. Upon receipt and review of the proposed work application, GCID staff will make a feasibility determination and then follow-up with you. You are encouraged to submit requests well in advance to allow time for planning and scheduling.

Yes, depending on the District’s workload. You may contact the maintenance superintendent or supervisors, listed above, for further details and information about the private work hourly charge rate for District labor and equipment, and material costs.

Please contact Abatement and Canal-Roadway Supervisor Juan Silva at (530) 518-7104, or the Willows or the Williams Maintenance Supervisor, listed above.

Regulations & Policies

Rules and Regulations

Document detailing rules and regulations governing the use and distribution of water for the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District as adopted by the Board of Directors in January 2014.

Water Management and Conservation Policy

Document establishes practices and procedures to promote efficient water management and maximize water conservation.

Water Distribution System Operation and Maintenance Policy

Document detailing policies for operating and maintaining District water distribution system.

Wheeling and Commingling Policy

Document establishes the criteria for the Water Wheeling and Commingling Policy.

Winter Maintenance Shutdown Policy

Document detailing policies and procedures for winter maintenance shutoffs.

Fraud Prevention/Whistleblower Policy

Document detailing policies relating to fraud prevention and whistleblowers.

Wheeling Agreement for Private Water Supply

Landowner Well Inspection Checklist

Critical Year Excerpt from the Water Management & Conservation Policy

Rates and Fees