Agenda packets: 
Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District: CLICK HERE
Arvin-Edison Water Storage District: CLICK HERE

Arvin Detects Golden Mussels in its water systems

During Arvin-Edison Water District’s winter maintenance workers confirmed detection of golden mussels in their systems.

The golden mussel is an invasive species from China that was first detected in California in October 2024. It has been spreading throughout the state with more and more locations reporting findings of the invasive species. The small mussels form massive colonies, clogging infrastructure.

The district has been power washing, which hasn’t been successful, and manual scraping, which is effective, but time consuming. 

Samuel Blue, resource manager for the district, said chemical treatments would have to be done for a long period of time, between 12 to 30 days.

”The problem with these guys [golden mussels] is that they can detect the chlorine and copper solutions and they close their shells. They can stay closed for a very long time. Then eventually they’d have to open up, and that is why it takes so long to run chemicals through there,” Blue said.

Invasive golden mussels. SOURCE: California Department of Water Resources

He noted that the extended and continual release of chemicals makes it difficult to know how it will affect the water. 

Edwin Camp, president of the board, asked if having the mussels in the system was affecting water quality.

Blue said the mussels actually clean the water. The real problem is the mussels clog pipes. 

”Everyone is in reactive (mode), no one is proactive (mode),” said Jeevan Muhar, engineer manager for the district, of how the mussels are being dealt with statewide. 

Director Catalino Martinez asked if the source of the golden mussels was known and if it was still coming in to affect the system.

Board members responded that boat hulls carrying the mussels were the main cause and are still bringing them in.

Muhar said the issue has been brought to the Bureau of Reclamation, which said it doesn’t have funding for boat inspections.

“It is sad to see how bad this is and we’re really not going to get any help. They are just kind of like they [the golden mussels]  are here, deal with it,” stated Muhar. 

Rosedale gets 20,000 acre feet from Bakersfield City settlement agreement

On December 2, 2025 Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District received notification from the City of Bakersfield Water Resources department that the city was transferring 20,000 acre feet of miscellaneous quantity water to the district’s groundwater storage account. 

This transfer was made under terms of a settlement agreement dated July 1, 2022. The district was owed about 50,000 acre feet from the settlement agreement.

Trent Taylor, assistant general manager for the district said that the district was coordinating a second transfer of water. He hopes this transfer can occur possibly around the first half of 2026 to help get the remaining settlement number to 0. Once the full transfer is complete the district will work with the city on the 2023 miscellaneous quantity supplies that the district is owed. 

Board members were also presented with a request for a two-year extension on the settlement agreement which was set to expire at the end of 2025. This is done with the understanding that the city will have paid the settlement miscellaneous quantity water. This agreement and mutual release is being called the “Pilot Program”.

Once the settlement has been completed Taylor stated that “…we’re (the city and the district) potentially going to be having a conversation about a redefining of the long term, and end this (settlement). But then move on to the next phase of this (Pilot) program”

Roy Pierucci, president of the board asked if there were any restrictions to the 20,000 acre feet of water.

Dan Raytis, legal counsel for the district, said there weren’t any restrictions, just that the water needed to be used in the district. 

The district had budgeted to pay $2.5 million for the water transfer, but the total was under budget for just $1 million for the 20,000 acre feet.

The board approved the Amendment No. 2 to City Miscellaneous Settlement and Mutual Release “Pilot Program”; extending the settlement agreement with the city until December 31, 2027.