What Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District does

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) is a public irrigation district organized under the California Water Code, governed by a five-member landowner-elected Board of Directors and headquartered in Willows, Glenn County. The district diverts water from the Sacramento River at the Hamilton City Pump Station and conveys it through a 65-mile Main Canal into a network of more than 1,200 miles of canals, laterals, and drains, delivering up to 720,000 acre-feet of base supply plus 105,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project water annually under a Settlement Contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Its 1883 appropriative water rights make GCID the largest irrigation district in the Sacramento Valley, serving approximately 1,076 landowners, 200 tenant water users, 1,200 acres of private habitat land, and 21,000 acres of federal wildlife refuges across a 175,000-acre boundary.

The district's operations rest on SCADA-based water accounting, SB88-compliant Teledyne Acoustic Doppler Flow Meters and Mace Doppler Ultrasonic Insert Velocity Sensors for diversion measurement, and a single point of diversion that makes it the sole intake for water within its service area. Revenue is generated through usage-based water assessments and fees, with a Critical Year rate of $21.79 per acre-foot and a standard allocation of 4.1 acre-feet per deeded acre (5.5 AF per irrigable acre for rice). Governance is exercised through public board meetings, quarterly newsletters, direct mail, and a YouTube channel documenting projects including the Sacramento Valley Salmon Recovery Program.

GCID is a regulated public monopoly within its boundaries, not a venture-backed business; it has no funding rounds, no parent company, and no plans to expand service geography. Its near-term strategic posture is capital modernization, evidenced by the Gradient Facility Rehabilitation Project, the Lurline Check and Replacement Structure Project, and the commissioning of a new Electric Control Building at the Main Pump Station in December 2025, supported by the July 2025 appointment of Brad Mattson as Assistant General Manager.

Name

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District

Legal name

Glenn Colusa Irrigation District

Website

https://gcid.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District is a California public irrigation district delivering Sacramento River water to 1,076 landowners and 200 tenants across 140,000 farmed acres in the Sacramento Valley via 1,200+ miles of canals under 1883 appropriative water rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Irrigation Water Supply

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Services (Engineering, Retrofit, Repair) (AFAAACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pipes, Tubing & Conveyance Infrastructure (Mainlines, Laterals, Hoses) (AFAAACAG), Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Irrigation water delivery
• Agricultural water supply
• Water rights management
• Canal distribution system
• Wildlife habitat water

Headquarters

HQ city

Willows

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Assessments and Fees: The district levies water assessments and fees to landowners and water users within its service area. Water applications require down payment submission before receiving irrigation water. Critical Year water rate is $21.79 per acre-foot. There is no fixed charge per irrigated acre levied in Shasta Critical Years.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) is a public irrigation district that diverts water from the Sacramento River at the Hamilton City Pump Station and delivers it through a 65-mile Main Canal and a network of more than 1,200 miles of canals, laterals, and drains to approximately 1,076 landowners and 200 tenant water users farming about 140,000 acres. The district holds Sacramento River water rights established in 1883 and a Sacramento River Settlement Contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation providing 720,000 acre-feet of base supply plus 105,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project water, and also supplies winter water to 21,000 acres of federal wildlife refuges.

Product overview

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) is a public water utility and government agency, not a technology product company. It does not offer software products, platforms, or technology services. GCID provides water supply and irrigation delivery services to landowners and water users across approximately 175,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley. The district manages water rights, operates pump stations and canal systems, and undertakes habitat preservation projects. Any reference to products, services, or technology offerings by GCID relates to water management services, not technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Irrigation Water Delivery Service
• Winter Water Supply for Habitat and Rice Straw Decomposition
• Federal Wildlife Refuge Water Supply

Quantifiable outcome

• Total water supply of 825,000 acre-feet annually (720,000 base + 105,000 CVP)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sacramento River Science PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCID partners with the Sacramento River Science Partnership to help inform joint learning on species recovery and water management on the Sacramento River. The partnership supports science-based research to balance water supply with environmental and ecological priorities, contributing to the district's stewardship mission.
• Sacramento River Settlement ContractorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCID is part of the Sacramento River Settlement Contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, administered through the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation. The organization coordinates water management for settlement contractors and represents their interests in water rights and supply negotiations.
• Northern California Water AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCID partners with the Northern California Water Association to advance regional water management objectives. The association supports sustainable water practices and policies benefiting the Sacramento Valley region, helping keep water available and affordable.
• U.S. Bureau of ReclamationcoreOthersGCID holds a Sacramento River Settlement Contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation providing 720,000 acre-feet of base supply from April to October and 105,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project water purchased during July and August. This federal partnership is foundational to the district's water supply.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Turlock Irrigation District: Hybrid irrigation district and electric utility in California's Central Valley, providing irrigation water to agricultural customers via canal infrastructure — comparable public-district model with adjacent water and power responsibilities.
• Oakdale Irrigation District: California irrigation district serving agricultural customers in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties via a canal-based distribution system, with similar assessment-based revenue model and public-agency governance.
• Westlands Water District: Largest irrigation district in California, delivering CVP water to agricultural users on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley through an extensive canal network — directly comparable structure, supply contracts, and customer base.
• South San Joaquin Irrigation District: California irrigation district delivering water to agricultural customers in San Joaquin County through a canal network; comparable in size, customer base, and assessment-based revenue structure.
• Friant Water Authority: Central Valley irrigation water authority representing Friant Division contractors receiving CVP water for agricultural distribution — closely comparable contract-based supply model and agricultural customer base.
• Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority: Operates the Tehama-Colusa Canal, a parallel Sacramento Valley water conveyance system serving agricultural customers in Tehama and Glenn counties with similar Settlement Contract supply and canal-distribution model.
• Merced Irrigation District: Central Valley irrigation district operating canal-based water delivery for agricultural users, with a comparable public-district governance model and reliance on senior water rights.

Regional players

• Yuba Water Agency: California water agency managing surface water resources, irrigation delivery, and flood control in the Yuba River watershed — comparable regional water manager with overlapping Sacramento Valley geography and stakeholder base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL1L-CjisjLfWFuDWgYxJ5H4CgNrdBPdsr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glenn-colusa-irrigation-dist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District