What Central California Irrigation District does

Central California Irrigation District (CCID) is a public irrigation district established in 1951 under the California Water Code, headquartered in Los Banos, California. The district provides water distribution services to over 1,600 farms spanning 143,000 acres of agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley, delivering irrigation water through owned canal infrastructure including automated weirs, spill reduction systems, and supplemental well fields. CCID's customer base consists predominantly of small and mid-size family farms averaging 85 acres in size, producing crops including tomatoes, corn, lettuce, cotton, wheat, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.

CCID operates an integrated water resource management system with four core program areas: (1) tiered water delivery priced at $18, $65, and $115 per acre-foot across three usage tiers plus $75/acre-foot for municipal and industrial customers; (2) the On-Farm Water Conservation Loan and Grant Program, which has provided $20.6 million in low-interest loans (at 3% interest) since 1990 and $21.5 million in grants (up to 50% cost-share) since 1999, enabling farmers to adopt drip irrigation, micro-sprinkler systems, and concrete-lined ditches; (3) Groundwater Sustainability Management under California's SGMA, where CCID serves as the exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency for its service area within the critically overdrafted Delta-Mendota Subbasin; and (4) a Water Transfer Program operating for over 30 years that reinvests proceeds into local conservation projects, with approximately $30 million invested to date and 60,000 acre-feet conserved annually. The district is a member of the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (SJRECWA), a Joint Powers Authority coordinating water rights advocacy across four member agencies serving approximately 240,000 acres.

CCID is governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors and operates with 51-100 employees across its Los Banos headquarters and Los Banos/Dos Palos maintenance yards. As a public agency, CCID is not equity-financed and generates revenue through water rates, assessments, and user fees rather than traditional commercial metrics. In 2025 the district adopted a 2025-2030 Strategic Plan organized around seven priorities including Water Supply & Infrastructure, Finance & Rates, Workforce Development, Community Relations & Partnerships, Safety & Security, Technology & Innovation, and Board Governance.

Name

Central California Irrigation District

Legal name

Central California Irrigation District

Website

https://ccidwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Central California Irrigation District is a public water district serving over 1,600 farms across 143,000 acres in California's San Joaquin Valley, providing tiered irrigation water delivery, conservation loans and grants, and groundwater sustainability management under SGMA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Irrigation Water Distribution

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Operation, Maintenance & Repair (Pumps, Valves, Controllers) (AFACAFAD), Irrigation Scheduling & Advisory Services (ET/Soil-Moisture Based) (AFACAFAC), Monitoring, Metering & Flow Measurement (Meters, Pressure/Flow Gauges, Telemetry) (AFAAACAK)

Keywords

• Agricultural irrigation services
• Water distribution utility
• Groundwater sustainability management
• On-farm conservation programs
• Water transfer services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Banos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Water Sales - Tiered Pricing: CCID generates revenue through tiered water pricing for agricultural customers. In-district water users are charged $18.00/acre-foot for the first tier (0-3.20 acre-feet/gross acre), $65.00/acre-foot for the second tier (3.21-3.70 acre-feet/gross acre), and $115.00/acre-foot for the third tier (above 3.70 acre-feet/gross acre). Additional revenue comes from developed water for Class II lands, municipal and industrial water sales at $75.00/acre-foot, and water transfer program proceeds reinvested into conservation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Central California Irrigation District delivers agricultural irrigation water through canal infrastructure to over 1,600 farms across 143,000 acres in California's Central Valley. The district supplements its core water delivery service with an On-Farm Water Conservation Loan and Grant Program (offering 3% loans and up to 50% cost-share grants for irrigation improvements), Groundwater Sustainability Management under SGMA, and a Water Transfer Program that resells conserved water to neighboring districts.

Product overview

Central California Irrigation District is a public water management agency providing water distribution services to over 1,600 farms across 143,000 acres in California's San Joaquin Valley. The district operates as a single unified service offering centered around water supply and distribution, supplemented by the On-Farm Water Conservation Loan and Grant Program for farmer assistance, Groundwater Sustainability Management under SGMA regulations, and a Water Transfer Program that enables water sharing with neighboring districts. These components work together as an integrated water resource management system rather than separate product modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution Services CCID's core offering: delivery of agricultural irrigation water through canal infrastructure to over 1,600 farms across 143,000 acres of San Joaquin Valley agricultural land, with tiered pricing by usage volume.
• On-Farm Water Conservation Loan and Grant Program Financial assistance program providing low-interest loans (3%) and grants (up to 50% cost-share) to farmers for irrigation improvements such as drip irrigation, micro-sprinkler systems, concrete lining of irrigation channels, and pipeline installations.
• Groundwater Sustainability Management (SGMA) Program Sustainable Groundwater Management Act compliance program delivered through the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors GSA, managing groundwater in the critically overdrafted Delta-Mendota Subbasin with 23 other GSAs to achieve sustainability by 2040.
• Water Transfer Program A program that reduces diversions from the San Joaquin River and resells available water to neighboring water districts, with proceeds reinvested into local conservation projects.
• Municipal and Industrial (M&I) Water Sales Potable and raw water sales at $75.00 per acre-foot to municipalities contracting with CCID for M&I use, distinct from agricultural tiered rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000 acre-feet of water conserved annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Botanical Water TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Botanical Water Technologies and Ingomar Packing (located in San Joaquin Valley) are collaborating to harvest and purify water from tomatoes during processing and redirect it into local irrigation canals. This initiative supports groundwater sustainability amid California's ongoing drought crisis with potential to recover millions of acre-feet of water annually across food processing industries.
• San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (SJRECWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCID is a member of SJRECWA, a Joint Powers Authority established in 1993, composed of four member agencies: CCID, San Luis Canal Company, Firebaugh Canal Water District, and Columbia Canal Company. These entities collectively service approximately 240,000 acres of prime agricultural land east of I-5 and west of the San Joaquin River. SJRECWA's mission is to monitor environmental, legislative and legal issues impacting members and to defend water rights.
• Delta-Mendota Subbasin GSA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCID participates as the exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency for its service area within the Delta-Mendota Subbasin, working with 23 other GSAs to develop and implement a coordinated Groundwater Sustainability Plan under SGMA. The subbasin is critically overdrafted and requires sustainable groundwater management by 2040.
• San Joaquin River Resource Management CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCID participates in the San Joaquin River Resource Management Coalition, a landowner-based group that monitors and provides information on the San Joaquin River Restoration Project. The coalition advocates for water rights and sustainability of resources.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Canal Company: Fourth SJRECWA member agency serving farms in the San Joaquin Valley. Directly comparable as an agricultural irrigation district with shared regulatory, contractual, and operational characteristics with CCID.
• Del Puerto Water District: California irrigation district that held a Joint Workshop with CCID in 2025 to coordinate on mutual water management initiatives. Directly comparable as an agricultural water district in the broader Central Valley facing the same SGMA and contract exposure.
• San Luis Canal Company: Co-member of SJRECWA alongside CCID, Firebaugh Canal Water District, and Columbia Canal Company, collectively serving ~240,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley under the same Exchange Contract framework. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and SGMA exposure to CCID.
• Firebaugh Canal Water District: SJRECWA member agency providing agricultural irrigation water to farms in western Fresno County under the same Exchange Contract. Operates a parallel infrastructure to CCID and coordinates through the same Joint Powers Authority.

Broad incumbents

• South San Joaquin Irrigation District: San Joaquin Valley irrigation district providing agricultural water to growers in Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon areas. Directly comparable in operating model, customer base, and regulatory exposure to CCID.
• Merced Irrigation District: Central Valley irrigation district that also operates a hydroelectric facility through its Exchequer Dam. Comparable as a multipurpose California water district providing irrigation services to farmers in Merced County under similar regulatory constraints.
• Madera Irrigation District: California irrigation district serving farms in Madera County. Comparable in delivering irrigation water through canals and serving agricultural customers, while participating in similar SGMA-groundwater sustainability planning processes within the broader Central Valley.
• Westlands Water District: Largest agricultural water district in the United States, serving ~1,000,000 acres in western Fresno and Kings Counties. Comparable as a California irrigation district navigating SGMA, Exchange Contract dynamics, and Bureau of Reclamation supply, though at materially larger scale than CCID.
• Oakdale Irrigation District: California irrigation district serving farms in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. Comparable as a public-agency agricultural water district operating under similar California regulatory frameworks with rate-based water delivery.
• Turlock Irrigation District: Established California irrigation district with a longer history and broader scope (irrigation + electric utility). Provides a comparable reference point for a public-agency irrigation district that combines water delivery with broader rural infrastructure responsibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Central California Irrigation District