About Us
Located at the edge of the Sierra Foothills, South Sutter Water District (SSWD) services more than 200 landowners in Yuba, Sutter and Placer counties. A large portion of the water deliveries are made for agricultural purposes, primarily to walnut, rice, and pasture growers.
History
The District was created in 1954 by the majority of landowners located within the District boundary to develop, store, manage and distribute surface water to landowners on a yearly basis.
Our Journey
By the 1950s, groundwater supplies were dwindling – in some areas as much as one to three feet per year – so landowners sought a more sustainable long-term solution to ensure future water deliveries.
The answer was to build a dam at the Camp Far West Reservoir that would bring surface water to more than 40,000 acres of land in the district. Completed in 1964, the Camp Far West Reservoir continues to be the primary source for surface water in the district.
Board & Staff
Directed by a seven-member board, SSWD is led by our General Manager and knowledgeable staff, which have a rich history in the region and decades of water systems experience. SSWD is constantly seeking innovative ways and solutions to ensure water security for our future.
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Jeff Gallagher has served on the board since 2020. He is a third-generation farmer from Sutter County. His farming operation consists of rice in Pleasant Grove and walnuts in the Rio Oso areas.
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Dennis Michel has served on the board since 2020. He is a third-generation farmer from Sutter County. His farming operation consists of rice in the Pleasant Grove area.
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Rob VanDyke has served on the board since 2022. He is a fifth-generation farmer from Sutter County. His farming operation consists of rice in the Pleasant Grove area.
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Jessica Sills has served on the board since 2023. She is a third generation farmer from Sutter County. Her family's farming operation consists of organic rice, corn, grains, and beans in Pleasant Grove and Nicolaus areas.
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Jason Dunbar has served on the board since 2017. He is a fifth -generation farmer from Sutter County. His farming operation includes rice in Pleasant Grove and walnuts in Rio Oso areas. Jason is serving on the board because he believes water is the lifeblood of this community.
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Ashley DeValentine McKenzie is a fourth-generation farmer in Sutter County. The DeValentine family has been a stakeholder in South Sutter Water District since its formation. Ashley joined the board of directors in 2021 and is committed to improving the security of the district’s water supply in order to support a thriving agricultural community for future generations.
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Tristan Nelson has been on the board of directors since 2022, and is the third generation of the Nelson family to serve on the South Sutter Water District Board. Starting with his grandfather Dick, Tristan, his uncle Greg, and father Rick have farmed in South Sutter County for nearly a century. Tristan hopes to help the South Sutter Water District continue to deliver water to local farms, so that the strong tradition of generational family farming can continue into the future.
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Hayden Cornwell
General Manager
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Sabrina Rexroad
Administrative Assistant
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Rosemary Wilhite
Office Manager
Water Tenders
Jonathan Gordon - Operations Manager
Britt Watson - Dam Tender
Brian Barker - System A
Brendan O’Hagan - System B
Mark Patche - System B
Levi Bledsoe - System C
Daniel Townsend - System D
Maintenance Workers
Tim Barnes - Maintenance
Robbin Peterson - Maintenance
