California Water Service history

In 1931, State Engineer Edward Hyatt introduced a report identifying the facilities required and the economic means to accomplish the north-to-south water transfer.

A $170 million bond act was subsequently approved by the voters in a special December 19, 1933 election.

Worst drought of the 20th century begins; ends in 1934, establishing benchmark for water project storage and transfer capacity of all major water projects.

The federal government took over the CVP as a public works project to provide jobs and its construction began in 1935.

1937 Rivers and Harbors Act authorizes construction of initial CVP features by United States Army Corps of Engineers.

1944 Mexican-United States Treaty guarantees Mexico 1.5 million acre-feet per year from Colorado River.

In 1945, the California Legislature authorized an investigation of statewide water resources.

The Division also completed studies that culminated in the Feather River Project presented to the Legislature in 1951 by State Engineer A. D. Edmonston.

After additional surveys and investigations, the Division submitted a revised Feather River Project in 1955.

In May 1957 work began on the construction of two tunnels on the Western Pacific Railroad relocation to clear the site for the dam and reservoir.

Appropriations continued year to year for the relocations and to begin building the South Bay and California aqueducts in 1959.

The Burns-Porter Act, formally known as the California Water Resources Development Bond Act, was placed on the November 1960 ballot.

USGS report finds that about 60 million acre-feet of groundwater has been lost in the San Joaquin Valley since 1961.

1968 Congress authorizes Central Arizona Project to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water a year to Arizona.

1972 California Legislature passes Wild and Scenic Rivers Act preserving the north coast’s remaining free-flowing rivers from development.

1973 First SWP deliveries to Southern California.

Morris joined Avista in 1981 and his experience at the company includes management positions in construction and customer service and general manager of the company’s Oregon utility business.

The Peripheral Canal was part of the original State Water Project plan, but it was defeated in a 1982 vote.

State of California ruling by third Appellate District Count determined the state of California liable for potentially hundreds of millions of dollars because state accepted levee without any measures to ensure it met design standards and then failed in 1986 flood.

1987 State Board’s Bay-Delta proceedings begin to revise D-1485 water quality standards.

Drought conditions were so severe in 1991 that SWP deliveries to agricultural contracts were zero.

1992 Congress approves landmark CVP Improvement Act.

In 1994, state officials and five of the 29 State Water Project (SWP) contractors met secretly in Monterey to resolve water shortage issues.

1995 State Board adopts new water quality plan for the Delta and begins hearings on water rights.

1996 Peter C. Nelson is appointed chief executive officer of the company.

The formation of CWSG in 1997 created a corporate structure that facilitated profound changes for a 70-year-old business, a business that for decades had led a somewhat staid existence.

1998 Dominguez Services Corp. is acquired, the largest acquisition in the company's history.

1999 Washington Water Service Company is formed.

New Mexico Water Service Company was created in 2000 to house the acquisition of Rio Grande Utility Corp., a utility that served 2,265 water and 1,600 wastewater customers in Valencia County, situated 30 miles south of Albuquerque.

2001 Klamath Project irrigation water crisis.

In August 2002, he signed an agreement to acquire Ka'anapli Water Corp., a water utility serving the island of Maui in Hawaii.

2003 Interior Secretary orders California’s Colorado River allocation limited to 4.4 million acre-feet; water users sign Quantification Settlement Agreement.

The company's New Mexico operations were bolstered later by the acquisition of National Utility Company in 2004.

2007 SWP pumping operations shut down to protect endangered Delta Smelt (Wanger Decision).

Morris has been Chairman of Avista Corporation, a publicly traded electrical and natural gas utility serving customers primarily in the Pacific Northwest, since January 2008.

Director since March 2011

In 2012, the California Water Impact Network (C-­WIN) completed a first of its kind analysis of Central Valley water availability compared to water rights claims and the priority of those claims.

He then was appointed President & CEO of the Group effective September 1, 2013.

Director since March 2014

Jerry Brown orders first-ever, statewide water reductions aimed at urban California on April 1, 2015.

Prior to her retirement in 2016, Esque served as Vice President and Global Director of Corporate Affairs at Intel Corporation, overseeing professionals in more than 35 countries responsible for enhancing Intel’s reputation as the world’s leading technology brand and corporate citizen.

2017 A crater in Oroville Dam’s concrete spillway forces DWR to temporarily halt releases from the reservoir in order to inspect the damage.