Yuba County Water Agency announced today that it is rebranding as Yuba Water Agency, to provide a simple, easy-to-identify moniker and logo, as the nearly 60-year-old organization seeks to develop a stronger relationship with the people of Yuba County.
The agency was established in 1959 to reduce flood risk and provide a sustainable water supply to the people of Yuba County. In spite of significant investment in the community, the agency is largely unknown by the people it serves.
“For the last 50-plus years, we have flown under the radar, largely unnoticed by the public,” said Board Chairman Brent Hastey. “We are in a position to make an even bigger impact in the lives of the people of Yuba County at a much faster pace, and want to do a better job of educating people about who we are and what we do.”
The agency surveyed Yuba County residents, and found that many had not heard of it, or were unclear about the agency’s roles and responsibilities. Many mistakenly believed the agency was a department within the government of Yuba County.
“Because of that, we wanted to use this time to make sure that our image is one that people can easily connect with and identify out of the sea of government agencies and organizations that they come into contact with on a daily basis,” said Hastey.
The agency owns and manages the Yuba River Development Project, which consists of New Bullards Bar Dam and Reservoir, New Colgate Powerhouse, Narrows II Powerhouse and two small diversion dams, Log Cabin and Our House, which feed into New Bullards Bar Reservoir.
In order to sell the $185 million in bonds to build the project, Yuba Water Agency entered into a 50-year contract with PG&E to purchase all of the power generated at New Colgate Powerhouse.
PG&E made the loan payment for the bonds, and had all of the responsibility for the costs associated with managing the project.
In 2016, that 50-year contract came to an end. The project had been paid in full. The revenue from power sales is now being reinvested in Yuba County, through the agency’s mission areas of flood risk reduction, water supply, fish habitat protection and enhancement, hydroelectric generation, and recreation.
The agency’s website address will change to YubaWater.org. The legal name of the agency will remain unchanged as Yuba County Water Agency for contracts and other legal documents.
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The Yuba Water Agency is a stand-alone public agency governed by a board of seven elected officials to serve the people of Yuba County. Established by a special act of the California State Legislature in 1959, the agency’s primary missions are flood risk reduction, water supply, fish habitat protection and enhancement, hydroelectric generation, and recreation.