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History
A TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
| 1952 | Westlands Water District formed. |
| 1960 | President Eisenhower signs San Luis Act. |
| 1962 | President Kennedy breaks ground at San Luis Reservoir. |
| 1963 | CVP contract for original Westlands signed. |
| 1965 | Westlands and Westplains Water Storage District merge. Distribution and drainage collector system contract signed. |
| 1966 | Construction begins on distribution system. |
| 1968 | San Luis Canal completed; water deliveries begin. |
| 1972 | Westlands initiates water conservation program. |
| 1976 | Construction of Westlands' drainage collector system begins. |
| 1977 | Sever drought cuts CVP deliveries to 25 percent of entitlement. |
| 1982 | Reclamation Reform Act proposed. |
| 1984 | Wildlife deformities linked to selenium at Kesterson Reservoir, the terminus of the San Luis Drain. |
| 1985 | Interior Department terminates water deliveries to Westlands drainage service area. Later restores water service, but requires Westlands to eliminate all drainage flows into San Luis Drain and Kesterson. |
| 1986 | Barcellos Judgement settles water service, drainage and service area litigation with U.S. and priority areas within Westlands. Drainange collector system plugged; District no longer has outlet for drainage disposal. |
| 1987 | Five-year drought begins. |
| 1990 | District sees water deliveries reduced; 1989-90 water year is at a 50 percent CVP entitlement. |
| 1991 | Drought and water supply reductions continue - at 25 percent of CVP entitlement. Water users in former drainage service area file suit over damages from plugging of drainage collector system, San Luis Drain and Kesterson. |
| 1992 | District receives second consecutive 25 percent CVP entitlement. President Bush signs CVP Improvement Act, changing CVP operations and reallocating 800,000 acre-feet of agriculture's water allocation. |
| 1993 | District CVP entitlement for 1993-94 is 50 percent. Westlands file suit against U.S. on failure to comply with the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act upon implementation of the Central Valley Improvement Act and in the adoption of the winter-run salmon biological opinion. Farmers begin paying into CVPIA Restoration Fund. |
| 1994 | District CVP entitlement for 1994-95 is 42 percent. Historic Bay-Delta Accord is reached among state and federal agencies and agricultural, urban and environmental stakeholders to provide coordinated operations of the Delta. |
| 1995 | CVP entitlement returns to 100 percent in 1995-96. The CALFED Bay-Delta Program begins process to develop long-term fixes for Delta, focusing on water supply reliability, ecosystem improvement and water quality. |
| 1996 | CVP entitlement is 95 percent for 1996-97. USBR releases final rules and regulations on Reclamation Reform Act. CALFED Program releases top 10 alternatives for Delta improvements. California voters approve major $995-million water bond. |
| 1997 | CVP contract entitlement is 90 percent for 1997-98. |
| 1998 | CVP contract entitlement is 100 percent for 1998-99. CALFED Program releases three proposed alternatives for Delta improvements. |
| 1999 | CVP contract entitlement is 70 percent for 1999-2000. |