
<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54687"><br></div><div id="story-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'McClatchy Sans', Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" class=""><h1 class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'McClatchy Sans Cond', 'Roboto Condensed Medium', HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 8px 8px 6px; border-bottom-style: none; background-color: rgb(76, 105, 154); text-transform: uppercase; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; min-width: 80px; display: inline-block; text-align: center;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54715"><a href="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration: none; display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54717" class="">AGRICULTURE</a></h1> <div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; display: inline; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(173, 173, 173);" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54719">JANUARY 11, 2016 1:54 PM</div><h1 class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 52px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 35px; font-family: 'McClatchy Slab', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; color: inherit; padding: 0px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54721">Friant Water Authority names new chief executive</h1></div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -20px; margin-right: -20px; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(136, 136, 136); padding-bottom: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-family: 'McClatchy Sans', Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54709"><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; position: relative; width: 820px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54708"><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: dotted; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 0px 6px; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54725"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 8px; line-height: 1.5em; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-bottom: 6px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54727" class="">Jason Phillips is currently a Bureau of Reclamation official</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; border-bottom-style: none;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54729" class="">Friant board hopes Phillips can help restore water allocations to member agencies</div></div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54731"><div id="slick-gallery-container-29506909" class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; visibility: visible;"><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54734"><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; overflow: hidden;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54736"><div aria-live="polite" class="" tabindex="0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px);" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54738"><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); left: 0px; position: relative; top: 0px; zoom: 1; opacity: 1; width: 780px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54740"><div class="" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="box-sizing: border-box; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); float: left; min-height: 536px; min-height: 1px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 780px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54742"><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_320/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-320="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54744"></span><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_480/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-480="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54746"></span><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_640/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-640="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54748"></span><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_768/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-768="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54750"></span><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-960="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54752"></span><span class="" data-src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_1140/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" data-width-1140="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54754"></span><img alt="The Friant-Kern Canal below Friant Dam." title="The Friant-Kern Canal below Friant Dam." data-preload="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" src="http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/y75jvl/picture54193020/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/EPZ%20FRIANT%2013" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); display: block; ; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; margin: auto; max-height: 536px; max-width: 780px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54755" class="" data-id="aa6391f7-34dc-a2ac-7292-0a82c1d4a554" title-off=""></div></div></div></div></div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 20px 0px; text-align: center;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54757"></div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px; min-height: 40px; transform: scale3d(1, 1, 1);" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54759"><span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54761">The Friant-Kern Canal below Friant Dam. </span><span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54763">ERIC PAUL ZAMORA</span> <span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54765">Fresno Bee Staff Photo</span></div></div></div><div id="story-body-items" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 80px;" class=""><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 15px; font-family: 'McClatchy Slab', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(136, 136, 136); display: inline-block; padding-bottom: 3px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54768"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; text-transform: uppercase;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54770" class=""><span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54772">BY LEWIS GRISWOLD</span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; font-style: italic;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54774" class=""><span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54776"><a href="mailto:lgriswold@fresnobee.com" title="" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(13, 118, 186); text-decoration: none;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54778" class="">lgriswold@fresnobee.com</a></span></div></div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; width: 33px; float: left; top: 50px; z-index: 1; margin-left: -80px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54780"><ul class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: none; padding-left: 0px; font-family: 'McClatchy Sans Cond', 'Roboto Condensed Medium', HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold, sans-serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54782"><li class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 33px; min-height: 33px; display: inline-block; margin-right: 6px; position: relative; margin-bottom: 5px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54784"><a class="" title="Share on Facebook" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/article54157595.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(13, 118, 186); text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 33px; min-height: 33px; position: relative; z-index: 1;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54786" title-off=""></a><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; line-height: 33px; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 20px; text-rendering: auto; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; transform: translate(0px, 0px); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); min-height: 33px; text-align: center; width: 33px; background-color: rgb(192, 189, 189); border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; ; top: 0px; z-index: 0;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54788"></div></li><li class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 33px; min-height: 33px; display: inline-block; margin-right: 6px; position: relative; margin-bottom: 5px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54790"><a title="Share on Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/s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style="font-size: 20px; color: rgb(76, 105, 154); font-family: 'McClatchy Sans Cond', 'Roboto Condensed Medium', HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">WE NEED A LEADER WHO WILL THRIVE IN THE HIGHLY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT OF CALIFORNIA WATER.</span></div><div class="" id="highline-quote-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: dotted; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-width: 3px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(136, 136, 136); margin: 40px 0px; clear: both; color: rgb(76, 105, 154); font-family: 'McClatchy Sans Cond', 'Roboto Condensed Medium', HelveticaNeue-CondensedBold, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; position: relative;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.2; font-size: 20px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54912" class=""><span class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'McClatchy Sans', Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-transform: none; font-weight: normal; display: block; margin-top: 5px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54914">Eric Borba, Friant Water Authority chairman</span></div></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54916" class="">The authority, representing 14 water districts on the San Joaquin Valley’s east side, works on legal and political issues as well as operating the massive Friant-Kern Canal. </div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54918" class="">Former general manager Ron Jacobsma stepped down in April last year after several irrigation districts split off from the Friant Water Authority to pursue differing visions of how to deal with the zero allocation problem in the drought. </div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54920" class="">Borba said the districts that left still are friendly with Friant, and “there’s all the opportunity” to rejoin.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54922" class="">“We all want the same thing – we need water,” Borba said. </div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54924" class="">The Friant division of the federal Central Valley Project delivers San Joaquin River water to about 1 million acres of farmland and 15,000 farms on the east side of the Valley.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54706" class="">Farmers who get water from both the 151-mile-long Friant-Kern Canal that extends from Millerton Lake to Kern County, and the Madera Canal that extends north of Milleton Lake into Madera and Merced counties, have received no water after farmers downstream exercised their exchange contractor rights when their San Joaquin River delta water supplies were curtailed.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54926" class="">The Friant division also supplies water to several cities and towns, including Fresno. </div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 17px; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54928" class="">Phillips has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Portland State University. Before joining the Bureau of Reclamation in 2001, he worked as a civil engineer and project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers in both the Sacramento and Portland districts.</div><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; margin: 35px 0px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54930"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: Lyon, Georgia, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54932" class="">Lewis Griswold: <a href="tel:559-441-6104" title="" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(13, 118, 186); text-decoration: none;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54934" class="">559-441-6104</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/fb_LewGriswold" target="_blank" title="" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(13, 118, 186); text-decoration: none;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452547171719_54936" class="">@fb_LewGriswold</a><a href="https://twitter.com/fb_LewGriswold" target="_blank" title="" id=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