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LONG-TERM WATER ASSETS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
LONG-TERM WATER ASSETS LONG-TERM WATER ASSETS
Long-term water assets consist of water and water purchase contracts held for future use or sale. The water is held at cost, which includes the price paid for the water and the cost to pump and deliver the water from the California aqueduct into the water bank. Water is currently held in a water bank on Company land in southern Kern County and by TCWD in Kern Water Banks.
The Company has secured SWP water purchase contracts from the Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District and the Dudley-Ridge Water District, totaling 3,444 acre-feet of SWP water annually, subject to SWP allocations. These contracts extend through 2035 and have been transferred to AVEK for the Company's use in the Antelope Valley. In 2013, the Company acquired a contract to purchase water that obligates the Company to purchase 6,693 acre-feet of water each year from the Nickel Family, LLC, or Nickel, a California limited liability company that is located in Kern County.
The initial term of the water purchase agreement with Nickel runs to 2044 and includes a Company option to extend the contract for an additional 35 years. The purchase cost of water in 2025 was $986 per acre-foot. The purchase cost is subject to annual cost increases based on the greater of the consumer price index or 3%.
The water purchased above will ultimately be used in the development of the Company’s land for commercial/industrial real estate development, resort/residential real estate development, and farming. Interim uses may include the sale of portions of this water to third party users on an annual basis until this water is fully allocated to Company uses, as just described.
Water revenues and cost of sales were as follows for the years ended December 31:
($ in thousands)202520242023
Acre-Feet Sold3,177 3,500 5,145 
Revenues$4,312 $4,383 $8,033 
Cost of sales3,431 3,555 5,220 
Profit$881 $828 $2,813 

Costs assigned to water assets held for future use were as follows ($ in thousands):
December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
Banked water and water for future delivery$44,681 $36,048 
Transferable water266 35 
Total water held for future use at cost $44,947 $36,083 

Intangible Water Assets
The Company's carrying amounts of its purchased water contracts were as follows ($ in thousands):
December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
CostsAccumulated DepreciationCostsAccumulated Depreciation
Dudley-Ridge water purchase contract*
$11,581 $(7,237)$11,581 $(6,755)
Nickel water purchase contract*
18,740 (7,817)18,740 (7,175)
Tulare Lake Basin water purchase contract*
6,479 (4,100)6,479 (3,862)
$36,800 $(19,154)$36,800 $(17,792)
Net cost of purchased water contracts17,646 19,008 
Total cost of water held for future use44,947 36,083 
Net investments in water assets$62,593 $55,091 
*All water purchase contracts were acquired from third parties.
Water contracts with WRMWSD and TCWD are also in place but were entered into with each district at inception of the contract and not purchased later from third parties, and do not have a related financial value on the books of the Company. Therefore, there is no amortization expense related to these contracts. Total water resources, including both recurring and one-time usage are:
(in acre feet)December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
Water held for future use:
TCWD - Banked water owned by the Company    65,199 60,936 
   Company water bank54,728 54,728 
Transferable water265 505 
Recharged water6,797 6,797 
Total water held for future use126,989 122,966 
Water purchase contracts:
   Water Contracts (Dudley-Ridge, Nickel and Tulare)10,137 10,137 
   WRMWSD - Contracts with Company15,547 15,547 
   TCWD - Contracts with Company5,749 5,749 
Total water purchase contracts31,433 31,433 
Total water held for future use and purchased water contracts158,422 154,399