Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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The board voted to withdraw from IWPC and send a letter stating intent to rejoin through the Ukiah Valley Water Authority. Staff reported water sold last month was up 85% year-over-year due to extreme heat; some leaks were found and customers notified. IWPC/Sonoma Water updates discussed NERF diversions and Coyote Dam modernization as long-term efforts.
Staff reported that Lake Piru is being drawn down to capture expected El Niño storm inflows this winter, with releases ramping up through fall. Groundwater in the Fillmore Basin remains near historic highs, though surface conditions are dry. The executive director announced he will retire from UWCD on Nov. 6, 2026, and the board discussed addressing the transition, possibly with a subcommittee, at a future meeting.
The board adopted a groundwater extraction fee of $50.67 per acre per year (based on 0.15 AF/acre Native Sustainable Yield) to fund PID GSA operations, separate from PID district assessments. Staff reported that a potential State pumping moratorium near the Friant-Kern Canal is still conceptual, with no draft released. Staff also noted that state GEARS invoices began mailing August 6 and that growers have 30 days from receipt to petition for reconsideration of incorrect extraction figures.
Staff said the draft GSP Periodic Evaluation (WY 2022 through part of 2026) will be released early next week for review through September 30, 2026. It reports groundwater levels averaging 42 feet above minimum thresholds and approximately 39,400 acre-feet of storage gain from 2022 through 2025. Draft plan amendments remove the non-dry-year limitation from the undesirable result definition, so threshold exceedances in any water year type will now trigger accountability.
The board approved a $135,599 comprehensive fee study contract with Confluence Engineering Solutions to review and simplify SCGA's revenue structure, targeting a new fee structure for FY 2028. Staff outlined a governance assessment and strategic visioning effort that could lead to JPA amendments. Draft periodic evaluation and 2027 GSP update documents are posted on the SCGA website for public review and are expected to return to the board in October.
