Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The Board received an update on a $7.1M visitor center and trading post project slated for about 15 months of construction, with work expected to begin around March 2026. Despite public opposition from houseboat owners, amendments to the recreation area concession lease were approved, shifting more inspection duties to the concessionaire and increasing fees. A resolution urging equitable groundwater cost allocation passed unanimously.
The board discussed March 4, 2026 as a tentative irrigation season start date, pending weather and construction completion, with final confirmation expected at the February 24th meeting. Full water entitlement is expected for 2026 based on favorable reservoir forecasts, and the BNSF double track project was conditionally approved with a February 27th completion deadline.
The Board voted 18-5 to proceed with a Proposition 26 regulatory fee pathway starting in FY 2026/27, aiming for first collections in late 2026. It directed staff to use a draft two-tier fee concept (Tier 1 at $1.50 per parcel plus $0.76/acre and draft Tier 2 ag rates of $2.78/$7.94 per cropped acre) and a draft $1.6 million annual budget for the next five years as the basis for the upcoming fee study and public outreach.
The Committee approved expanding Pumping Reduction Plan Dashboard access so all GSAs can view basin-wide data across zones for better coordination. The Bureau of Reclamation will end its twice-yearly subsidence monitoring program, and the technical ad hoc committee will explore alternative monitoring options. A $407,482 budget was approved for Northern Delta-Mendota GSAs with an initial $203,741 cash call.
Staff presented feasibility studies on Salinas River diversion concepts to help address seawater intrusion, noting potentially usable volumes from several thousand to tens of thousands of acre-feet annually depending on diversion size, with major storage likely needed. A project concept was discussed to serve the coastal area between CSIP and Salinas. Staff said the April 30 DWR response will focus on the decision-making process, not final project selection.
