Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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State staff outlined a timeline toward a Tulare Lake interim plan by late 2027 that would raise pumping fees from $20 to $35 per acre-foot. New fees include $100/year for certain domestic wells and about $200,000 to apply for an exclusion, plus $50,000/year to maintain it. El Rico GSAs proposed 10-foot subsidence allowance was raised as a concern, with other GSAs prepared to pursue exclusion requests if it blocks basin-wide plan approval.
DWR grant funding was extended, putting about $152,000 back in play; about $80,000–$90,000 in PG&E electrical and fencing costs are now reimbursable, and the GM recommended using remaining funds for Title 22 sampling and well permitting. Directors discussed vineyard pullouts and water-sales impacts. An Oct. 5 LAFCO meeting was highlighted and turnout urged.
InSAR results indicated no detectable inelastic subsidence; Piru showed elastic movement likely tied to reservoir releases. DBS&A reviewed a draft three-part approach for subsidence minimum thresholds and monitoring; Board received the presentation and discussed refinements, with comments due Sept. 25. UWCD projected ~100,000 AF diverted to the Oxnard Plain this water year vs. ~80,000 AF use.
Staff reported that the Tule Subbasin is prioritizing a local alternative to a potential state pumping moratorium, with a technical meeting set for September 30. Allocation figures discussed included 0.27 AF/acre for metered pumping extraction and 0.15 AF/acre native sustainable yield under ET-based accounting. Starting October 2026, accounting shifts from an allocated precipitation amount to actual precipitation received. The PID GSP draft is posted for review ahead of an October 1 stakeholder meeting.
Staff discussed a recent State Water Board meeting and said a coordinated single GSP targeted for March or April 2027 may help avoid a state interim plan that could arrive by end of 2027 and rely on demand reduction. Subsidence was described as the key compliance issue under stricter probation standards applied to Tulare Lake. The groundwater flow model is about a month and a half behind schedule, with parallel 1D modeling underway to keep the overall timeline on track.
