Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
Proud Partners of
Basin remains about 90% full at roughly 72,000 acre-feet, with the key well at 78.46 ft as of the day before the meeting; no valley-floor precipitation in the past month. Dudek reported water quality generally stable across seven constituents (2021–2025). GM Aranda said staff is issuing notices to delinquent reporters; three received notices for possible July hearings.
Groundwater levels are declining across all six monitoring locations, with the largest drop of 96 feet at the Kern Water Bank, though all remain above 2022 lows. The golden mussel threat continues, prompting a public awareness campaign and treatment studies by DUDEK for affected canals. A revised ID4 financial plan was adopted, creating a dedicated capital improvement fund expected to generate ~$4M next year for aging infrastructure upgrades.
Golden mussels remain a long-term management issue; monthly veliger monitoring found a positive at milepost 134, and staff are planning dewatering-period treatment in November, with limited funding. Class 1 allocation remains at 100% and Millerton may run near minimum pool (~150 TAF). MRCCP Phase 2 ROW and the Porterville borrow-site LOI were on the agenda. An August groundbreaking is being planned.
Water supplies are projected to exceed demand through 2050, with a ~10,000–12,000 AF surplus even in a single dry year; raw water losses were reported at 28% of total use. The Board adopted the WSCP and stated on the record that any drought surcharge would follow Board policy/Board approval.
Board approved the FY 2026/27 Projects & Management Actions budget (~$12M), including $7.7M for TID transitional water, and agreed to revisit cash flow in Sept. 2026. Three fee appeals were decided; staff noted a standing-trees/fallow policy gap and intends to bring rule updates. $1.9M remains unpaid across 92 accounts; unpaid invoices may go to the tax roll after July 30.
