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 approved raising the per-acre groundwater assessment from $1.50 to $2.00 for 2027, citing anticipated consulting costs tied to the updated sustainability plan. Staff reported the State Board discussed a possible pumping moratorium along the Friant-Kern Canal as early as April of next year, framed as a starting offer tied to subsidence concerns. The board formally set aside existing allocation and new-well policies following litigation, with revised drafts expected in two weeks.
The board directed staff to pursue engineering evaluations and review prior studies for increasing Old River recharge. A Riverside Ditch landowner meeting was set for Nov. 6 to gather maintenance input and discuss responsibilities for debris/trees. Directors reviewed the draft 2027 budget and discussed possible changes including ~$50,000 for Riverside maintenance and higher stock purchase budgeting, noting future rate impacts may be unavoidable.
State Water Board staff outlined an interim plan process that could restrict pumping near the Friant-Kern Canal unless the Tule Sub-basin develops an equivalent approach; a draft is expected January 2027 with adoption targeted for April 2027. The board approved an MOU with Pixley Irrigation District and authorized up to five million dollars toward an NRCS RCPP match for voluntary land repurposing. DWR said Tulare Lake's subsidence management plan was too reactive.
Staff reported that the state is expediting an interim plan and discussed a possible zero-pumping zone near the Friant-Kern Canal to address subsidence. PID and the Tule Sub-Basin are developing an alternative ahead of the January draft and possible April 2027 adoption. Staff said PID wells are generally shallow and subsidence low, but approval is sub-basin-wide. No out-of-boundary transfers are allowed until studies set limits.
The board approved agreements to facilitate a $25 million Reclamation award to Westlands Water District for groundwater banking and aquifer storage and recovery wells. Staff reported the Delta-Mendota Canal subsidence correction project is about 16% complete, with liner raises expected within roughly 45 days. New DWR Director Tom Gibson visited, emphasizing open collaboration and improved transparency on shared CVP-SWP facilities and costs.
