The Basin Safe data migration is delayed due to complications converting water types and field identifiers, temporarily preventing growers from viewing groundwater pumping history. The draft water budget shows the district averaging a net increase of 6,400 acre-feet per year when only in-GSA recharge and pumping are compared, while including subsurface flows shows an average storage decline of 2,200 acre-feet per year. Staff will meet with State Water Board members in February to discuss ...
The Board set the 2026 ET-based Sustainable Yield allocation at 1.01 acre-feet per acre as an announcement and approved two consultant contracts totaling about $51,000 for subbasin hydrogeologic and coordination services. The subbasin remains on probation with the State Water Board, exclusion requests are under review with no specific timeline for a decision, and local coordination meetings are being planned.
The board approved a 0.3 acre-feet per acre Class 2 water allocation at $55/AF for immediate use through February 2026, critical for securing next year's Class 1 supply. Multiple ditch company contracts expiring in 2026 require legal review to determine maintenance obligations for deteriorated diversion structures. Financial performance exceeded budget with $4.5M in year-to-date net revenues, driven by recharge water sales.
Water Year 2026 sustainable yield allocations were announced at 0.97 AF/acre under the ET method and 0.27 AF/acre under the extraction method, the first time the ET-based allocation has dropped below 1.0 AF/acre. Grower accounts are transitioning from Eastern Tule GSA to PID GSA's Basin Safe platform, expected to be fully operational by mid-January 2026. November land subsidence zone recommendations remain in draft and were not adopted by PID GSA.
Lake Millerton is well above flood control targets, and staff indicated a Class 2 allocation in the low single digits is likely this winter to reduce storage. The Board asked staff to begin separating GSA-related financial tracking around January 1 to clarify actual GSA costs and funding needs. The CEQA review for the Southeast Service Area Lateral Project runs through December 18, with a special public hearing planned after that.
