The Board approved a $360,000 pilot program to replace or connect four dry domestic wells to address groundwater overdraft impacts. They also adopted a revised well mitigation policy with new eligibility requirements including one-year ownership minimums and payback provisions for property sales. State staff pressed for land subsidence BMP compliance that is likely to increase costs and may affect the timeline for the GSA's exit from probation.
The Board was updated on the draft Allocation Policy proposing 1.43 acre-feet per acre sustainable yield with 45-day public comment through December 1st, though neighboring agencies have criticized the methodology. A comprehensive Subsidence Policy was adopted with tiered enforcement triggers and pumping restrictions based on subsidence thresholds. Staff presented a timeline to submit the revised GSP by March 2026, ahead of the state deadline, to request fee exclusion from the Water Board.
The board approved releasing a groundwater allocation policy for 45-day public comment, establishing 1.43 acre-feet per acre for sustainable yield plus declining transitional water through 2040. Farmers exceeding allocations face $500 per acre-foot penalties and reduced future allocations. The sustainable yield calculation is based on a 36% share of the subbasin's total 350,000 acre-feet capacity.
The board approved a domestic well mitigation program and presented preliminary fee estimates of $19 per acre and $15 per acre-foot, with a Proposition 218 election planned for 2026. The GSA faces significant financial challenges with negative cash flow and needs sustainable funding to avoid state intervention.
