The committee approved rules for a Domestic Well Mitigation Program offering up to $35,000 per property for landowners whose wells failed since 2020 due to groundwater decline, and recommended hiring Davids Engineering for $514,000 to manage the program despite farmer concerns about costs. They also approved moving to a single satellite measurement provider (Hydrosat) to save approximately $300,000 annually, though this decision faced opposition since roughly half of current growers will be forced to switch systems from their existing providers.
The committee reviewed a detailed domestic well mitigation program framework with a $35,000 maximum reimbursement per well, though growers requested more time to analyze the documents before taking action. A farm unit reorganization policy was advised to the board, giving growers flexibility in allocating water credits and penalties during property transactions. Staff discussed continuing to offer multiple costly satellite measurement methods given the approximately $430,000 costs for 2025.
The Madera County GSA will reduce water allocations from 27.1 to 25.2 inches in 2026 (a 1.9-inch drop), marking the transition from 2% to 6% annual reductions through 2040 as planned in the GSP, with allocation charts extending to 2040 approved. Based on survey results showing 52% preference for Hydrosat over 23% for LandIQ, staff will negotiate a 3-year contract with Hydrosat only to reduce costs, eliminating the current dual measurement system while some growers voice concerns about reliability. A proposed farm unit policy for distributing carryover credits was delayed for further review after grower concerns, while three accounting platform demos will be conducted before selection.
The committee discussed major groundwater measurement system reforms and recommended recharge project funding while addressing domestic well mitigation coordination. Key decisions move toward final board approval with grower input continuing to shape implementation approaches.
The committee reviewed multiple groundwater monitoring platform options and recommended a domestic well mitigation fee structure that would be significantly offset by growing penalty revenue collections. Penalty collections increased from $55,000 to $427,000 year-over-year, providing substantial relief for the proposed mitigation fees.
