The District dedicated a plaque honoring Professor Richard Luthy at a new groundwater recharge research basin and launched a monitoring project with Stanford University. District landowners secured $4.5 million in NRCS funding through the Water Spawn Initiative, being one of only three priority areas in the western U.S. The domestic well mitigation program advanced with an RFQ for well drillers expected to yield contracts by early March 2026.
Board approved recharge water rates of $10 per acre-foot inside the district and $20 outside as deliveries begin Thursday through the Air Canal system. The district received a 10% Class 2 water allocation (18,600 acre-feet) from the Bureau of Reclamation that is planned to be moved by the end of February, depending on conditions. Growers interested in receiving recharge water must submit new signup applications to participate.
The board voted to withdraw from a state construction cost accounting program after determining it wasn't suitable for the district, reversing policy changes made in 2023. DWR issued a second consecutive inadequacy letter regarding the district's annual groundwater report, citing deficiencies in water quality monitoring and plan implementation. The district secured nearly $1 million in federal NRCS funding for pipeline infrastructure projects after completing required cultural resources...
The district is no longer pursuing its collaborative groundwater management approach after three partner agencies were not interested to participate in cost-sharing for domestic well mitigation, opting instead for an individual proximity-based program (each district responsible for wells in their district) estimated at $1.5 million. Despite challenging dry conditions, the district successfully delivered nearly 150,000 acre-feet this water season, which staff characterized as surprisingly "average." Board members expressed growing frustration over groundwater overdraft issues, particularly as they see other agencies also contributing to the problem have not stepped up to the standard MID expects, while wells continue to fail.
