Kings River April–July runoff forecast fell to 43%, reducing CID's expected run from ~90 to ~60 days; the Board directed a May 4 start. SWRCB actions in Tule/Tulare Lake subbasins (on probation) exempt pumpers under 20 acre-feet from state fees, though registration and reporting are still required. CID's GSP remains under DWR review with no comments received; the annual report was submitted and accepted.
Water runs were discussed with a target start of March 30 for Lone Tree (~24,000 AF) and around May 1 for CID (~178,000 AF). CID discussed SGMA 'good actor' positioning. Recharge projects: Nebraska-Walnut Phase 2 ~90% and Camden-Wolf ~50%, with flood-release risk noted.
The Board backed Kings Sub-basin groundwater yield framework numbers for Central Kings GSA at about 1.63 acre-feet per acre, based on 2009-2023 data. The district received 12 reverse auction offers for potential recharge basins, averaging about $32,000 per acre excluding two high bids, and reported receiving $1 million in federal reimbursement toward the Wolf Basin land purchase.
The Board approved hiring a municipal financial advisor to help plan financing for up to 1,000 acres of new recharge basins, estimated at about $60 million in capital costs. Staff reported the reverse land auction program to buy basin sites closes January 30th with limited submissions so far. A draft subbasin framework estimates CID’s native safe yield at 1.6 acre-feet per acre, the highest in the Kings Basin.
The Board approved a new 2026 pay structure with five field job classifications and step-based scales, adding about $97,800 to the budget and targeting roughly a 10% increase for field staff. A reverse auction land acquisition program was authorized, with staff to finalize terms, and a $498,000 contract was awarded to GEI Consultants for a canal capacity study using LIDAR and field work.
