Staff reported the State Water Board may propose an interim plan for the Tule Subbasin including a pumping moratorium near the Friant Kern Canal, with notices beginning in January and a possible April public hearing starting next year. Counsel reviewed the Tulare Lake case where plaintiffs were deemed likely to succeed but must still pay fees during litigation. Storage was about 29,919 AF as of Sept. 6; options for remaining water were discussed.
The board discussed continuing surface water deliveries at approximately 50 CFS through September 30, drawing down roughly 8,700 acre-feet of available Lone Tree storage after reserving about 5,000 acre-feet for Exhibit C through December. No land purchases for recharge basins. The board approved a resolution to support a Water Smart grant application to replace eight monitoring wells at a total project cost just under $1 million with a required 50% local match.
