Board approved sending certified warning letters to Tier 2 well owners and Tier 3 landowners (39 APNs, 23 owners) with 30/60-day deadlines from the letter date; penalties may reach $1,000 plus $100/day (or $500/AF excess). Staff reported 286 registered wells with 78% compliance; Tier 3 well count unknown. Board adopted the $550k FY 26-27 budget and approved $120k GSI 5-year evaluation due Jan 21, 2027.
The board reviewed a draft $550,000 FY 2026-27 budget dominated by the mandatory five-year GSP evaluation ($120,000) and annual report ($55,000), with final approval set for Tuesday, June 16. Well metering compliance is 77% (219 of 286 registered wells); draft Tier 3 warning letters are expected at the June meeting. $10,000 for five transducers was approved.
73% of registered wells now meet metering requirements. The Board authorized staff and legal counsel to develop template warning letters for Tier 2 and Tier 3 non-compliance, including landowners who never registered wells. SGMA penalties can reach $1,000 per violation plus $100/day for continuing violations. De minimis applies only to wells under 2 AFY solely for domestic use.
April 1 deadline is approaching for flow meter compliance forms and monthly readings. Legal counsel is invited to the April 21, 2026 meeting to review the enforcement policy, and staff expects to report compliance rates and discuss next steps. Landowners may qualify for up to $500 in County reimbursement for meter installation, but some applications have been returned incomplete.
The meeting clarified that the GSA maintains $25,000 in its account while its project funding resides with the Water District, which transfers money monthly for approved expenses. Staff emphasized the April 1, 2026 metering compliance deadline, with Mailing #4 going out the next day and a County rebate available through June 30, 2026. The draft 2025 Annual Report showed localized groundwater declines after a dry year with only 8 inches of rainfall.
