The board approved staff finalizing and submitting the updated DWR additional-information response for the 180/400 subbasin GSP evaluation and amendment, with several technical edits. Capital Core Group presented a federal funding due-diligence approach. The GM reported Ocean Well and San Jose Water Company interest in exploring deep-water desal feasibility, with possible agreements to return for board consideration.
The board voted 10–1 to select Portfolio 3A as the preferred implementation pathway for addressing seawater intrusion. A draft funding memo showed illustrative costs of roughly $600–$1,200 per irrigated acre per year (2036 dollars) under high external funding assumptions; a director warned these figures could exceed farm profits. Agricultural demand management, assumed at a 10% reduction, drew significant concern, with some directors pushing for flexible, incentive-based approaches.
The Advisory Committee did not reach consensus on a single IIS portfolio. Debate focused on Portfolio 3A (~$1.07B capital) and Portfolio 4 (~$612M). Members discussed considerations including cost allocation, injection pilots/aquifer testing, financing, and alternative supplies, and indicated both 3A and 4 should be evaluated with those considerations, though no formal vote was recorded. Staff said they will bring their own recommendation addressing seawater intrusion to the Board.
The board approved FY 2027 groundwater sustainability fees despite a last-minute legal objection over fee authority and cost allocation. Staff presented three remaining project portfolios to address seawater intrusion, with a portfolio decision anticipated in August; Portfolio 1 is the only one shown as meeting seawater intrusion thresholds in the presented effectiveness summary, while staff said Portfolio 3A is close and could work with adjustments.
Staff shared updated geology and water quality analyses for the Forebay and Upper Valley subbasins, finding no statistically significant link between pumping and evaluated water-quality constituents (including nitrate and gross alpha). AEM surveys refined subsurface mapping; no immediate management changes were proposed. Draft GSP amendments are planned for early August Board review and a 90-day comment period, with staff discussing a return around November.
