The board approved committing to participate in a multi-GSA GSP effort consolidating ~13 GSAs in the Tule subbasin, and approved $198,300 toward a domestic well mitigation reserve fund. State staff recommended denying the Tule subbasin exclusion request; the hearing is April 21. A revised delinquent fee collection policy was also approved.
Board approved recording liens/notices for a landowner owing ~$745,000 in delinquent charges, without issuing a cease-extraction order; pumping may continue but at the $500 rate/level while credits remain frozen. The board adopted an updated subsidence map and approved a Southern Land Subsidence Study, expected to expand sub-basin-wide.
Board approved the 2026 budget, including funds for land easements, domestic well mitigation, and a meter reimbursement program of up to $3,500 per installation. Beginning January 1, 2026, a new allocation policy requires landowners to be in 'good standing' (balances paid and well access agreements on file) to receive allocations, with ET data subject to a multiplier where used instead of compliant meters.
The board officially adopted an amended groundwater sustainability plan that addresses all state-identified deficiencies and includes expanded monitoring and new management criteria. New water meter requirements were approved for non-domestic wells using over 2 acre-feet annually, with mandatory installation by April 2026 and a $116,000 annual contract for monthly monitoring services. The agency also submitted a comprehensive exemption request to avoid state reporting fees, arguing they already meet requirements through active management programs, with a decision expected in early 2026.
