Board advanced a collaborative domestic well mitigation program across 3 GSAs, approving core agreements and authorizing staff to finalize remaining details. Two property owner appeals to reclassify irrigated land as dryland were denied because wells remain on the parcels and have not been formally decommissioned. A 5‑year temporary recharge permit was secured for Stony Creek, reducing the need for repeated applications, with equipment deployment planned for three sites.
The district is facing cash flow strain with nearly $2M in grant reimbursements from DWR taking about six months. Tehama’s draft well mitigation program proposes a $40,000 cap with a 40‑year depreciation schedule, drawing concern over older wells. Glenn’s regional program with Colusa is still being finalized. Tehama’s three‑part demand management concept would delay stricter fees until 2031; Glenn is about a year behind.
The water agency received a warning letter for 13 monitoring wells falling below minimum thresholds despite recent wet years, raising concerns about potential state intervention if violations continue. The board approved participating in a regional well mitigation program to streamline assistance for residents with dry wells and decided to continue using the current C2VSIM model for future planning rather than switching to an alternative system.
