Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The groundwater sustainability agency continues awaiting state approval with no clear timeline, prompting confusion. A determined well registration campaign launches with voluntary registration through December 2025, looking to follow with mandatory requirements if compliance remains low. The committee forwarded the first domestic well mitigation case without a recommendation due to concerns about the vetting process and responsibility attribution for the $50,000 well replacement.
The board approved a $310,000 budget for 2026 and adopted a comprehensive domestic well mitigation policy that protects existing wells with up to $30,000 per well coverage and a $300,000 escrow fund. A new Joint Powers Authority structure was established to replace the current coordination committee, providing more formal governance while maintaining unanimous voting requirements for major decisions.
The agency continues managing tight cash flow through a 7.5% line of credit while awaiting biannual property tax revenues. Staff face pressure to complete substantial grant-funded projects before hard deadlines at the end of March, with concerns about spending capacity. The regulatory fee billing process was streamlined as the county handles most collections, keeping direct billing to just 126 water systems rather than the expected larger number.
ETGSA board approved Resolution 2025-02 setting groundwater extraction fees at $26.60 per acre-foot for October 2025-September 2026. Water year 2026 allocations: sustainable yield 0.98 AF/acre (0.15 native + 0.83 precipitation), Tier 1 remains 0.82 AF/acre. Total Tier 1 volume reduced to 128,499 acre-feet as three irrigation districts withdrew while forming independent GSAs. Board extended Tier 1 pre-purchase deadline to November 14th at existing rates due to ongoing transitions. Payment...
Agricultural experts and stakeholders emphasized that insufficient data exists across regions to establish crop-specific nitrogen application limits, with only 3 of 9 regions having reported complete data. Small-scale and diversified farming operations face significant compliance challenges with current nitrogen reporting requirements designed for large monoculture farms. Regional differences in agricultural conditions and water quality issues require flexible approaches rather than uniform..
