Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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Four priority groundwater recharge and community resilience projects are being finalized for state submission in April, with approval anticipated around May 2026. The MLRP Plan adoption has been delayed to later this year after DOC requested revisions to define land repurposing areas and refine scoring/plan elements. Upcoming outreach (including May 6 and potentially May 19) will provide program updates.
The Commission approved $52.1M in supplemental inflation-adjusted funding for the Harvest Water recycled water program, on track for full o peration by mid-2027. Economists said they used the Bureau of Reclamation Construction Cost Trends index here and would recommend the same approach for other WSIP projects for future Commission consideration. Sites draft water right comments are due May 22; a Sites supplemental funding request may be considered as early as June.
Stantec presented Chapter 6 of the Unified Valley Water Plan showing a 2.5–3 million acre-feet annual supply gap by 2040. Scenario analysis found $13–20 billion in infrastructure could reduce—but not eliminate—the gap, leaving ~0.5–1.1 MAF unmet and ~200k–400k acres for repurposing. Restoring subsidence-damaged canals is a critical first step; local projects alone still leave a major shortfall and ~500k–600k+ acres of repurposing. Two new board members are added.
Groundwater storage declined in 2025, with some monitoring wells and subsidence points moving closer to thresholds — and with surface water allocations projected low, groundwater will again carry the primary burden. Well registration outreach continues as the subbasin moves toward a mandatory process. An overdraft management framework is being developed and is expected for board discussion at the May 12 meeting.
Consultants presented a proposed subsidence approach using land-sinking rates rather than groundwater level thresholds; they plan to discuss a final Sustainable Management Criteria and revised undesirable results definition in May. Well impact and GDE analyses were presented to address DWR corrective actions. The TACs approved minutes, ratified letters of support, approved Optional Task Order 8 ($50,400), and voted to recommend the FY26–27 budget for Board review.
