The board approved an allocation of recharge water at $135 per acre-foot, with parcels of five acres and above receiving one acre-foot per acre and parcels below five acres eligible for up to three acre-feet per acre, through October 31, 2026. A 142-acre property was purchased for development into a future recharge basin, with construction expected to begin in phases over roughly five years. Discussion also addressed risks around potential local pumping restrictions.
Staff reported that the state is expediting an interim plan and discussed a possible zero-pumping zone near the Friant-Kern Canal to address subsidence. PID and the Tule Sub-Basin are developing an alternative ahead of the January draft and possible April 2027 adoption. Staff said PID wells are generally shallow and subsidence low, but approval is sub-basin-wide. No out-of-boundary transfers are allowed until studies set limits.
Porterville ID discussed executing (subject to legal review) a 50/50 cost-share agreement with the City of Porterville for the Friant-Kern Canal turnout project (~$2.6M total; ~$1.3M each). Friant's dewatering timeline is shifting toward mid-November, tightening the construction window. Lower Tule extended its run to July 29–30; water deliveries expected through end of October.
Water allocation remains at 0.80 acre-feet per acre, with a possible increase to 0.85 if the full URF water is allocated out by the river restoration program. Lower Tule releases (~400 cfs) begin Saturday; PID plans to run river water heavily and go off Bryant as much as possible for about a month. The 2026 water rate was approved at $205 per acre-foot following a public hearing; no written protests were received, and one verbal comment was recorded.
Committee reached consensus to recommend a September 1, 2026 target for BasinSafe well registration and discussed possible penalties for non-compliance. Staff will take the Tule Subbasin GSP cost-share MOU to the Board; PID's share is about $47,000 or up to $53,282 if Delano-Earlimart opts out. The Board may start a 45-day notice/protest extraction-fee process as early as this month, with billing potentially beginning August 2026.
