Owners without registered wells linked to their parcels when allocations load around January 2027 will not receive water year 2027 allocations, staff warned. The board approved two dedicated recharge basins; their owners must take offered excess water and may earn higher winter credits. It also approved up to $55,000 for domestic-well mitigation. Legal counsel said a new State Water Board plan could reduce surface-water deliveries and recharge.
The committee recommended a Visalia replacement well to the board: 350 feet, or 400 if justified. A fallow-field proposal could reduce future Tulare Irrigation District-based allocations; it was not adopted. Staff favored three of eight proposed recharge basin sites; two with possible dairy-wastewater histories need review. For unregistered wells, Water Year 2027 Tier 1 and Tier 2 allocations will not appear on dashboards, and affected growers cannot buy those tiers until registration.
Staff reported 409 of 1,500 wells registered. Wells unregistered by October 31 will not have 2027 dashboard allocations loaded; no allocation-volume change was announced. Workplan updates covered groundwater quality, interconnected surface-water monitoring and subsidence. The three Kaweah GSAs are reviewing a supplemental supply framework. The board accepted financials ($3.05 million in bank accounts; $489,969 year-to-date net income) and adopted Resolution No. 2026-04.
The board approved switching to a single-invoice billing system for the emergency ordinance, reducing manual steps since most landowners accept the tiered water allocation. Staff updated the board on four well mitigation cases and a possible proactive re-drill incentive to reduce interim supply costs. Staff reported the Greater Kaweah stakeholder committee recommended replacing overdraft allocation with a supplemental supply allocation.
Staff reported progress in subsidence talks with DWR, including DWR's reaction to modeling that could show subsidence after 2040. The board approved a semi-annual cost-sharing invoice totaling about $688,000, split three ways (~$230,000 each). Staff said the State Water Board is expected to release a Phase Two scientific basis report Aug. 18 on Sacramento-Delta flows affecting surface water and recharge.
