Groundwater pumping remains well below the district's roughly 1.8 million acre-feet in groundwater credits, though transitional pumping limits restrict how quickly those credits can be used. Monitoring shows mostly healthy aquifer levels district-wide, with localized concerns along the southeastern boundary likely linked to neighboring pumping. Subsidence is stable, though one southeastern benchmark has exceeded the annual minimum threshold, attributed largely to neighboring pumping activity.
The district expects initial water allocations of 15-25% in late February, with potential to reach 50% if precipitation continues, while an outdated Port Chicago regulation led to about 35,000 acre-feet in export cuts and could have caused far larger storage impacts. The approved 2026-2027 budget reduces O&M rates to $42.02 per acre-foot and land charges to $21.89 per acre. The board also approved a subsidence policy and advanced clean energy infrastructure planning.
The Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Program received $18.7 million in project applications but only has $7.3 million in implementation funding plus $400,000 for project development and permitting. All funded projects must be completed by December 31, 2026. Lands enrolled in MLRP will not receive groundwater allocation, helping preserve groundwater in the basin.
The district reported significant export gains from Action 5 under President Trump’s executive order, adding about 40,000 acre-feet of CVP exports during the late‑December/early‑January first flush period by operating to less restrictive OMR flows. A Community Benefits Agreement plan for the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan will involve extensive workshops. Groundwater monitoring shows marked recovery in core areas since 2022.
The project application deadline has been extended to January 30, 2026, with scoring in February and final approval packets submitted in March. A major clarification confirms that not every project needs to directly benefit disadvantaged communities—projects only need to meet one or two of three program priorities. The district is pursuing an extension of the December 31, 2026 implementation deadline due to lengthy permitting processes.
