The board approved the FY 2026/27 budget, setting SGMA compliance landowner fees at $0.16/acre (base) and $1.27/acre (irrigated). A proposed cover crop policy change that would grant growers additional Effective Precipitation credits was deferred to a committee for further review before returning as an action item in July. Staff reported that groundwater accounting platform updates are in progress, though OpenET data carries a several-week lag.
The board approved a rule change allowing permanent Riparian Area designations as inactive in the GAP so remote-sensing ET from those areas is not counted as consumptive use. FY 2026-2027 budgets were discussion only; staff will return in June with a proposed fee rate and action. Two Alternative Source Credit deadline appeals were approved.
The board unanimously adopted the final Engineer's Report for the Phase 2 Funding Mechanism, establishing a maximum annual charge of $15.11 per acre, and set the Prop 218 public hearing for June 15, 2026 at 6 PM. Written objections under AB 2257 must be received by June 1; written protests under Prop 218 must be submitted before the hearing. Effective precipitation for Water Year 2026 was set at 10 inches, directly reducing groundwater debits from landowner allocations.
Board released the Phase 2 Fee Engineer report proposing a max ~$15.11/acre annual charge (Prop 218 process ahead). Board approved four MLRP development projects to move into the contracting phase (contracts to return later). Board also reversed staff denial of Alternative Source Credits for Jones Farm after a missed Dec. 15 deadline.
The Board approved extending deadlines to February 28, 2026 for growers to delineate inactive parcels and register wells with flow meters, as only 351 parcels and 37 wells were registered by the original deadline. Usage statements were mailed to 800 growers detailing their 2025 water use, and the Board reversed staff's denial of alternative source credits for a grower who missed the December deadline.
