1. State Water Board Moratorium Threat Is Real and Imminent — Local Alternative Needed by Late October The State Water Board unveiled an interim plan in July that would impose a pumping moratorium on lands within at least two miles of the Friant-Kern Canal, with a draft expected in January 2027 and a board vote to implement by April. Phase two would impose blanket pumping caps across the entire subbasin, stepping down to sustainable yield; staff said the State Water Board did not indicate the starting allocation or the stepdown schedule. A group of local GSA managers is racing to develop a coordinated alternative plan — referred to as "Option 3" — that would allow some limited pumping in exchange for mitigation commitments. Staff indicated this local proposal must be presentable to Friant and State Board staff by late October or early November to have any chance of forestalling state action. Staff indicated the district would seek board direction as coordination efforts continue.
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