Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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Staff reported true-up collections just under $5M, with about $2M outstanding and 70 accounts headed to county tax rolls. July 14 minutes were deferred (not distributed) to September. Staff previewed targeted Version 4 Rules and Regulations cleanup edits headed to the board. Growers were reminded cover cropping and fallowing must be re-reported for 2026 by Sept. 30.
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 said the State Water Board is accelerating its interim plan timeline, with potential adoption in Jan–Feb 2027, including a possible pumping moratorium within about two miles of the Friant-Kern Canal. Staff discussed a potential shift from ET/consumption-based accounting to pumping-based tracking and warned growers that SWRCB fee invoices are arriving with a 30-day deadline.
Staff reported Greater Kaweah GSA is discussing ending overdraft allocations by 2027 and raised concerns about allowing native safe-yield transfers across the GSA. Staff discussed record El Niño indicators and urged growers to prepare fields for potential winter water. The board discussed a 3-year managed IT/cybersecurity services proposal with Grapevine MSP.
Staff noted harvest season is causing schedule adjustments for irrigation delivery, and growers were asked for patience during this period. Board approved shotline mix ($791,404.38) plus up to $40,000 for a concrete pump rental, within the existing $1.86M pipelining budget (~20,000 ft). Multiple board members noted that irrigation water quality has been notably clean this season, crediting the spray department and division managers.
