Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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The committee approved $77,500 for Optional Task Order 7 for EKI to revise the basin’s subsidence sustainable management criteria and related analysis, better aligning with updated state guidance. They also authorized $128,900 for Optional Task Order 9 to update the groundwater model with post‑2015 data, including refined land use, boundary conditions, and water diversion and extraction inputs.
The Department of Water Resources requested a comprehensive response by April 30, 2026, addressing questions about seawater intrusion management in the critically overdrafted 180/400 subbasin. Participants raised concerns about the $127–168 million annual cost of the Brackish Groundwater Restoration Project and its economic impacts. All remaining subbasins will undergo periodic evaluations by January 2027, with possible GSP amendments.
The committee discussed the upcoming five‑year review of the 2022 Groundwater Sustainability Plan, due January 2027, which will address regulatory requirements and incorporate new monitoring data. Staff noted that project options for the Corral de Tierra area appear limited and costly, so demand management may need to play a primary role. The free water efficiency pilot program has seen very low participation despite outreach efforts.
The GSA successfully diverted 42 acre-feet of water over 5 operational days under its new 5-year recharge permit, with two of three sites currently running and the permit in effect through March 31st. A collaborative domestic well mitigation program is now accepting applications, with a public webinar on January 23rd. The upcoming annual report will revisit groundwater level minimum thresholds and how to respond to any apparent exceedances.
Public commenters highlighted a DWR December letter on the 180/400 foot aquifer and an April 30 response date, warning that failure could lead to state intervention and fines. Staff and consultants showed that deep aquifers extend further than previously mapped and contain very old water with no known direct surface recharge. Seawater intrusion continues advancing despite existing projects, especially in the 400‑foot aquifer.
