Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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Urban water suppliers must submit annual water shortage assessment reports by July 1, 2026, alongside 2025 UWMP and 2025 WSCP submittals. Reservoirs are generally in good shape, but statewide snowpack is about 16% of average, creating a snow drought that may tighten summer supplies. DWR urged WSCP procedure review and optional alignment with state shortage levels; readoption questions were discussed.
The 2026 water year budget and rates were adopted after a 45-day public comment period with no objections. The board discussed State Water Board certified well-registration letters and noted advice that if reporting any use, report 0.15 AF/acre (the native safe yield portion). Friant allocation was cited as 85% for planning purposes, with a possible update to 80–85% after storm data.
Kings River April–July runoff forecast fell to 43%, reducing CID's expected run from ~90 to ~60 days; the Board directed a May 4 start. SWRCB actions in Tule/Tulare Lake subbasins (on probation) exempt pumpers under 20 acre-feet from state fees, though registration and reporting are still required. CID's GSP remains under DWR review with no comments received; the annual report was submitted and accepted.
Groundwater storage change was reported as ~62,800 acre-feet lost in WY2025. The board discussed a pilot/education approach using satellite ET to estimate parcel-level groundwater use and contacting Merced County's Lacey to present on their pilot before any fees. Subsidence monitoring is shifting to InSAR after federal funding ended; monitoring points discussed were largely in yellow (0.2–0.6 feet of subsidence), with some sites around ~0.24–0.36.
Staff projected a ~1.0 AF/acre allocation and plans to announce it in late April. The board denied 5 of 6 unused-allocation charge waiver requests, signaling stricter enforcement going forward. The board approved an MA-2 penalty waiver agreement for a grower tied to 53 acres of orchard removal and a 110 AF credit transfer to reach a zero cumulative balance by end of 2027.
