Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The board approved a resolution authorizing the 2026 out-of-district water sale program at $218.54 per acre foot, with staff projecting roughly 12,000 to 15,000 acre feet in sales including fringe areas. Canals have begun charging in early March, and staff reported a 620,000 acre foot Bulletin 120 forecast at 90 percent probability. The board also unanimously adopted the 2025 Water Management Plan after a public hearing with no comments.
Colorado River negotiations are uncertain, with directors warning California could face major supply reductions after 2026. The board received reports on about $6 billion in State Water Project infrastructure needs, with SB 872 pursued for legislative relief, and heard that a key Sites Reservoir water right remains delayed. No major actions were taken beyond unanimous consent calendar approval.
Groundwater pumping in Water Year 2025 came in well below sustainable yield, and no undesirable results were identified in the draft Water Year 2025 Annual Report overview across sustainability indicators, including water quality, subsidence, and storage. Grant reimbursements from the state remain significantly delayed, though funds are expected. The board approved January financial statements and the February 3, 2026 meeting minutes.
The board approved a groundwater allocation framework accepting North Kings GSA's total allocation bucket at 445,600 acre-feet, with how that is divided among agencies to be worked out in coming months. Well registration has reached 8,179 wells, with a $100 late fee in effect and an enforcement policy in development. Reservoirs are high and Friant Class 1 is at 100 percent, but snowpack and runoff are below average.
The Ojai Valley Groundwater Basin is near full capacity at ~95% (~76,000 acre-feet), with at least one artesian well already flowing and rejected recharge increasing. Over 27 inches of rainfall this water year — about 6 inches above average — has driven strong surface water inflows across multiple creeks. A replacement well at 1126 Mercer Avenue was approved, with expected extraction of 10 acre-feet per year found consistent with sustainability goals.
