Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The Technical Advisory Committee is developing recommendations to ensure groundwater allocation rules don't penalize farmers for using cover crops, proposing additional precipitation credits for verified cover crop fields. Farmers will have two options: either exclude cover crop fields from satellite monitoring entirely or keep them in the system while receiving enhanced precipitation credits. Staff will analyze satellite data from cover cropped versus fallow fields to determine ...
The district approved an emergency $86,825 fund transfer to address a severe cash flow crisis, with only $117,000 remaining to cover $210,000 in expenses through January. New pumping limits will begin monitoring in January 2026 with automated quarterly alerts to help growers manage their water allocations. Groundwater monitoring shows mixed results with most wells above minimum thresholds, though some areas face concerning trends and continued subsidence rates of 0.15-0.3 feet annually in ...
The groundwater authority approved a drastically reduced budget of $446,000 for next fiscal year, representing a 75% cut from the original proposal, after voters rejected a tax increase earlier this year. The board endorsed transitioning from contracted management services to hiring a local administrator to reduce costs and improve community engagement. Despite severe budget constraints, the authority is moving forward with required groundwater management programs including domestic well ...
Technical consultants recommend reducing groundwater allocation to 1.4 acre-feet per acre for 2026, down from the current 2.5 acre-feet, due to continued land subsidence exceeding minimum thresholds. The district is considering eliminating or significantly reducing precipitation credits and limiting annual usage of landowner developed credits to prevent undermining sustainability goals. These changes aim to address ongoing subsidence issues that persist even during wet years, with final ...
Staff recommended reducing groundwater allocation to 1.2 acre-feet per acre for 2026 due to unsustainable current pumping rates that are causing violations of minimum thresholds. Technical analysis revealed water levels are critically close to permanent subsidence triggers, with only 4-10 feet of buffer remaining across the service area. A new gross water accounting system was proposed to better track actual groundwater extraction, replacing the current net consumptive use method.
