Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
Proud Partners of
The board adopted a $1.45/acre operations fee for FY 2026-27 and approved a ~$632k baseline budget (~$650k revenue). Discussion noted a ~$65k shortfall after last year's fee reduction and highlighted upcoming work on demand management (due Jan 2027) and domestic well mitigation. The demand management program is advancing with legal and procedural complexity around potential pumping fees still being worked through.
Golden mussels were detected at the Penitencia and Santa Teresa Water Treatment Plants, with no impact to drinking water quality. Valley Water previously suspended (Aug 2025) San Luis-to-Calero transfers and staff estimates about $2 million in near-term mitigation. Staff said 99 of 102 percolation ponds can receive imported water. The Board approved using CM/GC delivery for four dam/seismic projects.
The Executive Committee recommended a 3.4% cost-of-wages salary adjustment for department heads, contingent on a competent-or-better evaluation, replacing the traditional CPI-based approach with the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index and pending full Board approval in June. Chair Ortega noted the meeting was delayed due to critical Colorado River discussions, and the General Manager reported testifying before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee in Washington, D.C.
The spray-cast pipelining program set a production record, lining ~15,500 feet of canal at $84/ft — under the $104/ft budget — with the K-lines from Santa Fe to Escalon targeted next season. The water treatment plant received a CO₂ force majeure notice and is testing sodium hydroxide as an alternative for pH control. Directors thanked crews for managing a difficult irrigation season and noted water clarity improvements from Magneside treatment.
Subsidence could cut deliveries 18%–87% by 2043 under no-action. DWR will start five interim projects with Check 17 gate removal in Sept. 2026 and liner raises; wet-year impacts improve to ~2%. Funding: $50M DOI + $45M Prop 4 proposed. Long-term fix benchmark up to $3.9B, aiming for 2033 readiness.
