Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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The Technical Advisory Committee discussed a new daily evapotranspiration tool costing $60,000 annually that would provide real-time water usage data to help growers manage irrigation, though some questioned its value. Staff presented a preliminary budget requiring assessment increases from $7.35 to approximately $26-27 per acre for fiscal year 2027 to fund plan updates, well mitigation programs, and implementation costs. The State Water Resources Control Board has still not scheduled a...
The board officially adopted an amended groundwater sustainability plan that addresses all state-identified deficiencies and includes expanded monitoring and new management criteria. New water meter requirements were approved for non-domestic wells using over 2 acre-feet annually, with mandatory installation by April 2026 and a $116,000 annual contract for monthly monitoring services. The agency also submitted a comprehensive exemption request to avoid state reporting fees, arguing they already meet requirements through active management programs, with a decision expected in early 2026.
Staff recommended further study of an injection-only brackish groundwater project to curb seawater intrusion. A draft demand management framework prompted questions about annexation agreements, geographic scope and potential agricultural allocations; no allocation or policy was adopted. Marina Coast Water District GSA is expanding salinity monitoring to investigate elevated readings, with sampling results expected in early 2026.
FID approved 2026 budget featuring $25.1 million in assessment income with a $2.4 million increase, while maintaining zero job vacancies across all 90 budgeted positions under new state legislation. The water season concluded successfully with late-summer storms adding nearly 10,000 acre feet to projected entitlements, generating $8.2 million in total water revenues. Board members allocated most of $6.3 million in net water revenues to future capital improvements.
The board approved moving forward with a massive $632 million to $1.48 billion seawater intrusion project that would extract and treat brackish water to push back saltwater contamination threatening local groundwater supplies. Board members expressed significant concerns about the enormous local cost burden, which could double irrigation costs for farmers and increase residential water rates by 25-50%. Staff also presented a comprehensive demand management framework outlining potential...
