Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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The Board approved a $7.5M FLOW infrastructure grant program for local public agencies with a 50-50 cost share and water/ag nexus; applications likely roll out in April 2026. Staff reported inflow projections down nearly 3M acre-feet since November and Lake Mead near 1,056 ft. The Forbearance Agreement amendment was approved.
The board approved the 2026 irrigation season at 48 inches per acre, running March 12 through October 28, with water orders opening March 11. Under the existing multi-year rate schedule, the Tier 1 volumetric rate is now $3.23/acre-foot for the first 48 inches (year two), and replenishment water above that is available at $20/acre-foot. Out-of-district replenishment water within the groundwater subbasin was also approved at $50/acre-foot.
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.
