Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors recently voted 3-2 to support the current plan to remove PG&E dams at Potter Valley and transition to purchasing water from the Round Valley Indian Tribe, and the Millview board received an update on that process, including that costs are expected to increase and pumping would likely be limited to November–April. The meter replacement project is progressing well. A comprehensive rate study will be presented at the December 4th Water Authority meeting.
The groundwater allocation program framework presented at the workshop was substantially revised from the July draft to recognize irrigation districts' developed water supply, resulting in significantly higher developed supply credits for MID and OID. Non-District East is shown in the example allocation as having a base allocation equal to about 35% of historical pumping, but temporary relief through OID's surplus redistribution in Phase 1 would raise that to about 47% of historical use .
The Board was updated on the draft Allocation Policy proposing 1.43 acre-feet per acre sustainable yield with 45-day public comment through December 1st, though neighboring agencies have criticized the methodology. A comprehensive Subsidence Policy was adopted with tiered enforcement triggers and pumping restrictions based on subsidence thresholds. Staff presented a timeline to submit the revised GSP by March 2026, ahead of the state deadline, to request fee exclusion from the Water Board.
The committee delayed a funding agreement for member agencies until benefit-distribution language is clarified, especially how recharge credits are split between districts and non-district landowners. A policy defining credit splits for groundwater recharge and surface water use advanced with minor edits. The Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Program will open in January 2026 with a tight schedule requiring year-end project completion.
The Board reached consensus to direct staff to renegotiate a Community Workforce Agreement with the LA and Orange County Building Trades Council to support more local hiring on construction projects. New policy amendments were approved requiring directors to submit formal requests for attending non‑pre‑approved conferences and events. The Board voted 6‑3 to deny a director's request to participate in a six‑month water education fellowship program, citing cost and other concerns despite ...
