Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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Staff reviewed updated pumping projections about 20% lower than in the GSP. A Director raised agricultural-representation concerns regarding the physical solution; counsel said the recusal applies until the Board approves an agreement. Counsel noted the Oct. 26 trial date and said a potential judgment could trigger ~90-day deadlines for budgeting and TAC-related setup. The Board approved a 45-day public comment period for the draft GSP Periodic Evaluation starting September 11.
The board adopted the Saucelito Groundwater Sustainability Plan and approved eliminating the ET method for tracking groundwater extraction, requiring meter readings only beginning Oct. 1, 2026. The board also approved making Sept. 1 turnback water available as an emergency pool for growers who exhaust their allocation at the standard rate plus $25.
State water board action may impose pumping restrictions near the Friant-Kern Canal, potentially affecting tens of thousands of acres, with managers working on an alternative proposal for Bryant. Staff said transitional water allocations will likely be eliminated in the October recommendation. The board discussed a fallowing precipitation-credit loophole and agreed to keep the program as-is for now, with possible GPC review and a future proposal.
The board accepted a clean 2025 audit with no findings or control issues. Staff reported the Friant-Kern Canal pump station is nearing completion and should come in under budget. Staff also discussed Poso Creek flood preparations, including staged excavators and new slide gates that can be pulled to open a full 10-foot passage to help manage debris flows.
Staff proposed shifting metered pumping data collection to Jan. 1, 2027, allowing more time for AMI endpoint installation and meter configuration. The board discussed narrowing future meter options toward Badger/encoded-output compatibility and staff said it would return with proposed policy revisions. Staff also proposed monthly self-reported reads submitted quarterly during the transition. The board approved a CAP well drilling contract to Pacific Coast Well Drilling for $7,158,745.
