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 the FY 2026/27 budget, setting SGMA compliance landowner fees at $0.16/acre (base) and $1.27/acre (irrigated). A proposed cover crop policy change that would grant growers additional Effective Precipitation credits was deferred to a committee for further review before returning as an action item in July. Staff reported that groundwater accounting platform updates are in progress, though OpenET data carries a several-week lag.
Napa County announced a new groundwater sustainability fee that will be assessed for agricultural, public water, and domestic users; growers should contact staff by July 10 if they qualify for adjusted rates or waivers. Draft incentive concepts for water conservation practices — including meter installation, cover cropping, and irrigation improvements — were presented but not yet adopted.
The board approved a $168/acre-foot groundwater extraction fee for FY 2026/2027 (5-0, 2 absent). The Executive Director's written report noted two wells remain unregistered, each at $49,500 in penalties as of May 31. Agency Counsel Keith Lemieux discussed the Indian Wells Valley adjudication trial and possible use of a technical expert/State Board review.
Groundwater conditions were reported as stable, and staff recommended no GSP amendment. Modeling through 2075 suggests a ~900 acre-foot/year average storage decline; planned projects and management actions are expected to reduce most threshold exceedances. The Board approved the FY 2026–27 budget and a 3% fee increase to $46.04 per acre-foot.
Board approved joining the sub-basin cost-share MOU to pursue a coordinated single GSP (~$67,664 if DEID out; ~$59,000 if in). Staff reviewed draft rules/regs: if a meter fails, usage would revert to ET; staff plans to bring penalty/enforcement updates next month. GSP not expected by next week; stakeholder meeting to be postponed.
