Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—on the road, on your tractor, or at home.
Groundwater levels are rising significantly across the basin despite below-normal rainfall, indicating strong recovery due to reduced pumping and previous wet years. The board approved a new pumping credits policy that eliminates time limits and sets volume-based caps at four times users' sustainable allocations, moving to a "water bucket" system for greater drought management flexibility. Staff will intensify outreach to private well owners next year to develop required inventory and...
The board appointed Hallmark Group as Executive Director through June 2026 following leadership changes, while a regional stakeholder group recommended creating an entirely new governance entity due to "loss of trust" and structural limitations. The authority continues facing a funding crisis with no long-term financial mechanism beyond 2026 after the failed assessment election, though some member agencies indicated they could support operations through the current contract period.
The board approved a new streamlined framework to handle over 150 backlogged variance requests, with 38 requests totaling 9,000+ acre-feet likely to be denied due to sustainability concerns. Water transfer processes face significant timeline constraints due to state mandates and court deadlines, limiting the agency's ability to extend transfer request deadlines even when users need end-of-year data to determine their needs. Basin optimization projects moved forward, including approval of ...
The Rinconada Water Treatment Plant reliability improvement project is progressing on schedule and within budget, with completion targeted for spring 2026. The project will increase the facility's water treatment capacity from 80 to 100 million gallons per day to better serve agricultural and municipal users. Community impact mitigation measures are in place, including noise monitoring and quieter construction vehicle alarms to reduce disruption to nearby residents.
The board clarified that existing flow meters can be calibrated through on-site field accuracy testing using ultrasonic reference meters rather than requiring removal and manufacturer testing. A third communication mailing to all landowners was approved for November, including updated calibration guidance and expanded service provider resources. The board also approved a $65,000 groundwater monitoring program for 2026 to continue quarterly well monitoring across 40 locations.
