Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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The Executive Committee recommended a 3.4% cost-of-wages salary adjustment for department heads, contingent on a competent-or-better evaluation, replacing the traditional CPI-based approach with the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index and pending full Board approval in June. Chair Ortega noted the meeting was delayed due to critical Colorado River discussions, and the General Manager reported testifying before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee in Washington, D.C.
The spray-cast pipelining program set a production record, lining ~15,500 feet of canal at $84/ft — under the $104/ft budget — with the K-lines from Santa Fe to Escalon targeted next season. The water treatment plant received a CO₂ force majeure notice and is testing sodium hydroxide as an alternative for pH control. Directors thanked crews for managing a difficult irrigation season and noted water clarity improvements from Magneside treatment.
Subsidence could cut deliveries 18%–87% by 2043 under no-action. DWR will start five interim projects with Check 17 gate removal in Sept. 2026 and liner raises; wet-year impacts improve to ~2%. Funding: $50M DOI + $45M Prop 4 proposed. Long-term fix benchmark up to $3.9B, aiming for 2033 readiness.
Staff said snowpack is ~3.5% of normal for the date (about two months early). Don Pedro is ~822 ft, with end-of-season projections near 774 ft (~11 ft below last year). April gas averaged $1.28/decatherm; staff cited ~$0.80 all-in and discussed forwards around mid-$3.
Both boards unanimously approved Phase 2 of a PR campaign to bolster credibility and readiness for state/federal funding. Consultants cited potential sources including Prop 4 (incl. $386M for SGMA/subsidence), cap-and-trade, the state general fund (incl. discussion of ~$2B for DWR subsidence-related efforts), and federal programs. Staff said a unified plan proposal (est. $1.4M) will come to a June meeting.
