Catch up on the latest GSA board meeting recaps anytime—at home, on the road, or on your tractor.
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Staff said the State Water Board is accelerating its interim plan timeline, with potential adoption in Jan–Feb 2027, including a possible pumping moratorium within about two miles of the Friant-Kern Canal. Staff discussed a potential shift from ET/consumption-based accounting to pumping-based tracking and warned growers that SWRCB fee invoices are arriving with a 30-day deadline.
Staff reported the board is exploring replacing tiered overdraft allocations with purchased supplemental water from ditch companies. About $9M in penalties remain outstanding (about $900K liened), and staff discussed possibly shifting future bills to property tax rolls. The board discussed tier pricing and the penalty rate; staff said these may need action next month for an Oct. 1 effective date.
The board approved raising the per-acre groundwater assessment from $1.50 to $2.00 for 2027, citing anticipated consulting costs tied to the updated sustainability plan. Staff reported the State Board discussed a possible pumping moratorium along the Friant-Kern Canal as early as April of next year, framed as a starting offer tied to subsidence concerns. The board formally set aside existing allocation and new-well policies following litigation, with revised drafts expected in two weeks.
The board directed staff to pursue engineering evaluations and review prior studies for increasing Old River recharge. A Riverside Ditch landowner meeting was set for Nov. 6 to gather maintenance input and discuss responsibilities for debris/trees. Directors reviewed the draft 2027 budget and discussed possible changes including ~$50,000 for Riverside maintenance and higher stock purchase budgeting, noting future rate impacts may be unavoidable.
State Water Board staff outlined an interim plan process that could restrict pumping near the Friant-Kern Canal unless the Tule Sub-basin develops an equivalent approach; a draft is expected January 2027 with adoption targeted for April 2027. The board approved an MOU with Pixley Irrigation District and authorized up to five million dollars toward an NRCS RCPP match for voluntary land repurposing. DWR said Tulare Lake's subsidence management plan was too reactive.
