Top 3 Key Takeaways

1. Kaweah Subbasin Successfully Returns to DWR Oversight, Avoiding State Intervention

The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously voted to return the Kaweah Subbasin to Department of Water Resources (DWR) oversight, ending the threat of probation. This is a major achievement that saves growers from facing mandatory fees of $300 per well plus $20 per acre-foot pumped, which would have totaled $10-15 million annually. The State Board praised the Kaweah Subbasin as setting "the bar" for GSPs and called it "a masterclass in how to tackle difficult issues." DWR is expected to review the plan in less than the two years allowed, likely around a year, with a more interactive process than the prior two-year largely silent review.