Staff met with all five State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) members and staff in Sacramento the day before the meeting. Despite Pixley's pushback on flawed subsidence data (based on the Intera study rather than the Thomas Harder methodology) and evidence of active enforcement, the State Board indicated it will proceed with its fee and reporting process. Based on estimated extractions of ~118,000 acre feet, Pixley landowners alone could face a rough estimate of ~$2.3 million in fees at $20/acre-foot, plus $300 per well (with caveats around compliance assumptions). The full Tule Subbasin could see approximately $12 million in combined charges. The SWRCB hearing is April 21 — growers are strongly encouraged to attend and provide public comment. Staff is preparing talking points and bullet-point summaries from official comment letters (including a 7-page EKI technical rebuttal) to help landowners organize their testimony.
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