1. State Water Board Interim Plan Threatens Major Pumping Restrictions Along Friant-Kern Canal The State Water Board is moving forward with a two-phase interim plan for the Tule Subbasin. Phase 1 would impose a pumping moratorium two miles on each side of the Friant-Kern Canal, potentially affecting over 30,000–65,000 acres depending on final boundaries. A draft is expected in January 2027 with a vote targeted for April. Phase 2 would impose pumping restrictions across the broader subbasin, phasing down to sustainable yield, with a draft expected next summer and potential implementation by early 2028. Subbasin GSA managers are collaborating on an alternative proposal (Option 3) they hope to present to Bryant by Halloween (late October/early November), aiming to preserve some level of local control and avoid the harshest state-imposed restrictions.
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