Major Allocation Cut Likely for 2026: EKI consultants recommended a maximum groundwater pumping allocation of 1.2 acre-feet per acre to meet 2040 subsidence targets, representing a significant reduction from current levels. This could require 20,000-25,000 acres (approximately one-third to 40% of current irrigated land) to be taken out of production across the GSA, though individual impacts will vary by farm with some operations potentially facing 50-60% reductions.
Meter Accuracy Issues Raise Concerns: A landowner reported major discrepancies between Land IQ's ET projections (3.0 acre-feet usage) and actual metered pumping (2.18 acre-feet) on the same field, creating a difference of nearly 10 inches of water. Staff acknowledged this problem and recommended not implementing any meter-based allocation system until 2027 to allow time to resolve these accuracy issues.
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