1. Register wells before water year 2027 allocations are loaded. The October 31 registration deadline has passed. Staff warned that owners whose parcels are not linked to registered wells when allocations are loaded around January 2027 will not receive their water year 2027 allocations, triggering mitigation and penalties. Roughly 322 of an estimated 725 agricultural wells had been registered. Owners who missed the deadline should contact Andy through the Mid-Kaweah GSA office promptly. Staff said registrations completed before allocations are loaded can still be honored, but offered no guarantee afterward. Staff is working to notify owners of missing or deficient registrations.
2. Two dedicated recharge basins were approved. The board approved Basin 7, estimated at about 38 acres, and Basin 8, a deep former borrow pit. Under the dedicated recharge basin program, owners agree to accept excess water when offered for recharge, even if a crop is present, and pay for the water delivered. Winter recharge credits can be higher than standard on-farm credits; summer credits match the on-farm rate. Staff said five other applications had been denied and one remained under follow-up. The board voted on Basins 7 and 8. Staff will bring back policy language to remove an undefined reference to several consecutive years; staff described a one-year enrollment period. The revision will also clarify that delivered water must remain for recharge rather than be pumped out for irrigation.
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