1. Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) 5-Year Update Process Underway with Revised Management Criteria
The agency is conducting its required five-year evaluation and amendment of the GSP, with significant changes proposed to how groundwater sustainability is measured. The updated approach ties minimum thresholds directly to actual domestic well depths and groundwater-dependent ecosystem needs, rather than using historical drought water levels. This data-driven methodology results in an average 9-foot lowering of minimum thresholds across 40 monitoring wells, though this represents a more accurate protection standard based on physical well data and shallow groundwater needs. The revised plan maintains that the basin remains sustainable and is not experiencing undesirable results, with the update expected for board adoption in late 2026.
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