1. Tule Subbasin coordination is struggling. Staff reported that two groundwater sustainability agencies withdrew from an initial proposal for pumping limits near the Friant-Kern Canal. Other agencies have objected to limits on extracting banked surface water. Staff said confidence in a coordinated alternative to the State Water Board’s first-phase pumping moratorium was fading. A draft state plan is expected around January, with a moratorium potentially following in March or April 2027 if no alternative is reached. A second phase could bring broader Tule Subbasin pumping restrictions later in 2027 or early 2028, potentially affecting Tea Pot Dome growers.
2. The 2027 groundwater allocation has not been set. Staff proposed retaining the current accounting method. The existing allocation combines approximately 0.89 acre-feet per acre of precipitation credit and 0.15 acre-feet per acre of sustainable yield, totaling 1.04 acre-feet per acre. Updated precipitation data are needed before a specific 2027 figure can be set; staff expect to return with a number for a November vote.
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