July 2025 Advisory Committee Meeting

Major Takeaways

1. Seven Companies Presented Groundwater Measurement and Accounting Platform Options The committee heard presentations from Hydrosat, Land IQ, California Water Data Consortium, 4 Creeks with Basinsafe, Davids Engineering with H2oTech, MLJ with Watermark, and United Water Tracking Systems.

2. Staff Recommended Domestic Well Mitigation Fee of $67 Per Enrolled Acre The committee will advise the board to approve a fee structure starting at $67 per enrolled acre in farm units, dropping to $43 in subsequent years. This fee would fund a program to replace domestic wells that go dry due to groundwater decline, with an estimated cost of $35,000 per well replacement.

3. Penalty Collections Significantly Increased and Will Offset Mitigation Fees Penalty revenue has grown substantially from $55,000 collected in 2023 to $427,000 collected in 2024 from $541,000 billed. Staff recommended that collected penalties (not just billed amounts) be automatically applied to reduce the domestic well mitigation fee annually, potentially reducing the base fee from $67 to around $59 per acre - about a 10% discount.

Additional Key Takeaways

• Total penalty revenue available for offsetting fees is currently $482,000 ($55,000 from 2023 plus $427,000 from 2024)
• Penalties escalate over time: $100-200 initially, $300 this year, $400 next year, then $500 ongoing
• Growers will receive a questionnaire to provide input on preferred satellite measurement methods and accounting platforms
• An opt-out provision was proposed for growers using six inches or less of water annually over a 10-year period
• The domestic well mitigation program would only cover wells that went dry due to dropping water levels, not maintenance issues or pump failures
• Questions for the platform vendors are being collected through Thursday at noon via wnr@maderacounty.com
• County GSA's share of domestic well mitigation costs is estimated at 73% based on historical and future overdraft contribution
• The Chowchilla sub basin successfully moved out of state oversight, marking a significant milestone
• Staff will conduct annual reviews of the domestic well mitigation fee to ensure appropriate collection levels

Committee Recommendations to the Board

The committee will recommend the board:

• APPROVE the domestic well mitigation fee resolution with penalty revenue offsets and opt-out provisions
• APPROVE reinstating Resolution 2022-072 for reviewing new groundwater wells (after clarification that drought conditions still apply to Madera County)

Engage with Your GSA

Growers can submit questions about the measurement platforms and accounting systems to wnr@maderacounty.com through Thursday at noon. A questionnaire will be mailed out to gather additional grower input on preferred options. For ongoing questions or comments, contact the Madera County Water and Natural Resources department at 559.662.8015 or visit maderacountywater.com.