In our continued efforts to provide transparency to all stakeholders in East Kaweah GSA, the GSA is sending this notice regarding the “Well Inventory” program. These actions are taken in our effort to maintain local control and to successfully implement sustainable groundwater management as required under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

East Kaweah GSA continues to implement its Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and make progress toward sustainability with its trial phase of well inventory. Well inventory cross-checks publicly available information to verify existing domestic, agricultural, and industrial construction details, locations, and hydrogeologic information within the GSA.

Accurate well location and well type data is critical in the GSA’s efforts to manage groundwater and meet the regulatory requirements of SGMA. The available data that is used by East Kaweah GSA comes from a variety of publicly available sources such as Tulare County and the Department of Water Resources, and helps East Kaweah GSA understand current groundwater conditions.

Well inventory is a Subbasin-wide effort in partnership with Mid-Kaweah and Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) each GSA will complete its own inventory, collectively improving understanding of groundwater conditions across the Subbasin. The data is strictly used for the purpose of managing groundwater resources locally, while addressing data gaps in the GSP to maintain local control.

Well inventory helps the Kaweah Subbasin proactively plan for subsidence and interconnected surface water management strategies written in the GSP. Implementing the GSP helps keep the Kaweah Subbasin out of threat of probation and maintain local control over groundwater management.

Lindmore Irrigation District / East Kaweah GSA staff is performing the initial trial for East Kaweah GSA. The trial area covers southwest of Tulare and west of Lindsay, between Highway 65 and Highway 99. After the trial, a comprehensive program will include a well inventory for the rest of the GSA boundary. The survey consists of staff driving public roadways and using GPS devices and visual inspection to verify well locations. Pictures will be taken of the well, and other relevant data will be recorded such as well type (i.e., ag, domestic, industrial) pump type (turbine, submersible), and well status (active, unknown).

Upon completion of the comprehensive program, the Kaweah Subbasin GSAs will have necessary information to notify well owners about potential risks of groundwater quality, level, or subsidence impacts near their wells, and potentially provide support through the mitigation program.

More information on this management action is available in Chapter 6 of the Second Amended GSP. To stay up to date on all the latest information regarding the well inventory process, subscribe to our email list at ekgsa.org.