At their October 24th meeting, the East Kaweah GSA Board voted in opposition to modifying allocations for Water Year 2023, previously adopted in Resolution 2022-04 on September 30, 2022, indicating the current allocation structure will remain.

The Water Year 2023 allocations are as follows:

*groundwater use above Penalty Tier 1 (1.15 acre-feet per acre) must be comprised of allocated groundwater imports. If water above 1.15 acre-feet per acre is pumped and not imported, there will be a $500 per acre-foot charge and a one for one reduction of owners’ 2024 water year allocation.

**pumping above the hard cap of 2.5 acre-feet per acre is accompanied by a $500 per acre foot charge, and a one for one reduction of owners’ 2024 water year allocation.  

The allocations outlined above are in place for Water Year 2023, the period beginning October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023.

Groundwater Allocation Explainer Video:

De minimis users, parcels using 2 acre-feet of groundwater per year or less, are excluded from groundwater allocations.

Only Irrigated Lands are allocated the Tier 1 Penalty. According to the East Kaweah GSA Rules & Regulations, Irrigated Land includes parcels that as of January 31, 2020:

• were enrolled in  the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program or other regulatory programs documenting historical irrigation use (like the Dairy General Order),
• were identified by other certified crop map datasets,
• or have shown sufficient evidence to the East Kaweah GSA to have been historically irrigated.

The Board did not make the decision to implement allocations lightly, and recognizes these regulatory actions are difficult and will alter how landowners will manage their assets moving forward.

Establishing the allocations came with a high level of technical analysis and stakeholder input. East Kaweah GSA determined these regulatory actions necessary to maintain local control over groundwater in the area, and maintain a viable groundwater resource. Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), sustainability benchmarks need to be met over time to avoid the State coming in to take over groundwater management.

Due to persistent drought and declining groundwater levels, the allocation is vital to begin reducing groundwater overdraft and ultimately keep SGMA oversight in local hands.

The East Kaweah GSA asks that you stay engaged with the process of implementing these allocations. For latest news on developments, sign up for our email newsletter, and forward this email to a friend or neighbor who would benefit from this information.

Learn more about the Water Year 2023 Allocations by watching our video series “Groundwater Allocation Updates” featuring short explainer videos and clips.

Keep tabs on your water use. Set up your account on the Kaweah Water Dashboard today to start viewing monthly water use for your farm, and field-by-field water use with regional comparisons.