The East Kaweah GSA is coordinating with its Kaweah Subbasin partners to maintain local control over groundwater management following the Department of Water Resources (DWR) inadequate determination on the Kaweah Subbasin’s Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), issued in March 2023. The Kaweah Subbasin includes East Kaweah, Mid-Kaweah, and Greater Kaweah GSAs.

DWR’s determination means that oversight of the East Kaweah GSA is transitioning from DWR to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board). Before the State Board decides at a probationary hearing to take over groundwater management in the area through a process called “State Intervention”, the East Kaweah GSA and its subbasin partners have one more opportunity to revise and resubmit their GSPs and petition for approval.

The East Kaweah GSA and its technical consultants take the DWR determination seriously and are making every effort to keep local control. East Kaweah GSA staff is working with its technical consultants to quickly resolve GSP deficiencies to limit the risk of additional regulatory burdens on its stakeholders brought on by State Intervention.  This includes addressing DWR’s latest comments, which encourage more detail on addressing land subsidence, chronic lowering of groundwater levels, and depletion of interconnected streams. The agency is also working toward well mitigation policies.

Correcting GSP inadequacies requires strong coordination among the Kaweah Subbasin GSAs, and East Kaweah GSA is committed to being an active participant to maintain local control over groundwater management. In the meantime, East Kaweah GSA will continue to carry out its responsibility to execute its existing GSP.

Since the first GSP was submitted in January 2020, the East Kaweah GSA has been working hard to meet DWR’s qualifications for groundwater sustainability. Rules and regulations, including groundwater allocations, have been adopted in a full faith effort to both correct groundwater overdraft and meet DWR’s standards for sustainable groundwater management under SGMA.

Additionally, East Kaweah GSA and its member agencies have continued dedicated efforts to receive grant funding for recharge projects, completing these projects quickly so the area is ready to capture surface water in wet years like this one to improve groundwater levels. East Kaweah GSA will continue to implement projects and management actions to show the State that East Kaweah GSA is proactive and serious about a more sustainable future for its stakeholders.

The board, staff, and technical consultants are committed to petitioning for groundwater sustainability to be managed at the local level on behalf of East Kaweah GSA landowners and will continue to serve stakeholders by providing clear and transparent information as it’s available. Stay engaged through the process by visiting our website at www.ekgsa.org, and make sure you are signed up for email updates.