Greater Kaweah GSA

As part of the Kaweah Subbasin, I am proud of the collaboration and partnership with Self Help Enterprises. It has been a strong and coordinated effort between all parties involved, including consultants, to advance the mitigation planning. We are excited to continue our efforts to mitigate the impact on domestic wells within our Subbasin and to see how our plans shape the future of SGMA implementation. "The program, announced in June, is the first of its kind in the state. The $5.8 million?annual deal will fund a two-pronged approach with the help of valley nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises. If a residential well in the Kaweah subbasin goes dry, the program will pay for immediate replacement water and then find a long-term fix for that home." https://lnkd.in/gMSCG-Mb

The effects of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on farmland with zero access to surface water were recently highlighted in AG Alert, which shared facts and insights from landowners across the Central Valley. The article discussed how SGMA has impacted the value of their properties and the yields of their crops. "In 2014, when SGMA was adopted, the value of farmland without reliable surface water access began to decline. But within the past several months, those values have plummeted, according to appraisers, realtors and county assessors." https://lnkd.in/gtg43qTt

September 16, 2024, marks 10 years of The Sustainable Groundwater Managment Act. Over the past ten years, the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency has not only developed a comprehensive program to manage groundwater within the Kaweah Subbasin but has also submitted a Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) that continues to be revised and reviewed by the State Water Resource Control Board. We continue to support landowners with tools and resources to help them farm under reduced water allocations. Our efforts include programs such as the Land Fallowing Pilot Program, mitigation for domestic wells that have gone dry due to overdraft, and collaboration with other local agencies to address the needs of Central Valley communities. https://lnkd.in/gXx9VSYx https://lnkd.in/gmEnzymy

Watch and listen to The California Insider as they interview Geoff Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs at Milk Producers. Geoff is deeply involved in SGMA in the Central Valley. We’re fortunate to have his valuable input and advice as we work through our GSP revisions and continue to receive his ongoing support. "The California we know today is really only possible because we move water around—moving water from areas of abundance to areas of need, literally causing the desert to bloom," says Geoff Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs at Milk Producers Council. Siyamak sits down with Geoff Vanden Heuvel, who will explain why this water release may have little impact on the Delta Smelt and what it means for the rest of California. "We really cannot afford to waste water in the state. We have to make sure that when we dedicate water to the environment, it does good and protects the environment. We absolutely want to do that and have an obligation to do so, but we must maximize the amount of water we store in wet years, so we have it in the dry years," says Vanden Heuvel.

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, a conjoined meeting of the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies in the Kaweah Subbasin met at the Tulare County Ag Commissioner’s Office, where the board of directors from each GSA approved a Draft GSP to be released for a 30-day public comment period. The support of the Landowners and the coordination within the Subbasin is extremely important as we prepare for the January 5, 2025, probationary hearing with the State Water Resources Control Board. Link to the Greater Kaweah GSA website where you can find the 2024 amended draft GSP: https://lnkd.in/g9vSEut3