State Water Board returns Chowchilla groundwater subbasin to DWR oversight after GSP revisions addressing subsidence and well protections

The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to return the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin to the Department of Water Resources’ jurisdiction after finding substantial revisions to the local groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) addressed deficiencies that had triggered state intervention.

Board staff recommended against a probationary designation, saying the 2025 GSP revisions meaningfully addressed prior DWR findings on chronic groundwater level declines and land subsidence. "The 2025 GSP demonstrates that the subbasin has a plan to reach sustainability while avoiding significant and unreasonable impacts to beneficial uses and users," staff wrote in a staff assessment released April 25 and presented to the board.

DWR’s 2023 determination of inadequacy had cited several key deficiencies: groundwater minimum thresholds that could allow sharp declines, a lack of a clear cumulative subsidence cap tied to sensitive infrastructure, and incomplete commitments on funding and eligibility for domestic well mitigation. County and local GSAs —…