Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Domestic Well Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Madera GSA outlines draft domestic‑well mitigation program: $35,000 cap per new well, one payment per parcel, application and RFQ proposed
Summary
Madera County GSA staff presented a draft domestic well mitigation program that would cap GSA support at $35,000 per new domestic well, require a refundable $100 application fee, limit participation to once per parcel and record mitigations on the deed.
Madera County GSA staff presented a draft domestic well mitigation program for the Madera Subbasin and sought committee feedback on program rules, forms and procurement steps.
Why it matters: Domestic wells are a high priority for the state and for residents; program design determines who is eligible, what costs the GSA will cover, and how quickly and sustainably wells are replaced or repaired.
What staff proposed
- Eligible recipients: landowners with domestic wells in the Madera Subbasin (program does not cover small public water systems or agricultural wells).
- Benefit cap and scope: a maximum payment of $35,000 per well, limited to drilling a new well. The program would not fund new pumps, electrical work, well destruction costs or emergency water deliveries under the draft rules presented.
- One‑time participation and deed recordation: each parcel may participate once; completed mitigation would be recorded on the parcel deed.
- Application process and fee: a two‑page draft application and a refundable $100 application payment to indicate commitment; the GSA program manager would review completeness and manage field inspections.
- Driller procurement: draft RFQ language was presented requiring a drilling license, a minimum of five years’ experience, and completion of at least 25 domestic wells in the prior five years; staff suggested a pre‑qualified driller list to improve mobilization.
- Program management: staff discussed hiring an external program manager (Davis Engineering was cited as an example) to review applications, perform field inspections, administer outreach and prepare mapping and reporting. The Madera County GSA share would be proportionate under prior cost‑share work, and staff noted some GSAs in the subbasin are now considering local cost sharing within their own boundaries.
Public comments and questions
Public commenters and growers said they want thorough outreach, cautioned against rushing implementation, and urged clarity about eligibility and whether a well is dry because of maintenance issues versus groundwater level decline. Staff said the program will not pay for pump or electrical failures and that eligibility would be evaluated by application and field inspection; staff noted that if groundwater levels have dropped below a well screen due to overdraft, that is a primary reason for program eligibility.
Staff also noted SB 552 grant funding is available for the program and that proportional cost‑sharing metrics (previously cited as 73% for Madera County in an earlier MOU) may fluctuate as individual GSAs reconsider internal cost shares.
Ending: Staff closed by asking for feedback and noting the draft program package in the committee packet (framework, program rules, application, driller RFQ, and a program manager scope) and said outreach is expected to generate interest; no committee action was taken at the meeting.
