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Madera County GSA committee forwards 2026–2040 GSP-based allocations; committee vote passes 2-0
Summary
The committee recommended the board adopt tables that memorialize GSP ramp-down allocations through 2040 for the Madera, Chowchilla and Delta Mendota subbasins and approved the recommendation at committee with a 2-0 vote; staff will provide annual snapshots and QA/QC comparisons to measurement data.
The Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) committee voted to recommend adoption of tables memorializing groundwater allocations through 2040 that reflect the ramp-down schedule set in the three adopted Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for the Madera, Chowchilla and Delta Mendota subbasins.
Stephanie Agneson, Director of Water and Natural Resources, reminded the committee that each GSP already includes an allocation framework with a 2% annual reduction for the first five years (2020–2025) and a 6% annual reduction for the remaining 15 years (2026–2040). Staff presented tables showing the per-subbasin allocations, noting small adjustments driven by updated acreage estimates and mapping refinements.
Key clarifications presented by staff:
- Madera Subbasin: base sustainable yield remains 6 inches ETaw; reallocated sustainable yield changed from 6.7 inches to 6.3 inches because the estimated acres in farm units increased from about 85,000 to 88,000.
- Chowchilla Subbasin: table and estimates remained essentially unchanged; allocation ramps down to zero without relying on projects.
- Delta Mendota Subbasin: the reallocated sustainable yield increased substantially from about 2.6 inches ETaw to about 9.3 inches after more accurate mapping removed riparian/native vegetation that had been misclassified as irrigated acres.
Staff said the tables are the same allocation glidepath adopted in the GSPs and recommended adopting them now as a “backstop” for planning, while continuing policy discussions (for example, penalty levels and potential carryover decay rules) in subsequent meetings. Staff also said QA/QC work is underway to compare historical measured use to the published allocation tables and that the GSA will use a single measurement method for basin-level snapshots (OpenAT for QA/QC) because multiple measurement methods complicate direct comparison.
Director McCauley moved to approve the recommendation and an unnamed member seconded. The committee recorded roll-call votes from the two directors present: Director McCauley voted yes and Director Gonzales voted yes; the motion passed 2-0. Staff said it will continue to provide annual reviews and snapshots of carryover and use and to research other GSAs’ rules (for example, carryover decay).
