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Board adopts groundwater fees for Cosumnes and Solano subbasins to fund SGMA compliance
Summary
The Board approved ordinances establishing updated fees for the Cosumnes (Kasumnes) and Solano groundwater subbasins to fund monitoring and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) obligations; county staff said the revenue estimates are modest and intended to avoid state intervention.
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on July 22 to adopt ordinances establishing groundwater management fees for two subbasins in the county as part of the Sacramento County Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
The board adopted an amended ordinance for the Cosumnes (Kasumnes) subbasin that adds two new fee components: a groundwater‑based parcel fee of $35.47 per groundwater‑using parcel and a groundwater public water supply fee of $5.98 per acre‑foot pumped (five‑year running average). County staff said the Kasumnes fees are expected to generate roughly $77,000 annually for ongoing SGMA monitoring, reporting and plan‑amendment costs.
The board also adopted a Solano subbasin ordinance establishing a fee of $1.54 per assessable acre for parcels within the county’s Solano district; staff estimated that fee would produce about $66,000 per year. County staff said the funds will support data collection, monitoring, outreach and periodic reviews required under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
County staff emphasized that SGMA is largely an unfunded state mandate and that local fees are intended to preserve local control and avoid state agency backstop assessments. If local fees are not adopted, staff said the state’s fee backstops could be more onerous — including well‑registration fees and higher per‑acre‑foot charges.
Supervisors asked about outreach; staff said mailers and public meetings — including in Spanish — were used to notify affected landowners. The measures passed by unanimous vote of supervisors present.
