Chowchilla GSP revisions and MOUs on domestic wells, demand management and subsidence forwarded to county board

The Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) committee voted 2-0 on March 4, 2025, to forward a package of 2025 revisions to the Chowchilla Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and three related memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to the Board of Supervisors for adoption.

The package includes amendments to the Chowchilla management-zone MOU, a demand-management MOU, and an amendment to the domestic well mitigation MOU. Committee staff said the revisions respond to deficiencies cited by the State Water Resources Control Board after the plan was found inadequate and placed under state board jurisdiction.

Committee staff noted the revisions change several program rules. On domestic well mitigation, the draft now clarifies funding sources (the four subbasin GSAs, with voluntary grower contributions in one instance) and establishes a $30,000 cap per domestic-well mitigation case. “They didn’t want a funding cap. We’ve capped it at $30,000,” said Stephanie, GSA staff, during the presentation. Staff also said the program will include water-quality…