By Joel Hastings
In our report of the Madera GSAs Board meeting held April 12 and posted on April 15, sharp eyed readers have pointed out two items that need clarification and correction.
In describing the schedule of rates being set for each of the three subbasins, we said they will apply to “irrigated acres,” and they will. However, the term we should have used was “enrolled acres,” which includes irrigated acres but may include formerly irrigated and even never-irrigated land.
Replying to our inquiry, Stephanie Anagnoson, director of the Madera County Department of Water and Natural Resources, tells us that land in the GSAs boundaries irrigated as of June 8, 2021, is automatically enrolled. The fee will apply and the owner can access both Sustainable Yield and Transition Water.
If it was never irrigated land that became irrigated after that date, it will be enrolled and the rates will apply, but it can only access SY water. If irrigated land was taken out of production in anticipation of SGMA from January 2015 forward, it also counts as irrigated, is automatically enrolled and can access both SY and TW. For land that was never irrigated included in a farm unit, the owner has the option each November of enrolling the acreage, paying the fee and accessing SY water.
We recognize the importance of all of this detail and pledge to do our best to get it right going forward.
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Madera County is comprised of three subbasins, designated by the CA Department of Water Resources as critically overdrafted, and “high priority”: (1) the Chowchilla Subbasin; (2) the Madera Subbasin; and (3) a portion of the Delta-Mendota Subbasin. Each of these subbasins submitted a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by January 31, 2020. These subbasins are required to achieve “sustainability” by the year 2040. The method by which sustainability will be achieved will be illustrated in the GSP, which was be drafted in partnership by the irrigation district, water districts, cities and Madera County. The Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is administered by the Madera County Department of Water and Natural Resources: Stephanie Anagnoson, Director, 200 W. Fourth Street, Madera, CA 93637, (559) 675-7703 x. 2265 or (559) 675-6573. The County of Madera Board of Supervisors is the Board of Directors of the GSAs for the three subbasins. The current board is composed of five members: Robert Poythress, chair, Brett Frazier, Letitia Gonzalez, David Rogers and Tom Wheeler.
