The Kings River East Groundwater Sustainability Area met at the City of Dinuba Council Chambers on Thursday, October 19, 2017. The KREGSA had cancelled its committee meetings earlier in the month. As GSAs have been formed and the GSPs are underway there is a little breathing room for some housekeeping that was put aside for more pressing business. Chairman Steve Worthley called the meeting to order at 2:00pm and there was a no knee taking flag salute. There were not items in the consent calendar. There were no big hang ups in the financing department.
The issue of insurance was settled due to the ACWA JPA including GSAs for Errors & Omissions. The board also approved a logo for the GSA. The Community Water Center requested a letter of support in its quest to get a grant that is not in conflict with the GSA. The board approved.
Now the big deal of the day was Semitropic Water Storage District’s application to the State Board to take flood flows off the Kings, Kaweah and Tule Rivers. This is called the Tulare Lake Project and it isn’t very popular outside of Kern County. The TLP is applying for Prop One funds from the California Water Commission and permission to move the water from the State Board. County of Fresno representative Supervisor Buddy Mendes said Fresno and Kings Counties have already expressed their opposition to this whole idea. Alta Irrigation District General Manager Chad Wegley is also the GM of the GSA. He said there is a great deal of opposition since this water could be used for recharge. The board will send a letter of protest.
The Community Water Center will be hosting a SGMA panel discussion at a hotel catty corner from Fresno State University on the southwest corner of Shaw and Cedar Avenues. I don’t know when.
The board agreed to issue support of the North Kings River GSA acting as the connection point to the DWR for all things SGMA such as coordination of GSPs and grant matters and such. Wegley reported DWR has yet to release a peak at what it considers Best Management Practices.
Attorney Lauren Layne reported there are some good developments in how to begin raising money under Prop 26 to fund things. Bills can now go out on official letterhead since the logo has been approved. The GSP development began this past August and Layne said the hydrogeologist has been hired and work has begun. Layne as well as some of the board members are aware the methods may change after this billing run is evaluated.
On October 26th beginning at 2:00 pm at the Alta ID offices in Dinuba there will be a KREGSA outreach workshop. Wegley said he really doesn’t know how many people expect at this time. With the meeting adjourned.
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SGMA The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 calls for the formation of Groundwater Sustainability Areas within Basins and Sub-basins to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans.
Kings River East GSA Board – Chair Steven Worthley Tulare County, Vice Chair Mary Fast, Buddy Mendes Fresno County, Fernando Rubalcaba Special Districts Drinking Water, Loren Booth Special Districts Irrigation Water, Jack Brandt Alta Irrigation District and Steve Boos Ag Production. General Manager Chad Wegley, Attorney Lauren Layne
