Informing and Engaging Stakeholders in the Kings and Tulare Lake Subbasins
July 2019 - In This Issue
KINGS SUBBASIN UPDATES
TULARE LAKE SUBBASIN UPDATES
OTHER NEWS AND EVENTS
RESOURCES
#SGMAMadeSimple
Sustainability Indicator: Groundwater Storage
(click image to view full size)
Groundwater storage is a measurement of sustainability. Click the infographic above for an illustrative example of sustainable management criteria for groundwater storage.

Note there are many factors considered when establishing sustainable criteria. The example is only one scenario for illustrative and conceptual purposes.
KINGS SUBBASIN UPDATES
S ubbasin Update
The seven GSAs in the Kings Subbasin are on schedule to release their draft Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) in July and August. The draft GSPs will be available for the public to review and provide comment during a 90-day noticed period, concluded by a Public Hearing. Comments will be considered prior to adoption and submittal to CA Department of Water Resources. The mandatory coordination agreement between the seven GSAs is close to being finalized.
In this Issue
  • North Fork Kings GSA - Our Water Needs a Budget

  • McMullin Area GSA - Draft GSP Public Review Scheduled to Begin July 10

  • North Kings GSA - GSP Status Update

  • Kings River East GSA - Water Budget Suggests an Estimated 19,000 acre-feet of Overdraft

  • Central Kings GSA - Board Sends Draft GSP to Kings Subbasin Coordination Group
Our Water Needs a Budget
Water is scarce. Sustainability of the resource we all depend on requires balanced inputs and outputs. Whether SGMA is the compulsion or not, responsibly managing water demands a budget. The North Fork Kings GSA, along with the six other GSAs in the Kings Subbasin, is required by SGMA to bring its overdrafted water "account" into balance by 2040...

When Water Supply is Scarce, Management Actions can Mitigate Overdraft
There are only two ways to achieve sustainability and eliminate groundwater overdraft for the North Fork Kings service area: increase water supply, primarily through project development and reduce water demand, primarily through management actions. The NFKGSA Board is emphasizing increasing water supply with the understanding there are hurdles to overcome...


Other Updates

For more information go to www.northforkkings.org.
Draft GSP Public Review Scheduled to Begin July 10
The McMullin Area GSA is planning to open the 90-day public comment period for its draft GSP at the July 10th Board Meeting in Kerman. The draft GSP will be available for the public to review and provide comment during the 90-day noticed period, concluded by a Public Hearing in October. Comments will be considered prior to Board adoption and submittal to CA Department of Water Resources.

The GSA's Technical Advisory Committee (pictured above) has given their time over the last two years to provide guidance and input on GSP development. In recent months, the Committee has offered many hours of invaluable GSP draft review and commentary as a service to their fellow landowners. Their review of the draft is complete; the Board will review and release the GSP for public review at the July 10th meeting.
Maintaining Status Quo for Water Quality is the Objective
Research and analysis of water quality data shows MAGSA is currently not subject to any chronic drinking water issues. Based on this analysis of current groundwater conditions, the sustainable objective is to maintain the status quo for water quality...

Innovative Project in MAGSA Sparks Interest from California Water Leaders
Don Cameron, MAGSA Board Chair, hosted a public tour of the McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture and Recharge Project at Terranova Ranch following the meeting of the California Water Commission on May 15th in Kerman. California Water Commissioners Armando Quintero, Carol Baker, and Maria Herrera joined the tour...


Other Updates

For more information go to www.mcmullinarea.org .
GSP Status Update
The North Kings GSA is fine tuning drafted elements of its Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). Technical consultants at Provost & Pritchard are finalizing the 2040 and 2070 water budget forecasts to include other agencies’ and cities’ growth plans to better estimate future water demands.

The GSA is coordinating with a stakeholder group that includes Self-Help Enterprises to review its water quality sustainable management criteria. The GSA is proposing development of a water quality monitoring network that utilizes small water systems in addition to data collected by existing regulatory agencies concerned with water quality.

The draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) 90-day public comment period is projected to begin mid-August. The draft GSP document will be available on the GSA’s website northkingsgsa.org . The North Kings GSA plans to conduct additional outreach including presentations with GSP information.

For more information go to www.northkingsgsa.org .
Water Budget Suggests an Estimated 19,000 acre-feet of Overdraft
Kings River East GSA discussed the service area's water budget at the June Board meeting. The water budget suggests about 19,000 acre-feet of overdraft for the Kings River East service area, while the water level/storage change methodology calculated an overdraft of 11,000 acre-feet. It was noted that these numbers will always be different due to the use of different methodologies to calculate the number, but they are a good representation and serve as bookends for an overdraft amount. The 11,000 acre-feet overdraft number is included as a portion of the entire Kings Subbasin overdraft of 122,000 acre-feet.

The GSA also discussed locations for additional monitoring wells. Wells are needed on the southern boundary of the GSA and between Dinuba and Traver.

For more information go to kingsrivereast.org .
Central Kings GSA
Board Sends Draft GSP to Kings Subbasin Coordination Group
At the June 12th Board Meeting, the Board approved to provide the draft GSP to the Kings Subbasin coordination group for review and comment. The Board had the opportunity to review the draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) prior to the June meeting. The coordination group includes the seven GSAs in the Kings Subbasin, each drafting their own GSP. Edits to the draft may be required by the coordination group to ensure individual GSPs are aligned.
TULARE LAKE SUBBASIN UPDATES
Subbasin Update

The Tulare Lake Subbasin is scheduled to release its draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan for 90-day public review and comment starting in September. The Subbasin is comprised of 6 GSAs working to complete a single GSP.

The Subbasin's technical consultant forecasted groundwater conditions in the year 2040, SGMA's sustainability deadline. Using the forecasting model the GSAs are able to see the impact to the Subbasin if all proposed projects were implemented. Projects included in the forecast were a combination of increased recharge capacity, water storage, and land retirement.
In this issue

  • South Fork Kings GSA - Board Approves $9.80 Assessment

  • Mid-Kings GSA - Groundwater Forecasting Model Includes Recharge Projects Proposed by Mid Kings GSA

  • Southwest Kings GSA - Implementation is Unique in Southwest Kings, Groundwater Pumping is Minimal due to Water Quality
Board Approves $9.80 Assessment
The Board approved an assessment of $9.80 per acre for fiscal year 2020 at their June 20 meeting. Based on assessable acreage of 71,332.5, this generates a projected revenue of $699,059. This amount covers the 2020 budget of $666,246, which is the amount approved by South Fork Kings GSA landowners in the assessment election passed in 2018...

Twelve Wells will Monitor Groundwater

South Fork Kings GSA’s technical consultant,  Geosyntec,  presented at the May 23 Board workshop the proposed well network to be included in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Three locations within the SFKGSA service area have been identified. The wells at these locations are where the GSA will measure water levels to report to the State Department of Water Resources. The wells will provide data from three separate levels in the aquifer from shallow to deep: zones A, B, and C...
 

For more information go to www.southforkkings.org .
Groundwater Forecasting Model Includes Recharge Projects Proposed by Mid-Kings GSA
A model forecasting Tulare Lake Subbasin groundwater conditions in the year 2040 included Mid-Kings River GSA proposed projects: an additional 1,300 acres of recharge ponds. During a flood year the basins would have the potential to recharge an estimated 200,000 acre-feet.

The Tulare Lake Subbasin technical consultant used the hydrogeologic conceptual model to forecast conditions. Using forecast results, the Mid-Kings River GSA is able to visualize the impact of projects that are planned for implementation by all six GSAs in the Subbasin. A surprise from the model run - most increases to groundwater levels were seen in the lower aquifer rather than upper aquifer. The forecast showed that with projects, there could be 0’-2’ of subsidence by 2040 in some areas. Without projects, those same areas could see up to 6’ of subsidence by 2040.

Using available data, current trends, future crop assumptions, and hydrologic cycle predictions, the model is able to forecast future groundwater conditions under varying scenarios. The model can be run to provide evidence that potential projects would adequately address groundwater overdraft trends.
For more information go to midkingsrivergsa.org.
Implementation is Unique in Southwest Kings, Groundwater Pumping is Minimal due to Poor Quality
Poor water quality in much of the Southwest Kings GSA limits groundwater pumping in the area. Consequently, SGMA implementation is unique for the GSA. The latest Status Report indicates the GSA's approach to monitoring and projects in light of groundwater conditions. The Board has determined it will not monitor areas where there is no suitable groundwater and where no wells exist; the monitoring network will include only existing wells. The GSA is limited in its ability to implement local projects due to limited pumping (much of the water demands within the service area are met by imports).

For more information go to swkgsa.org
OTHER NEWS AND EVENTS
Kings Subbasin Community Residents and GSA Leaders Gather for Groundwater Discussion in Riverdale
A community discussion on groundwater and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) highlighted the complexity of the groundwater Subbasin that covers nearly 1 million acres and gave attendees a better understanding of how groundwater quality will be monitored in the Kings Subbasin.

GSA leaders representing five Kings Subbasin GSAs participated in a panel discussion, emphasizing the feat to coordinate and map out groundwater conditions in a Subbasin that includes 7 GSAs.

Panelists included:

Regional Events
Roundtable on Protecting Drinking Water in Groundwater Markets, Leadership Counsel, Community Water Center, Self-Help Enterprises, Union of Concerned Scientists
Tuesday, July 2, 5:00-8:00 pm at Cafe 210, 210 W. Center Ave., Visalia CA 93291
Dinner is included.
Event flyer: click here
RSVP: click here
RESOURCES
For additional SGMA information, visit the links below:
Kings River Region SGMA Updates is produced by KRCD's External Affairs staff.
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