Permitting agencies including Fresno County and the Cities of Fresno, Clovis, and Kerman will now route applications to the North Kings GSA for a review period of up to five days, up from the previous 24-hours, unless exceptional circumstances exist that would prevent the review. By extending the review period of new well permits, the final policy will allow the North Kings GSA to maintain a high-quality database of wells. 

Reviewing well permits will provide relevant data including location, proposed depth, and other construction details, and gives an accurate account of wells located within the GSA boundary. With data management at the helm of effectively managing groundwater under SGMA, recording information on wells drilled within the North Kings GSA boundary provides a clear direction to groundwater managers leading the area to sustainability.

The review period will also give North Kings GSA staff enough time to review and reach out to well owners and drillers to provide groundwater level information and guidance. This will ensure well owners are given the opportunity to make informed decisions on their investment considering fluctuations in groundwater levels on the road to balanced levels by 2040.

After several rounds of reviews by the Advisory Committee, well permitting agencies, and a public review opportunity, a number of revisions by the policy workgroup were made before reaching a final adopted version.