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April 15, 2021 Board Meeting
The South Fork Kings board meeting will take place on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
5:30 P.M. Meeting Convenes
Remote Via Zoom
Meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81370018241?pwd=VzBERGxLbVFKOHpiaGtPN0VSN3pCQT09
Call-In: +1 669 900 6833 ; Meeting ID: 813 7001 8241 ; Passcode: 866609
One-tap Mobile: +16699006833,,81370018241#,,,,*866609#
April 9, 2021 Finance Committee Meeting
The South Fork Kings GSA Finance Committee meeting will take place on Friday, April 9, 2021.
9:00 A.M. Meeting Convenes
Remote Only Via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86232000890?pwd=UDNoZS9DNXBiSUd6clkyWnZ0MG5oQT09
Call-In: +1 669 900 6833 ; Meeting ID: 862 3200 0890 ; Password: 365162
OneTouch Mobile: +16699006833,,86232000890#,,,,*365162#
Board authorized payment to gain access to Land IQ data for Annual Report
The South Fork Kings GSA Board approved the motion to pay the $1,209 cost of using Land IQ’s data on crop mapping in the GSA for water years 2019 and 2020. This data will be used in the Tulare Lake Subbasin’s Annual Report. The Annual Report will be submitted to the Department of Water Resources by April 1st.
Important considerations for Fiscal Year 2022
Fiscal Year 2022 Budget will be presented at April board meeting
A meeting of the Finance Committee will take place before South Fork Kings GSA’s next Board meeting to review the GSA’s 2022 budget. A draft budget will be discussed at the April 15th board meeting and should be finalized and considered for approval at the June 17th board meeting.
Items to consider in preparation of the 2022 budget include costs associated with responding to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) comments on the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and a potential Prop 218 election.
In 2020, South Fork Kings GSA adopted the Tulare Lake Subbasin GSP and submitted it to DWR. DWR is now in the process of commenting on GSPs across the state and will complete their reviews by January 2022. South Fork Kings will need to set aside funding dedicated to responding to DWR when the comments are received.
Proposition 218 is a Constitutional Initiative approved by the voters of California in November 1996. It requires new or increased fees and assessments be approved by affected landowners. In 2018, South Fork Kings GSA landowners voted in favor of a $9.80 per acre assessment to cover the costs associated with implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The assessment was favored by 74% of received votes. Each year, the South Fork Kings GSA Board was to set a rate not to exceed the $9.80/acre maximum for the five-year lifespan of the assessment. All landowners within the boundaries of the South Fork Kings GSA, excluding those residing in the City of Lemoore, have been assessed the rate via Kings County tax rolls since fiscal year 2018-19.
The Prop 218 assessment that is in place for SFKGSA is set to lapse in 2023. If the Board decides that another Prop 218 election is necessary, holding an election will need to be accounted for in the 2022 SFKGSA budget.
Groundwater monitoring: What is the best program for South Fork Kings GSA?
Discussion ensued at South Fork Kings GSA’s March Board meeting around the best groundwater monitoring program to carry out in the agency. Most GSAs in the Tulare Lake Subbasin are partnering with Land IQ to collect data on cropping patterns and evapotranspiration (ET) measurements. El Rico is focusing on using data collected through well metering.
The South Fork Kings GSA’s technical consultant, Amer Hussain, Geosyntec, encouraged the Board to move forward on a plan for collecting groundwater data in the GSA. Hussain shared that Geosyntec will provide details about the success of approaches other GSAs have used to help the agency determine their next steps.
ASR Pilot Test set for early April and more grant funding on its way
South Fork Kings GSA is utilizing California Resiliency Grant funding to carry out an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) pilot test.
ASR is an innovative groundwater management method used to inject water for underground storage to be withdrawn later when surface water is limited, especially during periods of drought.
A contractor has conducted necessary improvements on well heads for the project to move forward. On Wednesday, March 31st, an aquifer pump test will be carried out. This test will last about a day and involves running a pump at different speeds and determining the sustainable rate of extraction that can be maintained. A limited constant flow test will also be performed to evaluate water levels. Any water that is extracted over the course of this test will be sent to the Lemoore Canal system.
This pump test will help determine what aquifer parameters are necessary to finalize the ASR pilot test. After these steps are completed, the ASR Pilot Test is projected to be carried out in early April.
SFKGSA is in the process of drafting a report update on the ASR Pilot Test and grant funding, and once the report is submitted, the GSA will be able to receive the second half of the California Resiliency Grant. The second half of the grant totals $100,000 and will provide necessary funding to complete the ASR Pilot Test. Grants such as this one allow SFKGSA to take important steps toward achieving sustainability goals in the region and securing groundwater for generations to come.