The 2026 State Water Project allocation remains 45%; the draft 2027 budget assumes 100% for planning and would shift $793,000 in potential costs to reserve funding. A director cited $1,348 per acre for about 2 acre-feet. Staff projected about 20,000 acre-feet of carryover and discussed spill safeguards. An extra $424,000 transfer to Tri Counties was not a duplicate bill payment. A grower raised oilfield wastewater concerns near western groundwater. The draft budget returns in November.
Staff said San Luis Reservoir could fill this winter, with up to a 93% chance by Feb. 2027, putting 2026 carryover at risk after Jan. 1 and prompting growers to consider prompt recharge requests. SB 872 would create a California Aqueduct subsidence repair fund and awaits the governors action by end of September. Sites Reservoir nears a Phase 2 milestone with a grower workshop planned for early October.
Staff reported the current effective district allocation is ~67% and that early returns allowed recovery wells to be shut off. Golden mussel treatments in the 850 canal are costing more than the ~$315k estimate but remain under the $2M authorization. Staff presented a ~$12.3M 2025 final accounting adjustment and discussed carryover with San Luis projected above 90%.
2026 SWP allocation held at 45%; audit review noted 2025 deliveries ~137,497 AF vs 137,588 AF (2024) and lower supplemental sales reduced revenue by ~$10M. Golden mussel treatment showed 100% kill-bag results; county reimbursement likely excludes private costs. Solar net savings were $2.2M but $8.7M demand charges drove a $12.9M bill.
The board approved 2026 fixed obligation rates at 30% SWP allocation: SWP FO $630/AF (net $562/AF after ~$4M groundwater credits), supplemental FO $445/AF, and melded FO $502/AF (~1.72 AF/acre). A $15/acre OMR rate increase was approved to offset golden mussel treatment costs, with ~50% mussel mortality reported so far. The board also voted unanimously to oppose AB 2447, a bill critics warn could collapse California's irrigated lands regulatory program and agricultural production.
