The Education Fund board directed the Finance Committee to pursue an $80,000 year-end fundraising goal for a proposed Phase 2 economic impact study and approved a six-month Lauchland Group extension at $2,500 per month. CAP representatives said they had been told to expect a $500,000 Packard Foundation contribution and described plans for in-person meetings and a Delta work group.
A groundwater banking study with Metropolitan Water District is underway to assess potential banking areas Valley-wide, with a draft assessment expected by April. The Unified Water Plan is nearing public release and DWR indicated the San Joaquin Valley is the test-of-concept region for the next California Water Plan. Members warned critical-head thresholds could restrict pumping near the Friant-Kern Canal, potentially affecting up to ~60,000 acres.
Stantec presented Chapter 6 of the Unified Valley Water Plan showing a 2.5–3 million acre-feet annual supply gap by 2040. Scenario analysis found $13–20 billion in infrastructure could reduce—but not eliminate—the gap, leaving ~0.5–1.1 MAF unmet and ~200k–400k acres for repurposing. Restoring subsidence-damaged canals is a critical first step; local projects alone still leave a major shortfall and ~500k–600k+ acres of repurposing. Two new board members are added.
Consultants released Chapters 4 and 5 of Unified Water Plan for review, detailing environmental enhancement projects requiring 500,000 acre-feet annually and cataloging over 800 water supply projects, with comments due December 5. Board approved issuing membership contribution letters in December rather than February. A large stakeholder meeting is planned for late February 2026 to present the draft unified water plan and new watershed studies, building on the successful October meeting.
The Unified Water Plan released its flood management chapter for public comment, identifying nearly 3 million acre-feet of potential water supply from groundwater sustainability projects that could address the Valley's supply gap. Comprehensive watershed studies for five San Joaquin River tributaries will be released in November, showing advanced flood management could provide over 100,000 acre-feet annually while reducing flood risks. A major stakeholder meeting is scheduled for October 29th
