The board approved a 2027 assessment rate of $100 per acre, up from $95. Friant-Kern Canal maintenance dewatering is scheduled from late October to about February 1, with canal users preparing to exit on short notice. McKay Point tests suggest mining fines could replace a slurry wall, potentially avoiding more than $6 million in costs. Greater Kaweah GSA directed staff to eliminate a disputed paper-water accounting practice; the change has not yet been implemented.
The board approved the 2025 Agricultural Water Management Plan via Resolution 26-07, meeting Bureau of Reclamation and DWR requirements for five years. Staff previewed an AI-enabled board platform with searchable historic minutes and meeting briefings. Lake Kaweah was about 23,000 AF and Millerton about 240,000 AF; 748 AF of tertiary water was diverted last month and roughly half sold. A board member noted El Niño was not expected to develop.
Staff reported Greater Kaweah GSA is discussing ending overdraft allocations by 2027 and raised concerns about allowing native safe-yield transfers across the GSA. Staff discussed record El Niño indicators and urged growers to prepare fields for potential winter water. The board discussed a 3-year managed IT/cybersecurity services proposal with Grapevine MSP.
Groundwater discussions focused on urgent City of Tulare well impacts and strategies including exchanges, paid fallow, and injection wells. The summer run ended after six weeks, delivering ~68,000 acre-feet amid strong demand. Staff discussed golden mussels and Friant FY2027 budget including a ~$3.5M chemical treatment program.
Friant CEO reported $195M in non-reimbursable federal funds for Friant-Kern Canal capacity work with no new assessments. TID projects ~107,000 AF for 2026 at $53/AF; run expected through ~July 6–7. Tule East GSA lacks funding, a GSP, and regulations; subsidence risk remains unresolved. Board voted to oppose AB 2026.
