From the Department of Water Resources:
The Department of Water Resources (DWR or Department) announced today that it has approved the resubmitted Groundwater Sustainability Plans (Plans or GSPs) for the Madera Subbasin. Upon evaluation, Department staff concluded that sufficient action was taken to correct deficiencies; however, Department staff have provided recommended corrective actions which will be required to be addressed by the Plans’ next periodic evaluation.
On March 21, 2023, multiple Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) resubmitted multiple Plans covering the entire Madera Subbasin to DWR in response to the Department’s initial incomplete determination on September 22, 2022. In total, four GSPs were revised, and resubmitted by seven GSAs and are coordinated pursuant to a required coordination agreement.
Collectively, all GSPs and the Coordination Agreement are, for evaluation and assessment purposes, treated and referred to as the Plan for the Subbasin. Individually, the GSPs include the following:
- Gravelly Ford Water District Groundwater Sustainability Plan prepared by the Gravelly Ford Water District GSA.
- Joint Groundwater Sustainability Plan prepared by the City of Madera GSA, Madera County GSA, Madera Irrigation District GSA, and Madera Water District GSA.
- New Stone Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency Groundwater Sustainability Plan prepared by the New Stone Water District GSA.
- Root Creek Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency Groundwater Sustainability Plan prepared by the Root Creek Water District GSA.
DWR evaluates whether a Plan conforms to the statutory requirements of SGMA and is likely to achieve the basin’s sustainability goal, whether evaluating a basin’s first Plan, a Plan previously determined incomplete, an amended Plan, or a GSA’s periodic evaluation to an approved Plan.
The Madera Subbasin Plans and all associated documents, including DWR’s Staff Report, can be found on DWR’s SGMA Portal.
