Notice from the State Water Resources Control Board:
On February 20, 2025, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) noticed and held a public hearing to consider designating the Kern County Subbasin as a probationary basin under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The State Water Board’s role under SGMA is part of a larger statewide effort to ensure groundwater resources will be available into the future for people to use. As identified in Resolution No. 2025-0007, the February 20, 2025 hearing was continued to the Board’s September 17, 2025 meeting.
The Staff Review of Draft 2025 Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plans (Draft 2025 GSPs) is now available to the public (see links below). The Staff Review outlines the staff’s assessment of how well the Draft 2025 GSPs address deficiencies in the previous GSPs and includes recommendations to the Board. In developing recommendations, staff considered public comments submitted to the State Water Board about the Draft 2025 GSPs. If the State Water Board designates the subbasin probationary, it will identify deficiencies and potential actions that the GSAs in the subbasin could take to address the deficiencies.
If the subbasin is designated as probationary, the State Water Board will also identify which groundwater pumpers will need to report their groundwater extractions to the State Water Board and pay fees to the Board, separate from any reporting and fee requirements from the applicable GSA. The State Water Board may also require specific pumpers to install and use meters or other methods to measure their groundwater extractions.
How to Participate
The State Water Board will hold the public hearing at the time and location noted below. There are options to participate in person and remotely. If you are participating remotely and would like to make a public comment or are part of a panel presentation, follow the instructions in the hearing agenda to receive information to join the Zoom meeting. If you want to watch the hearing but do not wish to speak, the English, Spanish, and Punjabi webcasts of the public hearing can be accessed at https://video.calepa.ca.gov.
Public Board Hearing
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
In-Person Location
Coastal Hearing Room
Joe Serna Jr. CalEPA Headquarters Building
1001 I Street, Second Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Spanish and Punjabi interpretation will be provided. For language services other than Spanish and Punjabi, please contact 916.341-5254 or LanguageServices@waterboards.ca.gov.
Public Comments
Members of the public may submit written comments in advance of the public probationary hearing by contacting the Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management at SGMA-Kern@waterboards.ca.gov no later than 12:00 noon on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Please use the subject line: “Comments – Kern County Subbasin.”
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More information:
- View the hearing agenda in English; view the hearing agenda in Spanish: view the hearing agenda in Punjabi.
- View the Staff Review (English only)
- View the Executive Summary in English; view the Executive Summary in Spanish; view the Executive Summary in Punjabi.
- View the Summary Table of Proposed Deficiencies and Potential Actions to Address Deficiencies (English only)
- Visit the Kern County Subbasin webpage and the Board’s general SGMA webpage.
- The Draft 2025 Kern County Subbasin GSPs can be accessed on the State Water Board’s FTP site here: https://ftp.waterboards.ca.gov/?u=PCL-FTP&p=8ZHs8m
- Use the following pathway to access the PDF files: 2025>June>06202025_SGMA_KernGSPs
Questions: Contact the SGMA Program at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or 916-322-6508.
