Appellate court reversal allows continuation of Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in the Tulare Lake Subbasin
Press release from the State Water Board
Following a Fifth District Court of Appeal’s reversal of a temporary suspension of actions related to the probationary designation of the Tulare Lake Subbasin, the State Water Resources Control Board extended deadlines for the submittal of groundwater extraction reports for the Subbasin.
The State Water Board designated the Tulare Lake Subbasin as a probationary subbasin on April 16, 2024, pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). That designation requires that most groundwater pumpers report their extractions. Last year, the Kings County Farm Bureau obtained a preliminary injunction against actions stemming from the probationary designation as part of a lawsuit. The Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed that injunction on October 29, 2025.
As a result of that ruling, the board’s Executive Director, under delegated authority, issued a letter to groundwater pumpers informing them of an amended reporting schedule as follows:
- New Reporting Period (for first reports): July 15, 2024 – September 30, 2025
- New Deadline (for first reports): May 1, 2026
- Future Annual Reporting Deadline: February 1 of each year, beginning in 2027
- Basis for Reports: Annual water year (October 1 – September 30)
The new deadlines take effect 30 days after the date of the letter. Following the extraction reporting deadline, the board will send fee invoices to pumpers. Fees for first reports will be due 30 days after the invoice date. Pumpers who extract two acre-feet annually or less for domestic purposes only are exempt from the requirement to report and pay fees.
Official confirmation will be distributed to Tulare Lake groundwater sustainability agencies and known groundwater extractors, and posted on the Board’s Tulare Lake Subbasin webpage. Additional instructions for report submission will be provided by board staff. For more background information, visit the Board’s Tulare Lake Subbasin webpage
Map of the Tulare Lake Groundwater Subbasin
More information on the board’s implementation of SGMA can be found on the website.
