Board members of the nascent Tule East groundwater agency spent their second meeting setting up basics but with an eye on the clock and a sensitive ear to what didn’t work in the past.
The Tule East Joint Powers Authority Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), will take over governance of so-called “white lands” from the embattled Eastern Tule GSA. White lands are parcels outside of water district boundaries and rely almost exclusively on groundwater.
As Tule East board members discussed establishing the GSA’s bank account, setting regular meeting dates and refining its boundaries at their Oct. 30 meeting, farmer Julie Inestroza reminded them of a larger obligation.
“I’m just cautioning you to not try to do the same thing that had already been done and has not worked because the state is not happy, growers are not happy and only a few people benefitted from it,” Inestroza said. “The biggest challenge has been the forgotten grower.”
She referred to the Eastern Tule GSA, which imploded over the past year as surface water districts fled to form their own GSAs, leaving white land farmers in the cold. The only government entity left in Eastern Tule is the City of Porterville, which is deciding whether to form its own GSA.
Eastern Tule will continue to exist, on paper at least, until a lawsuit filed against it by Friant Water Authority is resolved. The next court date is set for Dec. 22.
Meanwhile, Tule East board members are facing a herculean task to get organized and come up with a new groundwater plan to present to the Water Resources Control Board, which placed the entire Tule subbasin on probation last fall for lacking a plan that would stem subsidence, among other deficiencies.
“We’re ten years behind the 8-ball,” said Tule East Board President Mike George. “When we become an official GSA in January, we’re going to have all the puzzle pieces on the table.”
Getting them in order is no small feat.
“We’ve got a massive uphill battle to figure this out,” George said.
“How much of Eastern Tule will you copy and paste? There was so much of that that did not work.”
Farmer Julie Inestroza to the new Tule East GSA board members.
Ultimately, though, the board will be faced with the grim possibility that a significant portion of Tule East’s 40,000 irrigated acres may need to be fallowed to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
Eastern Tule GSA board member John Corkins said Tule East should consider adopting Eastern Tule’s old groundwater plan, and then modifying it.
“It’s a lot easier to edit than to recreate,” he said. “We spent millions of dollars writing that plan.”
Tule East board members also discussed retaining Eastern Tule GSA general manager Rogelio Caudillo on an interim basis and sharing his pay with Eastern Tule, where he will remain until the Friant lawsuit is completed.
Again, grower Inestroza urged caution.
“How much of Eastern Tule will you copy and paste?” she asked. “There was so much of that that did not work.”
Board president George agreed.
“Obviously, round one didn’t work,” he said. “If we did the same thing expecting a different result, that is the definition of insanity. I am assuming there are going to be significant changes but that is for the board to decide.”
The next Tule East GSA meeting is 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15 at Research for Hire,1696 Road 256 in Porterville.
