Madera County approves two Prop. 68 groundwater recharge agreements with landowners

The Madera County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved agreements with two private landowners to carry out groundwater recharge activities under a Proposition 68 grant for the Chowchilla Subbasin.

County Administrative Officer Matt Treiber told the board the items are tied to the Prop. 68 grant fund and are necessary to move a previously authorized construction contract into the field. “So this item is tied to our Prop 68 grant fund,” Treiber said, and later explained that the board had previously authorized a contract with Todd Construction and that “these agreements had yet to be signed. They are now signed by the property owner, and so we're before the board, to enter into these, so we can kick off, that grant funded construction project.”

The board voted to approve the agreement with the Haines Family Trust (Item 4b) and to accept the offer of dedication and easement to the Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency, recording the vote as 4-0. The board then approved a similar agreement with Volte Family Farms (Item 4c); Treiber said that agreement, tied to the same Prop. 68 funds, would allow construction to commence immediately. That vote was also recorded as 4-0.

Each item authorized the chair to sign the agreements and directed the county's water and natural resources director to record the easements. There was no public comment on either item during the meeting. After completing the regular session the board retired again to closed session and later reported no reportable action.