State board exempts small pumpers from reporting in Tuli subbasin amid equity debate

The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously April 7 to adopt a limited "minimal‑impact" exclusion for small groundwater pumpers in the Tuli subbasin, exempting individuals who extract 20 acre‑feet or less annually from probationary reporting and fee requirements.

Board staff presented analysis showing that roughly half of owners in the basin pump 20 acre‑feet or less but together account for only about 2 percent of basinwide groundwater extractions in water year 2022. On that basis staff recommended that the board classify those small‑volume extractors as a distinct class not required to submit the probationary extraction reports or pay state probation fees, while explicitly excluding non‑domestic extractors within 2 miles of the Friant‑Kern Canal because of documented subsidence risk in that corridor.

Small‑farmer advocates and community‑based organizations supported the proposal during public comment, saying the flat fees and reporting burdens are disproportionately difficult for tenant, immigrant and small specialty farms. Several local irrigation districts, however, warned the carve‑outs could hamper inter‑GSA coordination and requested tighter technical justification for the Friant‑Kern Canal exception.

Board members discussed risks of potential gaming and emphasized the need for clear data collection. Counsel and staff proposed an added safeguard — restricting the exclusion to pumpers who both extract ≤20 ac‑ft/year and do not export groundwater outside the subbasin — and that language was folded into the action.

Board member Laurel Firestone moved adoption of staff’s recommendation with the clarifying interpretation; the motion passed on a unanimous roll call vote. Board members asked staff to continued monitoring and to consider future modification of the exclusion if annual data indicate the need.

What this means: The exemption reduces the reporting burden for many small users in the Tuli subbasin while preserving oversight for larger extractors and for locations with subsidence risk. The board said it will revisit the exclusion if new evidence shows it is producing more than a "minimal impact."