North Fork Kings GSA Updates

The first quarter of 2025 is closing, and I wanted to discuss what has been accomplished and what to expect going forward.

2024 was pivotal for North Fork Kings GSA. The GSA took the necessary steps to address the State recommended “Corrective Actions” to maintain our approved status with the CA Department of Water Resources (DWR).

The first domino was our successful Proposition 218 election – this demonstrates we have a sustainable local funding stream for the necessary studies and programs needed to comply with SGMA.

In addition, the GSA launched a Domestic Well Mitigation pilot called the Dry Well Relief Program, earmarking $1,000,000 to get it started. We also completed the first phase of our confined aquifer study, which will help us analyze the subsidence taking place on our border edges, specifically along our southeastern border that meets the Tulare Lake Subbasin. Under our Well Registration Program, we closed out 2024 with over 85% of the GSA acreage registered.

Lastly, in the winter you may have noticed the County of Fresno broke ground on the old Elkhorn facility. The GSA will obtain a recharge basin at this site to help capture additional surplus surface water supplies to recharge the aquifer.

With all of this accomplished, we submitted our updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP or Plan) to the state by the January 31, 2025, deadline. As we wait for DWR to review our updated Plan, it is important to prepare for the two possible outcomes: approval or denial.

Approval means we carry out the management actions and programs listed within the GSP. Denial means we would head to a probationary hearing with the State Water Resources Control Board, like several of our neighboring subbasins before us. In both cases, we still must pay for the necessary engineering and consulting to demonstrate the groundwater situation within the GSA. Our successes outlined in this message will be to our advantage, should we have a probationary hearing.

The number one factor affected by approval or denial will be how fast we go to a groundwater allocation (pumping restrictions). With an approved GSP, we can study the numbers and communicate the findings at our current pace. Alternatively, undergoing probation could mean the State of California sets the allocation and penalties at their desired pace. Until we hear back from DWR, the North Fork Kings GSA is determined to work with our Subbasin partners to study a Water Allocation Framework.

Individually, the GSA is building out the Watermark dashboard and working with surface water units on the best ways to report the differing water accounting techniques of each unit (district). For this accounting, individual landowners will need to review and clean up any data they entered in Watermark so that they receive the proper credit to their water account. You can find more information about what to do and look for in the Watermark Dashboard article here.

Your GSA staff is available to speak with you and answer any questions about the GSA or your Watermark account. Please email help@northforkkings.org.

The article and call to action below only applies to agricultural landowners or households not served by a public water system. If you are connected to a public water system and do not get your water from a private well, you do not need to set up a Watermark account.

With 85% of acreage registered within the North Fork Kings GSA boundary, we are making significant progress toward our sustainability goals. However, our efforts are far from over. The Watermark dashboard you used to register your wells will play a central role in the GSA’s ongoing initiatives.

We ask landowners to ensure that you are familiar with the navigation of your Watermark dashboard. In the future, your dashboard will play a substantial role in water management for your property, and throughout the GSA.

By ensuring your dashboard reflects the appropriate points listed below, you enable the GSA and our contacts to support you at the highest level. The staff at NFKGSA can assist you with any support requests — please email help@northforkkings.org.

To log in to Watermark, please visit watermark.mljenvironmental.com.

Thank you to our landowners and farm managers who have participated in the well registration program. If you have yet to register, the North Fork Kings GSA encourages you to do so as soon as possible.

The deadline to register was September 30, 2024. To register, visit northforkkings.org/watermark.

Stakeholders are encouraged to attend GSA meetings to stay informed and share their thoughts on programs, policies, and key updates.

Wednesday, March 19th:

Laguna Irrigation District, 5065 19 1/2 Ave., Riverdale, 93656

Policy Committee Meeting: 1:00 PM

Technical Advisory Meeting: 3:00 PM

Wednesday, March 26th:

Riverdale Education Center, 3160 W Mt. Whitney, Riverdale, 93656

Grower Advisory Committee Meeting: 9:30 AM

Board Meeting: 5:30 PM

North Fork Kings GSA launched the Dry Well Relief Program in partnership with several Kings Subbasin GSAs to support domestic well owners who lose water if their well runs dry due to lowering groundwater levels. Those eligible will be provided with temporary water relief services and access to long-term solutions. For more information and to apply, visit mydrywell.org

Dear stakeholders, my name is Alexis Silveira; I have the pleasure of serving as the North Fork Kings GSA Deputy General Manager. With over eight years of experience in agriculture working for trade associations representing California’s farmers and ranchers in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., I have a strong understanding of the complexities surrounding California’s water systems and regulations.

In my role, I will primarily focus on the Dry Well Relief Program and landowner support. Please remember that our office is a resource for you, and the GSA is available to walk you through the different facets of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP).

I enjoyed the opportunity to work with so many of you throughout the past three months on well registration. It is important that, as landowners, you stay engaged and participate in the next phase of the GSP. I invite you to stay engaged by signing up for our email list at northforkkings.org or giving our office a call at (559) 632-7032. The Board of Directors, General Manager, and committees have been focused on ensuring the best possible outcome for the North Fork Kings GSA and its landowners, all within the guidelines of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Your representatives at the Board and committee level ensure that different perspectives are heard and addressed at each step.

I look forward to working with our landowners as we help ensure our area is sustainable and follows state regulations. Please do not hesitate to reach out via email at asilveira@northforkkings.org.

North Fork Kings GSA is finalizing plans for a pilot program to study groundwater pumping allocations. Through the pilot, participating landowners will be able to manage their groundwater allocations on Watermark. Although initially planned for fall 2024, the pilot launch has been delayed to allow for further research and to establish clear guidelines before implementation.

The GSA is researching the best way for surface water entities within its boundaries to report their data through Watermark. Additionally, the GSA’s Policy Committee is reviewing the rules and regulations, which will be sent to the Board of Directors for approval. Once approved, the pilot will be one step closer to implementation. North Fork Kings GSA is also waiting to receive key information from the Kings River Water Association regarding seepage calculations for surface water users, a key component before the pilot can begin.

A groundwater allocation pilot is being conducted to serve as a guide for future implementation of groundwater allocations in the GSA and to help the agency work through process and methodology with the input of landowners. North Fork Kings GSA is committed to providing landowners with transparent communication and will keep them informed once the pilot is underway.

To stay updated on the groundwater allocation pilot, and to share your insights and perspectives on groundwater allocations, attend the Board and committee meetings, and sign up for the email list at northforkkings.org.

The North Fork Kings GSA is now accepting new members to join the GSA’s Grower Advisory and Rural Community Advisory committees in 2025. As a committee member, stakeholders have the opportunity to provide input, information, and recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the GSA’s decisions on groundwater management.

The Rural Community Advisory Committee represents the interests of rural communities, and its members may include representatives of domestic well owners, municipal well operators, local land use planning agencies, community residents, and environmental justice or community benefit organizations with experience working with disadvantaged communities on drinking water, groundwater, or land use issues.

The Grower Advisory Committee represents the interests of agricultural producers, and its members may include, but is not limited to, growers within the North Fork Kings GSA. This committee tackles topics and policy discussions that especially impact agricultural production and grower operations.  

Current committee members must reapply if they wish to remain on the same committee. Current and prospective committee members should fill out the general application form here, and mark on the form their desired committee.

Download Application Here

Please submit your completed application by:

1. Emailing General Manager Justin Mendes at
   jmendes@northforkkings.org or
2. Mailing to North Fork Kings GSA, Attn: Justin Mendes, P.O. Box 158, Riverdale, CA 93656

Please submit your application by December 13, 2024. By joining a committee, our stakeholders have a tangible way to support programs and policies on groundwater management developed at the local level by the North Fork Kings GSA.

Thanks to the active participation of our landowners in the Well Registration Program, the North Fork Kings GSA is closer to completing State-required groundwater studies. Completing these studies is essential for keeping local control over groundwater management. While most landowners have registered their wells, the GSA urges those who haven’t yet to do so.

While many landowners registered by the September 30 deadline, the GSA understands that we entered the busy harvest season soon after the requirement was established on July 1st and may not have been able to complete their well registration. We also recognize that the new software tool Watermark came with challenges, and the Watermark support team at times faced a high volume of tickets that slowed response times. As a result, the North Fork Kings GSA has decided to hold a grace period for the $100 per well registration fee.

If you haven’t registered your well, the GSA encourages you to do so as soon as possible to avoid penalty fees during this grace period. To register, visit northforkkings.org/watermark.