GSA Committee Regular Meeting 04/01/2025

The Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Committee held a regular meeting on April 1, 2025, focusing primarily on groundwater measurement methods and related procurement activities. Key discussions included the evaluation of current groundwater measurement vendors—EarWatch, Land IQ, and flow meters—with consideration of issuing a new Request for Proposals (RFP) to select measurement services for 2026 and beyond. The committee reviewed feedback from growers regarding accuracy, cost, and data accessibility of these methods, emphasizing the need for a public and transparent vendor selection process. Additionally, the committee discussed refinements to rules governing the use of privately owned groundwater flow meters, including calibration, data submission deadlines, and criteria for switching measurement methods. Two contract-related action items were approved: a $92,496 agreement with David's Engineering for developing the Madera subbasin groundwater sustainability plan annual reports for water year 2024, and a cost-sharing memorandum of understanding among GSAs within the subbasin for coordinating these reports. The meeting underscored the importance of balancing cost efficiency, data accuracy, and grower preferences in future procurement decisions related to groundwater measurement and sustainability planning.