The SGMA Weekly

California's April 1 snowpack came in at just 18% of statewide average — the second-lowest reading on record — and the effects are already reshaping the 2026 irrigation season across the Valley. Metropolitan Water District staff called the Colorado River outlook "dire" as Lake Powell is forecast to hit its 3,500 ft emergency trigger earlier than expected. Plus: Arvin-Edison's first-of-its-kind gol...

March 2026 shattered California temperature and drought records, wiping out snowpack and forcing districts to cut water runs short. Delta-Mendota exits state probation while Tule faces $12M in fees. And Salinas Valley modeling shows that even eliminating all ag pumping won't stop seawater intrusion by 2040. Read the full recaps at waterone.ai | Try Chat GSA for instant answers about your district...

Lake Powell is projected to fall within ten feet of minimum power pool as Colorado River inflow drops to 52% of average. Groundwater fees are accelerating across California — from Paso Robles' new volumetric fee to Yolo's tiered structure to Fox Canyon's warning that assessments could rise "by a multiple." Plus: Amazon is paying to double recycled water storage in South Santa Clara County, golden...

The State Water Board just recommended denying every exclusion request in the Tule and Tulare Lake subbasins — and the legal pushback is already starting. Plus, the CVP opens at just 15% with snowpack well below normal, and a half-billion-dollar federal funding package lands for California's most critical water infrastructure. Read the full recaps at waterone.ai | Try Chat GSA for instant answers...

This week: Delta-Mendota may escape State Water Board oversight — but a massive pumping data gap remains. State Water Contractors warn that 8-9 more inches of Friant-Kern Canal subsidence could eliminate 85% of delivery capacity. Semitropic adopts $500/AF penalties for budget exceedances. DWR scrutinizes Salinas Valley's deep aquifer plan. Golden mussels spread to MWD infrastructure. Santa Clara V...

The Colorado River may be headed for its worst hydrology year on record, with inflows down nearly three million acre-feet since November. Meanwhile, $1.5 billion in federal funding for Central Valley Project infrastructure is described as imminent, and Mid-Kaweah GSA moves toward zeroing out allocations for growers who don't register their wells. Produced by WaterOne.ai — AI-powered coverage of ev...

North Kings GSA locks in a 445,600 acre-foot groundwater allocation bucket, CCWA warns that subsidence could cut Santa Barbara's water delivery, and the Salinas Valley faces a potential state intervention timeline. Plus — DWR's five-year evaluations shift from paper to performance, invasive mussels threaten infrastructure statewide, and well registration proves harder than anyone expected. Produce...

Irrigation season kicks off in Turlock with a fourth consecutive year at full allocation, while Westlands braces for a tight CVP supply. New subsidence rules are adding cost and complexity for Tulare Lake GSAs, Colorado River negotiations remain stalled, and Paso Robles becomes the latest GSA to pivot to Prop 26 fees. Produced by WaterOne.ai — AI-powered coverage of every SGMA board meeting in Cal...

This week: Golden mussels are spreading across the Central Valley with treatment costs hitting millions. The Colorado River is tracking toward its driest year on record. Sacramento's groundwater bank account looks healthy but the long-term forecast is sobering. Plus — Modesto demands equitable cost-sharing, Yolo votes for Prop 26 fees, and the DWR review process takes a friendlier tone. In the tre...