SB 564: North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency Act.

Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources that are designated as basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2020, and requires all other groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2022, except as specified. The act authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin. The act deems certain agencies created by statute to manage groundwater the exclusive local agencies within their respective statutory boundaries with powers to comply with the act and authorizes these agencies to opt out of being the exclusive groundwater management agency.

This bill would create the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency, would establish the initial boundaries of the agency, and would authorize the agencys boundaries to be changed by the boards of supervisors of the Counties of Fresno and Kings after a noticed public hearing, as specified. The bill would require the agency to be a groundwater sustainability agency under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act for that portion of the Kings Subbasin that lies within the boundaries of the agency and would require the agency to develop and implement a groundwater sustainability plan to achieve sustainable groundwater management within the territory of the agency. The bill would generally specify the powers and purposes of the agency. The bill would prescribe the composition of the 7-member board of directors of the agency and would require members and alternates to be chosen by certain member agencies, as specified. By imposing duties on the agency and the member agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the agency to establish a rural community advisory committee to assist the board of directors in considering the interests of all beneficial uses and users of groundwater and would deem the agency the exclusive local agency with powers to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 10723 of the Water Code proposed by both this bill and SB 37 to become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective before January 1, 2017, and this bill is chaptered last.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.