Groundwater Sustainability Plan
The plan for the subbasin
California's SGMA requires a local plan for every priority groundwater basin. The Tulare Lake Subbasin plan is developed jointly by five GSAs, including Mid-Kings River GSA.
SGMA, passed in 2014, requires every high- and medium-priority groundwater basin in California to be managed under a Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The GSP is the roadmap — it sets the sustainability goals, the metrics by which progress is measured, and the policies that will be used to reach them.
Our subbasin sits under five GSAs. The Mid-Kings River GSA covers the northeastern portion and contributes to a single, shared subbasin-wide plan. The State’s probation designation applies to the subbasin as a whole; management responsibility still sits locally, with each GSA.
Plan documents
Download the GSP
The adopted plan, addendums, and DWR determination letters.
Revised Tulare Lake Subbasin GSP (April 2024)
April 2024 · Revised plan submitted to the State Water Board responding to the April 2024 probation findings.
DWR Inadequate Determination Referred to SWRCB (March 2023)
March 2023 · DWR’s second determination letter that triggered the State Water Board probation process.
Tulare Lake Subbasin GSP Addendum (July 2022)
July 2022 · Subbasin GSAs' first addendum responding to the January 2022 DWR determination.
DWR Determination on 2020 GSP (January 2022)
January 2022 · DWR’s first determination letter requiring revisions to the originally adopted plan.
Tulare Lake Subbasin GSP (January 2020)
January 2020 · Originally adopted Groundwater Sustainability Plan submitted to DWR by the five subbasin GSAs.
GSP Appendix D
January 2020 · Appendix D supporting the 2020 plan submission.
Preliminary Draft GSP (September 2019)
September 2019 · Preliminary draft released for public review prior to adoption.
Resolution Adopting the GSP (January 2020)
January 2020 · Mid-Kings River GSA Board resolution formally adopting the Tulare Lake Subbasin GSP.
GSP Initial Notification (April 2018)
April 2018 · Initial public notification of GSP development under SGMA.
Annual reporting
Tulare Lake Subbasin annual reports
Subbasin-wide annual reports submitted to DWR. Filed jointly by the five GSAs each water year.
Tulare Lake Subbasin Annual Report — Water Year 2024
Water Year 2024 · Annual report submitted to the Department of Water Resources under SGMA, covering groundwater conditions, extraction, surface water deliveries, and change in storage for the Tulare Lake Subbasin during Water Year 2024 (October 2023 – September 2024).
Tulare Lake Subbasin Annual Report — Water Year 2022
Water Year 2022 · Annual report submitted to the Department of Water Resources under SGMA, covering groundwater conditions, extraction, surface water deliveries, and change in storage for the Tulare Lake Subbasin during Water Year 2022 (October 2021 – September 2022).
Tulare Lake Subbasin Annual Report — Water Year 2020
Water Year 2020 · Annual report submitted to the Department of Water Resources under SGMA, covering groundwater conditions, extraction, surface water deliveries, and change in storage for the Tulare Lake Subbasin during Water Year 2020 (October 2019 – September 2020).
Tulare Lake Subbasin Annual Report — Water Year 2019
Water Year 2019 · Annual report submitted to the Department of Water Resources under SGMA, covering groundwater conditions, extraction, surface water deliveries, and change in storage for the Tulare Lake Subbasin during Water Year 2019 (October 2018 – September 2019).
How we got here
Regulatory timeline
January 2020
First GSP submitted to DWR
The five GSAs of the Tulare Lake Subbasin submitted a joint Groundwater Sustainability Plan to the California Department of Water Resources, meeting the initial SGMA deadline.
January 2022
DWR determination: revisions required
After a two-year review, DWR issued a determination letter requiring revisions to the 2020 plan. The subbasin GSAs had 180 days to respond.
July 2022
Revised GSP submitted
The GSAs submitted a revised plan addressing the 2022 DWR comments within the deadline.
March 2023
DWR finds revised GSP inadequate
DWR issued a second determination letter indicating the 2022 revised GSP did not sufficiently address the original concerns.
April 2024
Subbasin placed on State probation
The State Water Resources Control Board designated the Tulare Lake Subbasin as probationary — the first subbasin in California to receive that designation under SGMA.
May 2024
Second revised GSP submitted
The GSAs submitted another revised plan to the State Board addressing the probation findings. The agencies are awaiting a State Board response.