Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

2 days ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

3 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

3 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

3 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

3 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

3 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

4 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

4 days ago
Protecting Domestic Wells a Key Piece of Southern Fresno County Groundwater Agency's Planning
SJV-Water
By SJV Water
Published 1 year ago on
July 21, 2024

A groundwater agency in southern Fresno County is launching a $1 million program to protect residential wells in the region. (Shutterstock)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A million-dollar program to keep residential wells flowing across a swath of southern Fresno and northern Kings counties is getting underway through a program spearheaded by one of the area’s groundwater sustainability agencies.

Author Profile Picture

Jesse Vad

SJV Water

The plan is being funded through land assessments of $6 per acre now, maxing out at $18 per acre in 2027, charged to growers in the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA).

“There are pieces (of the plan) that took some arm twisting,” said Justin Mendes, General Manager of the North Fork Kings GSA. “From the ag community, initially the thing was, ‘Wow this is gonna be super expensive.'”

As it turned out, the bill didn’t sting too bad.

North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency, in yellow at the southern edge of the Kings subbasin, is spearheading a program to protect domestic wells in its boundaries. (SJV Water)

Along with consistent assessment payments from growers, the GSA got some unexpected savings on a water recharge project by partnering with Fresno County. Managers initially thought they would have to spend $3 million to buy a chunk of land from the county for the project but ended up partnering with the county and didn’t have to spend that money, said Mendes.

So, when Mendes came to the GSA in 2022, he inherited a “sizable reserve.”

After the state approved the subbasin’s groundwater plan in 2023, Mendes focused on how to best use the GSA’s money.

“How can we shift these reserves to focus on these needed corrective actions?” said Mendes. “The number one thing was the domestic well mitigation plan.”

Though this program will only be available to residents in the North Kings GSA, it is a key piece of the Kings groundwater subbasin’s larger plan to bring the area’s groundwater consumption into compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Even with state approval, water managers are required to provide annual updates. And under SGMA, damage to domestic wells is a major no-no.

It’s difficult to say exactly how many at-risk domestic wells there are across the subbasin, said Mendes. But he estimates there are about 225 in North Fork Kings GSA alone.

At-risk domestic wells are typically more shallow and serve homes in disadvantaged communities, which include Lanare, Laton and Riverdale in North Fork Kings.

Since last year and this year have been good water years, the GSAs have some breathing room to make sure they get this program right, said Mendes. North Fork Kings has seen an average groundwater rebound of five feet, he said.

“We don’t think anyone’s in immediate danger right now,” said Mendes.

Staff are going to start working on implementation of the program which will probably include interim water provisions for those who have dry wells such as, bottled water delivery or a water storage tank. Those interim solutions will be provided until the GSA staff can get a well driller to either drill the well deeper or drill an entirely new well.

Well owners will have to register their wells with the GSA to see if they’re eligible for the program. More than 100 domestic wells have been registered as of July 1. Residents can register their wells online at HERE or by calling the GSA at: (559) 632-7032.

The GSA will be hiring a staff member to oversee the program, said Mendes.

About the Author

SJV Water Reporter Jesse Vad was born and raised in the Bay Area. He is a multimedia journalist and graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.

About SJV Water

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Reach us at sjvwater@sjvwater.org

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

DON'T MISS

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

DON'T MISS

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

DON'T MISS

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

DON'T MISS

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

DON'T MISS

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

DON'T MISS

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

DON'T MISS

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

UP NEXT

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

UP NEXT

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

UP NEXT

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

UP NEXT

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

UP NEXT

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

UP NEXT

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

UP NEXT

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

UP NEXT

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

16 hours ago

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

17 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

1 day ago

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

2 days ago

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

2 days ago

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

2 days ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

A lightning-sparked wildfire, the Garnet Fire, in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres in Fresno County and remains at 8% cont...

16 hours ago

Photo: USDA - Forest Service Tanker 40 at Fresno Air Attack Base. The Fresno County Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres and is 8% contained as crews make progress on containment lines while bracing for possible thunderstorms early this week. (Sam Wu/USFS)
16 hours ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

U.S. flag and Judge gavel are seen in this illustration taken, August 6, 2024. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
16 hours ago

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

Demonstrators hold a banner during the 'March for Australia' anti-immigration rally, in Sydney, Australia, August 31, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
16 hours ago

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

President Donald Trump walks on the grounds of the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, U.S., August 30, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

Activists Yasemin Acar, Greta Thunberg and Thiago Avila attend a press conference before the departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Eva Manez)
16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

National Guard troops wear gas masks during protests against federal immigration sweeps, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 12, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

A view of tents sheltering Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, in Gaza City, August 23, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend