California Ag Network

Tag: Tulare Lake Subbasin

  • In-Person Office Hours for SGMA Reporting in Tulare Lake and Tule Subbasins: New Event Added

    Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) groundwater extraction reports for pumping in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins are due to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) by May 1, 2026. Pumpers should submit their reports using the Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS) unless they were granted an exclusion.

    In-Person GEARS Office Hours

    Groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins can get personal help with GEARS at in-person office hours:

    •April 16, 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Lemoore

    ◦Veterans Hall: 411 West D St., Lemoore, CA, 93245

    •April 17, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Porterville

    ◦Porterville Veterans Memorial: 1900 W Olive Ave, Porterville, CA 93257

    •April 29, 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Corcoran

    ◦Veteran’s Memorial Building: 1000 Van Dorsten Ave, Corcoran, CA 93212

    • New: April 30, 10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Lemoore

    ◦Veterans Hall: 411 West D St., Lemoore, CA, 93245

    •April 30, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Allensworth

    ◦Allensworth Elementary: 3320 Young Road, Earlimart, CA 93219

    Office hours are casual, drop-in spaces to get support with GEARS, including setting up accounts and filing extraction reports.

    Registration is encouraged but not required.  Register here.

    Language Services: Support will be offered in English and Spanish. To request translation of a written document, interpretation services, or sign language services please use one of the following options at least ten (10) business days before the meeting, if possible:

    •Submit an online request: bit.ly/LanguageAccessForm

    •Call (916) 341-5254

    •Email languageservices@waterboards.ca.gov

    Contact the State Water Board to request information in your language.

    Reporting Support and Resources

    Visit the GEARS Resources webpage for tutorial videos, a user guide, and other resources to support with reporting.

    Questions? Contact sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or 916-322-6508.

  • Minimal Impact Exclusions adopted for Some Tulare Lake and Tule Pumpers

    The State Water Resources Control Board approved two resolutions at its April 7 meeting, excluding certain groundwater extractors from SGMA reporting and fee requirements with the Board. This is on the basis that these pumpers have minimal impact on extractions.

    According to a notice sent out by the Board, Resolution 2026-0011 excludes well owners who extract no more than 20 acre-feet of groundwater per year in the Tule Subbasin and do not pump groundwater within two miles of the Friant-Kern Canal. Resolution 2026-0012 exempts well owners who extract no more than the 20 acre-feet of groundwater per year in the Tulare Lake Subbasin, and do not export ground water outside the basin.

    The exclusions apply to extraction reports due Due May 1, continuing to apply to future reports unless they rescinded or modified by the Board. Qualifying pumpers should notify the Board that they are within the parameters of the exclusion, which can be done at the home page of the Groundwater Extraction Reporting System . Pumpers will not be invoiced or have to pay associated fees if they have already reported and qualify.

    More information:

    Contact the SGMA Program at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or 916-322-6508 for additional information.

  • 2025 California Grape Crush Report Reveals Further Drop

    Grape Crush Report Overview

    Information contained in this Report was supplied by processors to fulfill the reporting requirements of Section 55601.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

    The Grape Crush Report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2025 season. It also includes purchased tonnage and pricing information for grapes with final prices prior to January 31, 2026.

    Details of the crushed tonnage, degrees Brix, and weighted average prices were reported by grape type and variety, as well as by grape pricing districts. The 17 districts refer to the area in which the grapes were grown as defined in the Administrative Code. A district map is located on the inside of the front cover.

    Summary of Grape Tonnages and Prices

    The 2025 crush totaled 2,759,202 tons, down 6.2% from the 2024 crush of 2,942,673 tons. White wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 1,316,716 tons, down 6.0% from 2024. Red wine varieties crushed totaled 1,306,727 tons, down 10.8% from 2024. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 11,541, down 51.2% from 2024, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 124,218, up 132.3% from 2024.

    The Grape Crush Report includes the total number of tons crushed for concentrate production. In determining grape tonnage crushed for concentrate production, each processor was required to report the estimated equivalent tons of grapes crushed for grape concentrate. For the 2025 season, this total was 337,705 tons, 12.2% of the 2025 grape crush total. This report provides only the aggregate figure for grapes crushed for concentrate production and does not include information by district, type, or variety.

    The 2025 average price of all varieties was $978.60, down 3.8% from 2024. Average prices for the 2025 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $1,280.63, down 4.4% from 2024; white wine grapes, $707.12, down 0.9% from 2024; raisin grapes, $312.75, up 5.5% from 2024; and table grapes, $201.00, up 33.4% from 2024.

    Leading Grape Varieties and Districts

    In 2025, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total tonnage crushed at 17.8%. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second largest percentage of the total crush at 15.7%. Raisin grape varieties crushed for wine accounted for 0.4% of the total crush and table varieties crushed for wine were 4.5% of the total crush.

    District 13 (Madera, Fresno, Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties; and Kings and Tulare Counties north of Nevada Avenue (Avenue 192)), had the largest share of the State’s crush at 792,899 tons. The average price per ton in District 13 was $336.08.

    Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price at $6,767.53 per ton, down 2.6% from 2024. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest average price at $2,761.37 per ton, down 5.7% from 2024.

    The 2025 Chardonnay average price of $1,012.01 was down 4.2% from 2024 and the Cabernet Sauvignon average price of $2,127.33 was down 2.7% from 2024. The 2025 average price for French Colombard was $289.14, down 6.8% from 2024, while the Pinot Gris average price was down 0.3% from 2024, at $554.98 per ton.

    Read the full report from the California Department of Food and Agriculture here.

  • SGMA Reporting Open in the Tulare Lake and Tule Subbasins

    The Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS) is now open for reporting under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA.) Pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins will need to file their first groundwater extraction reports to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) by May 1, 2026, except for pumpers who were granted an exclusion from reporting and fees.

    The State Water Board designated both the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins as probationary in 2024. Consequently, most groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins are required to track groundwater use, submit annual groundwater extraction reports, and pay extraction fees to the Board.

    Reporting Support

    Visit the GEARS Resources webpage to access a user guide, videos, and information about events to help with reporting.

    The State Water Board mailed letters to known groundwater pumpers with unique Correspondence IDs. If you are subject to reporting requirements and do not receive a letter by March 18, please contact Board staff at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov.

    Reporting Exclusions

    The following pumpers are not required to submit extraction reports to the State Water Board:

    • Pumpers who extract two acre-feet or less per year for domestic purposes only (de minimis pumpers), or
    • Pumpers who extract groundwater only within the boundaries of Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) or Kern-Tulare Water District GSA in the Tule Subbasin, provided they comply with the corresponding GSA’s groundwater management requirements.

    Before May 1, 2026, pumpers who fall within one of these two categories and receive letters about reporting should use the GEARS system to notify the Board that they are exempt from reporting to avoid receiving further communications regarding reporting requirements.

    Potential Exclusions

    • On April 7, the State Water Board will consider adopting resolutions to exclude groundwater pumpers in the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins who extract no more than 20 acre-feet of groundwater per year from the reporting and fee requirements on the basis that these groundwater pumpers have a minimal impact on overall subbasin groundwater extractions. View the Tulare Lake Subbasin Notice and Tule Subbasin Notice for more information.
    • The Board may adopt, modify, or reject these proposed exclusions. If the Board rejects the potential exclusions, pumpers who are not otherwise exempt from the reporting requirement will be required to report. Board staff will send an update regarding any decisions on potential exclusions to the SGMA Groundwater Management email list.

    Fee Waivers

    Low-income residents, water systems serving disadvantaged communities, and public schools may be eligible to have their fees waived. To be eligible for a fee waiver, pumpers must report their extractions by the May 1, 2026, deadline. For more information on eligibility and how to request a fee waiver, visit the SGMA Reporting and Fees webpage.   

    More information:

    Contact the SGMA Program at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or: 916-322-6508.

    — By the California Water Boards