AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW: PASO BASIN GROUNDWATER USE DATA FOR PROPOSED CHARGE

Paso Robles Subbasin, CA — The Paso Robles Area Groundwater Authority (PRAGA) has released parcel-level water consumption data and proposed groundwater management charges for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 on its website www.pasoroblesAGA.org. Parcel owners are encouraged to review their parcel data.

PRAGA is proposing a groundwater management charge to fund implementation of its Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and meet requirements of the State’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Affected groundwater pumpers were previously notified by mail of the proposed groundwater management charge, the basis for the proposed rate of that charge as described in a draft Cost of Service Study, and the public hearing on the proposed charge. The proposed charge would apply to agricultural groundwater pumpers, commercial operations (including wineries), and public water supply systems. Rural domestic pumpers (de minimis extractors) will not be charged.

For agricultural users, groundwater use was calculated using a satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) methodology which is calibrated by a local weather station network. For the first year (Fiscal Year 2025- 2026), the ET data was collected from August 2024 to May 2025 and represents approximately 66% of the annual ET. In future years, groundwater pumpers would be charged based on a full 12–months of ET data.

For commercial and public water supply systems, water use was calculated as described in the draft Cost of Service Study and proposed charges for each of those parcels are included in the summary of proposed charges on the PRAGA website.

To learn more about the proposed groundwater management charge, including the draft Cost of Service Study upon which it was based, please visit the PRAGA website at https://www.pasoroblesAGA.org/.

The PRAGA Board of Directors will meet at 10am on Friday, August 1, 2025 at the Paso Robles City Council Chambers located at 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 to conduct a public hearing on the proposed charge.