The Amended Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) has been prepared by 20 GSAs and one coordinated groundwater management area. Each GSA applied for and was granted exclusive GSA status for a portion of the Subbasin under CWC §10723(c) and §10723.8. All GSAs use the Kern County Subbasin GSP (sometimes referred to as 2025 Plan) elements as its foundational Plan; however, six GSAs provide supplemental information that is inserted as blue pages throughout their GSP.
GSPs
covers 67% of the Subbasin and includes includes Arvin, Cawelo Water District, Kern Non-Districted Lands Authority, Kern River, Kern Water Bank, Greenfield County Water Districts, North Kern WSD, Pioneer, Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD, Shafter-Wasco ID, Southern San Joaquin MUD, Tejon-Castaic Water District, West Kern Water District, and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa GSAs
Foundational Plan that covers all required elements for the Subbasin.
The Foundational Plan represents a significant advancement in groundwater sustainability planning for the Kern Subbasin, offering a cohesive and more protective approach to sustainable management. It uses uniform data and methodologies, resulting in consistent and robust definitions for Sustainable Management Criteria and Undesirable Results. These revised definitions address deficiencies previously identified by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and incorporate feedback from the State Water Resources Control Board, establishing higher minimum thresholds and ensuring better protection of groundwater users. The Plan also enhances the monitoring network by expanding coverage and improving data quality, supporting more accurate assessments and adaptive management. A new Minimum Threshold Exceedance Policy strengthens accountability by requiring prompt action to address exceedances and mitigate impacts on drinking water through a funded Well Registry and Mitigation Program by 2025. Additionally, the Plan outlines detailed Projects and Management Actions supported by rigorous analyses to address the Subbasin’s water budget deficit, relying on demand reduction for 80% of the solution. With these improvements, the Kern GSAs are confident the Plan will achieve sustainable groundwater management by 2040.
Appendices
- Appendix A – DWR Determination and Feedback
- Appendix B – SWRCB Determination and Feedback
- Appendix C – Coordination Agreements, Mous, and Coordination Letters
- Appendix D – Kern Fan Banking Programs
- Appendix E – General Plan Policies, Goals, and Implementation Measures Relevant to SGMA
- Appendix F – Stakeholder Communication and Engagement
- Appendix G – Mitigation Programs
- Appendix H – Model and Water Budget Supplemental and Supporting Documentation
- Appendix I – Sustainable Management Criteria Appendix
- Appendix J – Individual GSA Projects and Management Actions
- Appendix K – Exceedance Policy and Action Plans for Exceedances
- Appendix L – Representative Monitoring Networks
- Appendix M – Standard Operating Procedures for Regular Monitoring
- Appendix N – Public Comment Letters and Responses
Erratum page for GSP Documents
2025 Amended Buena Vista WSD GSA GSP
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages to emphasize the complexity of the basin setting across the GSA boundary, a description of water supplies, and its history of sustainable groundwater management.
2025 Amended Henry Miller GSA GSP
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages to demonstrate that the GSA has been operating sustainably since the implementation of SGMA and discusses future practices planned to maintain its sustainability.
2025 Amended Kern-Tulare GSA GSP
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages to provide information of its jurisdictional boundary, groundwater levels and pumping from the Santa Margarita Formation – the primary aquifer supplying its groundwater, and details on management action KTWD-8 which modifies the districts pricing structure.
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages to demonstrate how the GSA possesses several distinct characteristics that make it unique, how it is achieving the sustainability goal, and is undergoing sustainable management.
2025 Amended Semitropic GSA GSP
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages to highlight actions taken by the GSA to implement demand management activities that will ensure it reaches sustainability at or before 2040 and provides additional information on its groundwater banking project operations, as well as its use of remote sensing to estimate evapotranspiration as a significant tool for managing demand
Kern Subbasin GSP plus supplemental blue pages pertaining to conditions and characteristics unique to the GSA that demonstrate it will achieve sustainability. Additional information highlights the unique hydrogeologic conditions including naturally degraded groundwater quality; details of local studies related to the cause, rate, and extent of subsidence; and information on projects and management actions that maintain sustainable groundwater management within its GSA boundary.
Supporting Documents
Annual Reports
Other Documents
Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Plan
Kern GSP Outreach Meeting Presentations
On October 3, 2024, Public Outreach meetings were held to provide information about the Kern GSP.
Public Outreach Presentation English | Español
SWRCB Workshop Presentation from Kern Subbasin GSAs
Watch the SWRCB’s Public Workshop.
Forward to the 2:08 time stamp to hear the Subbasin’s presentation.