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Tule Subbasin

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) designated the Tule Subbasin as probationary at a public hearing on September 17, 2024. Groundwater pumpers are required to submit their first groundwater extraction reports by May 1, 2026, unless they are excluded from the reporting requirement. To learn more about these requirements, open the "Reporting and Fees" and "Important Dates" menus below.

Reporting and Fees Exclusions

  1. Groundwater extractions are excluded from reporting and fees if they are made within the Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainability Agency or the Kern-Tulare Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency, are subject to the management actions of one of those GSAs, and are in compliance with the applicable management actions of those GSAs.
  2. Small domestic (household) well users who extract a total of two acre-feet or less of groundwater per year for domestic purposes only are de minimis users and are also excluded from reporting and paying fees.
  3. Potential Exclusion: On April 7, 2026 the Board will consider an exclusion from the reporting requirement for some pumpers in the Tule Subbasin who extract no more than 20 acre-feet of groundwater per year; see the notice in the yellow box above for more details.

Reporting deadlines are as follows:

  • By May 1, 2026, pumpers must submit annual groundwater extraction reports for the period of January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025.
  • For every subsequent water year (October 1 – September 30) that the basin is probationary, pumpers must submit extraction reports by February 1 of the following year.

Fee requirements are as follows:

  • Pumpers are required to pay fees as shown in the table below.
Tule Subbasin Groundwater Extraction Fees
Fee Category Fee Amount Applicable Parties
Annual Base Filing Fee $300 per well All pumpers required to report (excludes de minimis pumpers).
Volumetric Rate $20 per AF Pumpers in probationary basins (excludes de minimis pumpers).
Automatic Late Fee 25% per month Pumpers that do not file reports by the due date.

AF = acre-foot
An acre-foot is enough water to cover one acre of land with one foot of water.

More information about measuring extraction volumes, reporting, and paying fees can be found in the fact sheet below and on our Reporting and Fees webpage.

In early October 2024, the State Water Board mailed a notice letter, linked below, to well-owners in the Tule Subbasin who may need to measure and report their groundwater extractions to notify them of this requirement. The letter included a unique Correspondence ID that the well owner needs to file their extraction report.

Well-owners within the areas of the Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District and Kern-Tulare Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agencies generally will not need to report their extractions to the State Water Board. Also linked below is an exclusion notice that the State Water Board mailed to those extractors.

Since well location and county parcel information are sometimes incomplete, it is possible that not all those required to report extractions received a letter from the Board. Pumpers who are subject to these reporting requirements but did not receive a letter from the Board still must record their groundwater extractions, submit reports, and pay fees. These pumpers should contact the State Water Board by email at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or by phone at (916) 322-6508 to get set up for reporting and avoid future enforcement action.

Special Requirements for Large Pumpers: Per State Water Board Resolution 2024-0030, any person who extracts, or anticipates extracting, more than 500 acre-feet of groundwater from the Tule Subbasin, must take one of the following two actions appropriate to their situation by no later than March 1, 2025:

  1. On each production well that extracts groundwater for uses that cannot be measured by an evapotranspiration methodology, install and use meters that meet the requirements of Cal. Code Regs., title 23, section 1042.
  2. For each production well that extracts groundwater for uses that can be measured by an evapotranspiration methodology:
    1. Install and use meters that meet the requirements of Cal. Code Regs., title 23, section 1042 on their production wells, or
    2. Use an evapotranspiration methodology to determine monthly extraction volumes for each parcel where groundwater use occurs. If the methodology was developed or is currently implemented by a GSA, the extractor may elect to have the applicable GSA submit the extraction report on behalf of the extractor. A GSA may compile and submit extraction reports for multiple extractors, provided the information required by Water Code section 5203 is organized on a per extractor and per parcel basis. Extractors using an evapotranspiration methodology are also subject to the following requirements:
      1. The extraction report must include an explanation of the methodology. Additionally, if groundwater is extracted for uses not measured by the evapotranspiration methodology, those extractions must be measured by a meter, and this must be included in the explanation of the methodology.
      2. Surface water delivery data must be included in the extraction report if the evapotranspiration methodology relies on these data to determine groundwater extraction volumes.

Special Requirements for Pumpers in the Friant-Kern Canal (FKC) Subsidence Management Area: The FKC Subsidence Management Area, bounded by the purple line, extends two miles laterally on either side of the FKC within the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Pumpers in this area who are not de minimis are required to begin measuring their groundwater extractions from the area on January 1, 2025 using a flow meter that meets the requirements of Cal. Code Regs., title 23, section 1042.

Land Subsistence Management Area
Land Subsistence Management Area

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Date Action
January 1, 2025 All non-exempt extractors need to begin measuring their groundwater extractions on a monthly basis
March 1, 2025 Those who cumulatively extract more than 500 acre feet of groundwater per year from the subbasin need to begin measuring their extractions with a certified flow meter or an alternate method as specified in the State Water Board's resolution
December 31, 2025 End of the 2025 reporting period (January 1 to December 31)
May 1, 2026 Groundwater extraction monthly volumes for the period between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 must be reported to the State Water Board via the State Water Board's GEARS data system
30 days after invoicing Extraction fees are due to the State Water Board

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

This is the statutory date for pumpers to begin measuring and recording their monthly groundwater extractions. This applies as long as the subbasin is designated as probationary pursuant to California Water Code, Division 6, Part 2.74, Chapter 11 (State Intervention). For the Tule Subbasin, measuring and recording begins 90 days after the effective date of the resolution declaring the subbasin probationary, which is January 1, 2025, and extends until the State Water Board determines the GSA or GSAs are on track to manage the subbasin sustainably. This requirement generally does not apply to "de minimis" groundwater pumpers. Visit the Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS) to determine if you are a de minimis groundwater pumper who is excluded from reporting and paying fees, if you may qualify for another exclusion, or if you are required to measure and report your groundwater extraction volumes. Read the State Water Board's Options for Measuring Extraction Volumes (PDF) | Opciones para medir los volúmenes de extracción de aguas subterráneas (PDF) to learn more about ways to measure your groundwater extractions volumes.

Friday, May 1, 2026

This is the deadline for pumpers to report their monthly groundwater extraction volumes to the Groundwater Extraction Annual Reporting System (GEARS) for the period between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 (or an earlier date if the subbasin exits State Intervention sooner). If groundwater extraction volumes are not reported by May 1, an additional charge of 25% of the annual fees can be assessed for each 30-day period after May 1. In no case will the additional charge exceed three times the required annual fees. In addition, if reports are not submitted on time, the Board may investigate and determine, at your expense, your groundwater extractions and other information required to be reported. You will receive 60 days’ notice and an opportunity to report without penalty before the investigation begins.

Invoices will be sent to non-excluded pumpers after the reporting deadline. Extraction fees are due 30 days after the invoice date.

See the workshop flyer for more information:

Tule Subbasin Map
Tule Subbasin Map

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