Irrigation Season, Stalled Negotiations, and New Subsidence Rules — Feb 23, 2026

·11 min·1 clip

Irrigation season starts March 12th in Turlock, but Tulare Lake GSAs face a higher state compliance bar—why the split?

This episode of The SGMA Weekly covers California's groundwater and irrigation developments for the upcoming season. The AI host delivers a rapid briefing on water allocations and regulatory updates. The focus is on operational details for major irrigation districts and new groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) requirements. Turlock Irrigation District will start its irrigation season on March 12th with a full 48-inch water allocation. This marks the district's fourth consecutive year of receiving a full supply. Its water rates include a $60 per acre charge and a Tier 1 volumetric rate of $3.23 per acre-foot. Watershed precipitation is currently at 90% of normal, with significant new precipitation forecasted. Snowpack levels have potential to reach near average by early March. A new automated canal control pilot is launching for the Sears Main Service area, covering 7,000 acres. Westlands Water District also begins its season March 12th but with a constrained initial allocation. Westlands' allocation is limited by low snowpack and the Port Chicago X-2 trigger, which already reduced supply by 35,000 acre-feet in February. The district's initial Central Valley Project allocation is expected to be announced on February 23rd. Its final allocation could potentially reach about 50% if precipitation continues favorably through March. The new federal budget provides some relief by lowering Westlands' O&M rates to $42.02 per acre. In the Tulare Lake sub-basin, GSAs are confronting newly elevated state compliance standards for groundwater. The episode presents these figures and forecasts as key factors for growers' immediate planning. The tone is highly informational and efficient, mirroring a professional news bulletin. The style is direct and data-driven, focusing on dates, percentages, and policy mechanics. California farmers, water district managers, and agricultural consultants would find this episode essential for operational planning. Listeners seeking broad narrative or policy debate might find the detailed, statistical focus less engaging.

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