Amended Olcese Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for Certain Lands Overlying the Kern County Subbasin

This GSP has been prepared by the Olcese GSA, which is the GSA for the portion of the Kern County Subbasin of the San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Basin (Department of Water Resources [DWR] Basin No. 5-022.14, referred to herein as the “Kern Subbasin” or “Basin”) that underlies the Olcese Water District (“OWD” or “District”). The area that is covered
by this GSP is referred to herein as the “Olcese Groundwater Sustainability Agency Area” or “Olcese GSA Area” and is located in the eastern portion of the Kern Subbasin. The Kern Subbasin is one of 21 basins and subbasins identified by the DWR as being critically overdrafted, a designation that triggers an accelerated timetable for GSP development by 2020 and achievement of sustainability by 2040.

As of June 2022, a total of 14 GSAs, including the Olcese GSA, have been formed within the Kern Subbasin
and a total of six GSPs have been prepared by these various GSAs. This Olcese GSP has been developed in coordination with the other GSPs for the Kern Subbasin to meet SGMA regulatory requirements1 while reflecting the unique hydrogeologic conditions within the Olcese GSA Area and preserving local control over water resources. Pursuant to the SGMA GSP submittal deadline, the Olcese GSP was originally submitted to DWR in January 2020; this amended Olcese GSP is in response to DWR’s 28 January 2022 letter entitled Incomplete Determination of the 2020 Groundwater Sustainability Plans Submitted for the San Joaquin Valley – Kern County Subbasin. Together, the Kern Subbasin GSPs provide a path to maintain the long-term sustainability of locally managed groundwater resources now and into the future.

Due to size, this file has been divided. Part 1, Part 2