The Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) held its first meeting in six months and covered a lot of ground including setting a policy to fine landowners $1,000 a day for not registering their wells and vowing to sue a neighboring GSA. … [Southwest’s chair John] Vidovich also said landowners with wells that are within 1,000 feet of Southwest’s boundaries would be required to register those wells with the GSA and report their pumping or face a $1,000-per-day fine as well. … Engineering consultant Amer Hussain said neighboring GSAs have already enacted well registration policies and it may be easier for Southwest to ask for that data from them instead of having farmers register wells a second time. 

Other groundwater news around the West:

• KJZZ (Phoenix): Mayes plans to continue suit vs. Fondomonte for groundwater pumping, despite new protections
• Paso Robles Daily News (Calif.): County supervisors review Paso Robles groundwater overdraft efforts
• WaterWorld: California American Water invests $4.7M in new groundwater well for Suburban-Rosemont