2020 Annual Report
FRESNO IRRIGATION DISTRICT
“Water…Your Most Valuable Resource.”
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)
SGMA
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was signed into law in 2014 to ensure groundwater resources are managed sustainably by 2040. The law established a framework for managing groundwater at the local level through the formation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, which are responsible for overseeing groundwater sustainability planning and management.
The Fresno Irrigation District is a member of the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and serves as the agency’s largest member. Through SGMA, the North Kings GSA is responsible for developing and implementing policies that guide sustainable groundwater management across its boundaries, including areas served by FID. To learn more about groundwater regulations, programs, and regional efforts to achieve groundwater sustainability, visit the North Kings GSA website.
As a member of the North Kings GSA, FID plays an important role in helping achieve SGMA goals through groundwater recharge. The District captures available surface water to replenish the groundwater table through a network of recharge basins, helping stabilize groundwater levels across the region.
These recharge efforts are especially important during wet years, when excess surface water can be stored underground for use during dry years when supplies are limited and reliance on groundwater pumping increases.
In addition to balancing groundwater levels, recharge also provides several regional benefits, including:
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Improved groundwater quality
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Greater drought resilience
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Increased reliability for rural well users
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Reduced risks during flood events
To support groundwater sustainability under SGMA, FID has significantly expanded its groundwater recharge efforts in recent years.
Expanding Groundwater Recharge Capacity
Since 2020, FID has expanded its groundwater recharge program by developing 270 acres of recharge and regulation basins across the District, including the Carter-Bybee, Kenneson & Sanchez, Wagner, Savory, and Central Basin projects.
To build on these efforts, FID purchased nearly 400 acres of land for future recharge development. The Kenneson & Sanchez and Carter-Bybee basins are part of this effort, with an additional 310 acres slated for future construction.
FID also looks for ways to leverage existing infrastructure to increase recharge opportunities. In 2024, the District completed four intertie projects connecting FID to Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District basins, increasing recharge capacity by an estimated 1,700 acre-feet per year on average.
These projects are funded through a combination of partnerships, grants, and landowner investments, allowing the District to continue expanding recharge capacity and protecting groundwater supplies for the future.
A Long History of Groundwater Recharge
FID has invested in groundwater recharge for decades - well before SGMA was enacted - to help balance water supply and demand and maintain stable groundwater levels. Through its growing network of recharge basins, the District has replenished more than 914,000 acre-feet of water since 2005.
Savory Pond Basin at S. Chestnut Ave and E. Lincoln Ave was completed and began operations in 2022
Central Basin site at W. Central Ave and S. Hughes Ave was completed in 2021, with operations beginning in 2022
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