YSGA Fee Study
The Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency (YSGA) was established in 2017 to manage groundwater resources within the Yolo Subbasin as required by California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Since its creation, the Agency has been funded through state grants and contributions from its 26 member agencies. However, SGMA requires groundwater agencies to become self-funded for their administrative, reporting, and management activities. In June 2025, the YSGA initiated a fee study to develop a permanent funding mechanism that will ensure the Agency can remain financially self-sufficient while distributing costs fairly among all who benefit from sustainable groundwater management.
The fee study is examining the Agency's operations and budgets, available data, and the diverse range of groundwater users throughout the Yolo Subbasin to determine the most equitable fee structure. The fee will support critical activities including monitoring groundwater levels, conducting studies to better understand the subbasin, annual reporting, and implementing Subbasin-wide projects and management actions that protect local water supplies for future generations. Through ongoing outreach with stakeholders and the community, YSGA is working to develop a fee structure that fairly accounts for different types of water use: residential, agricultural, industrial, and commercial, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Subbasin's groundwater resources. For more information about the fee study process, visit https://www.yologroundwater.org/fee-study or click the link below to view the Fee Study FAQ.
A special meeting of the YSGA Board of Directors will be held on February 9 to discuss the fee study process and decide on a path forward. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments at this meeting. Fee study public workshops will occur in March and April (exact dates and locations to be determined).