Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR)

The East Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is implementing a series of Projects and Management Actions under the Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR). The primary objectives of these initiatives are to reduce groundwater demand, promote groundwater recharge, and improve aquatic habitats through agricultural land repurposing. These efforts are executed across multiple sites in Merced and Stanislaus Counties, including the Asai Farm Stormwater Pond, Santa Fe Ranch Floodwater Capture and Recharge Basin, Sperry Farms Land Fallowing and Orchard Swale Rewilding, and Braden Farms Orchard Swale Rewilding and Stormwater Retention projects. Key activities include the construction of stormwater capture and infiltration ponds, the removal of irrigated orchards, land fallowing, and the rewilding of orchard swales with native vegetation. These projects are designed to create direct and in-lieu groundwater recharge and provide water supply resilience. All activities are conducted in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15168, ensuring that no new significant environmental impacts occur beyond those already addressed in the GSP PEIR. The program adheres to local, state, and federal regulations, as well as specific agency rules and environmental mitigation measures to reduce cumulative impacts.