CHAPTER 2 PLAN AREA AND BASIN SETTING Chapter 2 describes the political and physical features of the GSP area. This chapter, divided into two sections, includes most of the technical analysis and is the longest chapter in the GSP. Section 2.1 summarizes land and water management in the basin, and Section 2.2 describes the basins physical characteristics, including the hydrogeologic conceptual model, current and historical groundwater conditions, and water budget. Key figures show how land use has changed over the past 30 years in the subbasins. Madera GSP Chapter 2 Table 2-1 (p. 2-6) shows that in the entire basin agricultural acreage has remained relatively stable, urban areas have expanded, and “native vegetation” (generally rangeland) has declined (Table 2-1). Chowchilla GSP Chapter 2 Table 2-1 (p. 2-5) shows a similar pattern for the Chowchilla Subbasin, though agricultural acreage increased a bit more recently.
In both subbasins additional land has been planted into orchards since 2015. This means that the present water demand is anticipated to be higher than that reflected in the GSP.
The water budget is the core of the GSP. Described in Section 2.2.3 of both GSPs, this budget accounts for all water flowing into and out of the basin, providing the framework for determining the "sustainable yield" - the amount of water that can be pumped.
Chowchilla Subbasin
Average annual overdraft: 122,490 acre-feet/year (doesn't include flow from/to adjacent basins)Recent presentations estimate the overdraft as approximately 115,000 acre-feet/year
Madera Subbasin
Average annual overdraft: 162,711 acre-feet/year (does not include flow from/to adjacent basins)Recent presentations estimate the overdraft as approximately 115,000 acre-feet/year.
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