General FAQs
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has launched the LandFlex Program as a new and innovative tool to protect drinking water wells. LandFlex has provided $25 million in block grants thus far to local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to grant to growers. The program will incentivize growers to limit agricultural groundwater pumping near drought-stricken communities whose drinking water wells have gone dry or are close to going dry. LandFlex will provide community benefits such as reduced pressures on drinking water wells, groundwater overdraft prevention, and climate resilience by permanently reducing demand on the state’s most critically overdrafted aquifers.
Growers are incentivized under LandFlex to permanently reduce demand to the aquifers and transition to sustainable farming practices using a three-tiered payment structure -each uniquely important to the success of LandFlex:
- Immediate Drought Relief Payment by fallowing land for 1 year. For each acre-foot of water saved in the ground, a grower will receive up to $350 per acre-foot. The final amount is to be determined by the local GSA. The contract for fallowing will be for one year. However, the grower will be required to utilize surface water ONLY thereafter outside of the sustainable limit of groundwater pumping on the enrolled LandFlex acreage.
- Sustainability Payment/Long-Term Elimination of Groundwater Overdraft. A grower will receive $1,000/per acre-foot to permanently eliminate each acre-foot of annual pumping that exceeds locally determined levels of groundwater sustainability. For quantification, this number will be the GSA’s 2023 Water Year overdraft allocation. A grower will have the option to retire additional overdraft (i.e., only pumped groundwater). The GSA will verify the amount of additional overdraft is consistent with their accounting and have the flexibility to determine how much will be bought. This will be compensated as an additional Sustainability Payment.
- Transition Payment to more climate-resilient ag practices. Depending on current land uses, the grower will receive between $250-$2,800/acre for the removal of permanent tree crops, purchasing upcycled ag waste for dairy feed replacement, or replacement of a high consumptive water use crop. This payment incentivizes the grower to plant cover crops that use natural rainfall to grow (no extraction of groundwater for cover crops).
- One-year contract for fallowing of the high consumptive use crop.
- Under this contract, the grower will pull trees, vineyards, or forgo planting dairy forages or row crops and not extract any groundwater at all for that year under contract.
- A cover crop is expected to be grown on the enrolled acreage – the timing of cover crops will be dependent on available ET, surface water, or rain.
- The grower is expected, as a condition of enrollment in LandFlex, to permanently forgo all of the future overdraft allocations on that acre.
- Even though the contract for annual fallowing is one year – there is an element of perpetuity under LandFlex each grower needs to carefully consider before accepting the award.
The Sustainable Yield Acceleration payment (Sustainability Payment) is $1,000 per acre-foot, paid one time to the grower for the early retirement of the 2023 Overdraft Pumping Allocation as identified by the GSA. As a condition of LandFlex, the grower will forgo all future overdraft allocations on that acre. Surface water purchases – or the like-for-like exchange of recharge water as designated by the GSA, are not affected under LandFlex.
Each GSA is different in that they determine an annual water year allocation. However, under LandFlex, the grower is paid the $1,000 per acre-foot for the WY 2023 overdraft allocation, AND that includes any and all future allocations on that acre.
LandFlex’s purpose is to permanently buy down demand on overdrafted aquifers – and a successful contract means that beginning in the 2024 water year, the grower will be farming using the sustainable/safe yield only for groundwater extraction. Any surface water or recharge pumping credits are unaffected under LandFlex. The program pays out for water conserved in the aquifer for the specified period of time offered by the grower.
Once the annual fallowing contract is complete, future pumping credits can be allocated to the acre by the GSA Sustainable Yield Allotment, based on the GSA’s surface water availability, recharge, and basin’s sustainable yield within the parameters of their GSP.
This contract will between the grower and the GSA. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will provide the contract outline and funding based on the GSA’s approval of each application.
The application will be approved or denied within 10 business days of submittal by the TAPs, and a contract will be provided to the grower within 5 days of that approval. Payment to the grower will arrive within 45 business days of signing the contract.
A successfully contracted grower will receive payment under Landflex at the beginning of the contract for ½ of the total estimated payment and a last payment at the end of the contract for the remaining ½ of the total estimated payment. A grower can use the payment calculator on the “Apply” page to estimate their total payment. The up-front payment should cover the immediate expenses associated with transitioning the acreage into a cover crop, along with the total orchard recycling costs and the purchase of replacement dairy feed. The back-half payment will account for the actual ET saved by the fallowing and balance the high or low end of the estimated savings to the aquifer.
Yes, cover crops are acceptable AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT IRRIGATED WITH GROUNDWATER. Pre-irrigation practices are acceptable. Savings to the aquifer must be clearly demonstrated at the end of the contract. Cover crops do use ET! Please estimate the cover crop ET usage in your overall payment for the ET savings! For a list of acceptable cover crops in the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s jurisdiction, check here or here.
At this time, there is no limitation on land enrolled in LandFlex from being enrolled in another conservation program such as NRCS’s EQIP, CDFA’s SWEEP, Pollinator Habitat Program, Healthy Soils, or MLRP under the Department of Conservation. Conservation and land improvement practices are encouraged. Learn more by visiting Farmers.gov and cdfa.ca.gov.
The purpose and goal of LandFlex is the protection and support of groundwater aquifers. This can be achieved through limiting the extraction of groundwater and through replenishing the aquifer both actively and passively. LandFlex does not restrict a grower’s ability to apply surface water to enrolled acres.
- GSAs and participating farmers must provide documentation to verify that the water applied during the LandFlex contract is entirely from surface water.
- LandFlex does not restrict or inhibit groundwater recharge when and where permitted by law.
- GSAs and participating growers must provide documentation to verify that water applied during the LandFlex contract is surface water with the intent of recharging the aquifer (active recharge), including volume when possible.
A grower should be prepared under Landflex to be able to provide copies of all expenses associated with transitioning the acreage into a low water using activity. These include receipts for full orchard or vineyard recycling, receipts for cover crop seed purchases, receipts or invoices for upcycled commodities for dairy feed replacements (such as almond hulls, citrus pulp, or peel). ALL RECEIPTS MUST BE DATED FROM DECEMBER 9th, 2022, to be ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENTS. The program does not want to pay for acreage that was already fallowed years prior.
Scoring Criteria & Well Locator Instructions
Mid-Kaweah GSA Grower Scoring Criteria
Application prioritization will be based on DWR Grower Scoring Criteria and Mid-Kaweah GSA Scoring Criteria.
- Eligibility Requirements
- Must be in the Mid-Kaweah GSA Subbasin jurisdictional boundaries
- Must be in good standing with the Mid-Kaweah GSA in which the land resides
- Scoring Criteria – Prioritization
- Proximity to surface water delivery & ability to conduct groundwater recharge
- Proximity land fallowed near domestic wells within the Mid-Kaweah GSA
- Strategic enrollment around the under represented communities within the Mid-Kaweah GSA
LandFlex Farmer Criteria -Well/s Location Instructions
- Growers will need the property address of land to be enrolled in LandFlex
- Growers to provide a screenshot, pdf, or jpeg attachment of well/s location with property pinned for BOTH the SGMA Portal results AND CA Groundwater Live results
- LandFlex guidelines include selection criteria for farmers based on the minimum distance to dry domestic wells
- All other instructions have been tailored to the specific needs of the awarded GSA’s
- Proximity to ability to conduct groundwater recharge will take priority in Mid-Kaweah GSA’s selection
- Proximity land fallowed near domestic wells within the Mid-Kaweah GSA
- Strategic enrollment around the under represented communities within the Mid-Kaweah GSA will also play a priority roll in grower selection
1. Download and Use the SGMA Portal
- https://sgma.water.ca.gov/webgis/?appid=SGMADataViewer#currentconditions
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Under “Current Conditions,” select the following boxes:
- Locally Reported Dry Wells, Check the “Reported”
- Density of Domestic Wells that are susceptible to going dry, Check the “Statewide Density Percentile Class”
- Screen Shot results to the nearest 3 mile estimation
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
2) Download the California Groundwater Live Site: Well Infrastructure website
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2b252d15a0d4e49887ba94ac17cc4bb
- Select “Public Supply Wells” mid-section of page
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Select “Groundwater Basin”
- Select “Community” under Public Supply Well Type
- Screen Shot results of ALL wells within 1 mile of the property
- Aside from Mid-Kaweah GSA specific instructions (see top bullets), properties having the most proximity to the most wells or the highest number of service connections will receive the highest priority for funding under Landflex
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
Criteria for Grower Application Acceptance:
- Proximity to domestic wells
- Proximity to deepest groundwater elevations
- Conversion to recharge basins
LandFlex Farmer Criteria -Well/s Location Instructions
- Growers will need the property address of land to be enrolled in LandFlex
- Growers to provide a screenshot, pdf, or jpeg attachment of well/s location with property pinned for BOTH the SGMA Portal results AND CA Groundwater Live results
- LandFlex guidelines include selection criteria for farmers based on the minimum distance to dry domestic wells
- All other instructions have been tailored to the specific needs of the awarded GSA’s
- Proximity to ability to conduct groundwater recharge will take priority in Mid-Kaweah GSA’s selection
- Proximity land fallowed near domestic wells within the Mid-Kaweah GSA
- Strategic enrollment around the under represented communities within the Mid-Kaweah GSA will also play a priority roll in grower selection
1. Download and Use the SGMA Portal
- https://sgma.water.ca.gov/webgis/?appid=SGMADataViewer#currentconditions
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Under “Current Conditions,” select the following boxes:
- Locally Reported Dry Wells, Check the “Reported”
- Density of Domestic Wells that are susceptible to going dry, Check the “Statewide Density Percentile Class”
- Screen Shot results to the nearest 3 mile estimation
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
2) Download the California Groundwater Live Site: Well Infrastructure website
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2b252d15a0d4e49887ba94ac17cc4bb
- Select “Public Supply Wells” mid-section of page
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Select “Groundwater Basin”
- Select “Community” under Public Supply Well Type
- Screen Shot results of ALL wells within 1 mile of the property
- Aside from Mid-Kaweah GSA specific instructions (see top bullets), properties having the most proximity to the most wells or the highest number of service connections will receive the highest priority for funding under Landflex
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
Criteria for Grower Application Acceptance:
- Proximity to domestic wells
- Proximity to deepest groundwater elevations
- Conversion to recharge basins
LandFlex Farmer Criteria -Well/s Location Instructions
- Growers will need the property address of land to be enrolled in LandFlex
- Growers to provide a screenshot, pdf, or jpeg attachment of well/s location with property pinned for BOTH the SGMA Portal results AND CA Groundwater Live results
- LandFlex guidelines include selection criteria for farmers based on the minimum distance to dry domestic wells
- All other instructions have been tailored to the specific needs of the awarded GSA’s
- Proximity to ability to conduct groundwater recharge will take priority in Mid-Kaweah GSA’s selection
- Proximity land fallowed near domestic wells within the Mid-Kaweah GSA
- Strategic enrollment around the under represented communities within the Mid-Kaweah GSA will also play a priority roll in grower selection
1. Download and Use the SGMA Portal
- https://sgma.water.ca.gov/webgis/?appid=SGMADataViewer#currentconditions
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Under “Current Conditions,” select the following boxes:
- Locally Reported Dry Wells, Check the “Reported”
- Density of Domestic Wells that are susceptible to going dry, Check the “Statewide Density Percentile Class”
- Screen Shot results to the nearest 3 mile estimation
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
2) Download the California Groundwater Live Site: Well Infrastructure website
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2b252d15a0d4e49887ba94ac17cc4bb
- Select “Public Supply Wells” mid-section of page
- Enter property to be enrolled under Landflex address
- Select “Groundwater Basin”
- Select “Community” under Public Supply Well Type
- Screen Shot results of ALL wells within 1 mile of the property
- Aside from Mid-Kaweah GSA specific instructions (see top bullets), properties having the most proximity to the most wells or the highest number of service connections will receive the highest priority for funding under Landflex
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf as an attachment in the grower application
LandFlex Farmer Criteria -Well/s Location Instructions
Pre-Application Instructions:
- Step 1: Review the Home Page at landflex.org for eligibility, required documents, and other resources.
- Priority Ranking [1]:
- LandFlex
- Distance to domestic wells
- Proximity to the most wells or the highest number of service connections
- Proximity to Underrepresented Community
- Westlands Water District GSA
- Proximity to subsidence prone areas
- Strategic enrollment of recharge projects within non drainage impaired lands
- LandFlex
- Priority Ranking [1]:
- Step 2: Visit the SGMA Portal
- https://sgma.water.ca.gov/webgis/?appid=SGMADataViewer#currentconditions
- Click the OK button in the pop up text box
- Click the END TOUR button in the pop up text box
- In the SGMA Data Viewer box enter the address of the property to be enrolled
- In the top left-hand corner of the screen, find the Current Conditions
- Under Locally Reported Dry Wells,
- Click on the box next to Reported
- Under Density of Domestic Wells that are susceptible to going dry,
- Click on the box next to Statewide Density Percentile Class
- In the SGMA Data Viewer box select the Measure tool
- Select the middle ruler Distance
- Select Miles from the dropdown menu on the right
- Click on your property and draw a 3 mile radius
- Capture the results to the nearest 3-mile estimation (screen shot/jpeg/pdf etc)
- Save the screen shot/jpeg/pdf for step 5
- Under Locally Reported Dry Wells,
- Step 3: Visit the California Groundwater Live Site: Well Infrastructure website
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2b252d15a0d4e49887ba94ac17cc4bb
- Scroll down and select Public Supply Wells
- Scroll down and click on the magnifying glass in the top right hand corner of the map
- Enter the address of the property to be enrolled
- Once the property is identified on the map, close the pop-up address box.
- In the top left-hand corner of the screen
- Select Groundwater Basin under Select a Filter
- Select SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY – WESTSIDE 5-022.09 from the dropdown menu under Filter Sub-Section
- Select Community under Public Supply Well Type
- Capture the results to the nearest 1-mile estimation (screen shot/jpeg/pdf etc)
- Include ALL wells within 1 mile of the property
- Save the screen shot/jpeg/pdf for step 5
Step 4: Visit Westlands Water District’s grower portal
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-
- Login into Westlands Water District’s grower portal Secure Account Selection (westlandswater.org)
- From the Menu, select Water History
- Capture screen shot/jpeg/pdf of SGMA Groundwater Allocation and SGMA Transitional Allocation from December 9th, 2022 to present
- Save the screen shot/jpeg/pdf for step 5
-
Step 5: Apply for LandFlex
-
- https://landflex.org/apply/
- Follow the on screen instructions
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf from step 2 as an attachment
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf from step 3 as an attachment
- Upload the screen shot/jpeg/pdf from step 4 as an attachment
[1] If there are limited funds, the more categories that are met will receive priority of funding. In the event of a tie, applications will be funded on a first come first serve basis.
Water Savings Calculation
- Lookup 2022 metered usage for all surface water meters and groundwater meters that deliver water to the parcel.
- The baseline is the 2022 total surface water meter and groundwater meter deliveries to the parcel.
- Lookup the 2022 crop report data for the parcel.
- Calculated crop water demand will be developed if the groundwater well service multiple parcels.
- Lookup 2023 metered usage for all surface water meters and groundwater meters that deliver water to the parcel.
- Confirm the parcel is used for recharge or has a planted cover crop.
- The $350/AF will be based on the metered savings. Meter savings=2022 metered groundwater use-2023 metered groundwater use.
- The $1,000/AF payment will be based on the size of the parcel and a transition allocation of 0.7 AF per acre.
