Water Deliveries Flow to Biola’s Groundwater Recharge Project for the First Time by North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency Jul 23, 2026 Member Submitted News BIOLA — For the first time, surface water from Fresno Irrigation District’s (FID) Herndon Canal is flowing into the Biola Community Services District’s (CSD) 6-acre groundwater recharge basin. This milestone marks the completion of the Biola Groundwater Recharge Project, which enables Biola, a groundwater-dependent disadvantaged community in northwest Fresno County, to be fully groundwater sustainable. Biola CSD may be the first to reach this groundwater sustainable milestone in a critically over drafted groundwater basin as defined by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Completed in 2024, the project includes a new turnout connecting FID’s Herndon Canal to the basin providing approximately 30 acre-feet of storage capacity. Together, the improvements allow Biola CSD to capture available surface water, replenish the local aquifer, and offset groundwater pumping under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). “This project represents years of planning and collaboration,” said Carmen Zamora, General Manager of Biola CSD. “For a small community like Biola, having the ability to recharge groundwater with surface water is a tremendous investment in our water resilient future.” The project was made possible through funding provided by the California Department of Water Resources and the County of Fresno, along with strong partnerships between Biola CSD, Fresno Irrigation District, North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), and local and regional stakeholders. “Projects like this show what can be accomplished when agencies work together toward a common goal,” said Kassy Chauhan, Executive Officer of North Kings GSA. “Every successful recharge project strengthens local groundwater supplies and helps our region move closer to achieving long-term groundwater sustainability under SGMA.” The community is invited to join Biola CSD and project partners at an upcoming ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, at 9:00 AM. The event will take place at the basin located in the community of Biola, North 4th Street and West H Street, Kerman, CA. North Kings GSA continues to work with community partners to identify opportunities that improve groundwater conditions while protecting water reliability for the communities they serve. The Biola Groundwater Recharge Project demonstrates how strategic local investments can help small communities achieve sustainable groundwater management well ahead of the State’s 2040 sustainable groundwater deadline. Read more highlights about the project here or watch the video with project partners. ###
