PublicWorkshopontheSustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

- SGMA-

October2017

WhyShouldWeCare?

ThislawCOULD resultin:• Limitsongroundwaterpumping

• Groundwaterfees/taxes

• Statecontroloflocalgroundwaterresources

Agenda

• WelcomeandOverview• ManagingGroundwater

– Whycare?– What’sRequired?• SGMAintheCosumnesSubbasin• Near-TermEffortsandGrantScope• PublicOutreach• NextSteps

SMGA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

WelcomeandOverview

OriginsofSGMA

SGMA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

GSA=GroundwaterSustainabilityAgency

ManagingGroundwater

• Whyshouldwecare?– Avoidstateintervention– Maintainlocalcontrol– Keepgroundwateravailable(sustainable)

• What’srequired?– FormGroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)– GroundwaterSustainabilityPlan(GSP)by2022– Achievesustainabilityby2042

ü

LawRequirements

• Lawalsocallsformeaningfulstakeholderengagement– Maintainlistofinterestedparties– Fosterbroadparticipationandinput– Considertheinterestsofbeneficialusesandusersofgroundwaterinthebasin,aswellaslandusesandpropertyinterestspotentiallyaffectedbygroundwaterusebasin

• Tonightisthepartofanongoingseriesofpublicoutreachefforts

SGMA– StateLegislature’sResponsetoOngoingProblem

SMGA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

CriticallyOverdrafted Basins

What’srequired:SGMABasics

TheSustainableGroundwaterManagementAct1. Localcontrol(governance)ispreferred2. Ensuresustainablegroundwater3. Definethresholds&actionsinyourPlan4. ContinualperiodicStatereview5. AvoidStateintervention(State“backstop”)

SMGA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

SGMAinCosumnesSubbasin

• Whowillmanageyourgroundwater• Localagencies• Agencyroles• WritingthePlan• Demonstratingsustainability

SMGA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct

Whowillmanageourgroundwater?

• Local:GroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)• 7GSAsinCosumnesSubbasin

– AmadorCountyGroundwaterManagementAuthority– Sloughhouse RCD– Omuchumne-HartnellWD– GaltID– ClayWD– CityofGalt– SacramentoCounty

Whowillmanageourgroundwater?

• Local:GroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)• 7GSAsinCosumnesSubbasin

– AmadorCountyGroundwaterManagementAuthority– Sloughhouse RCD– Omuchumne-HartnellWD– GaltID– ClayWD– CityofGalt– SacramentoCounty

AmadorCountyGroundwaterManagementAuthority

AuthorityMembers

• AmadorCounty

• AmadorWaterAgency

• JacksonValleyIrrigationDistrict

GroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)

• GSAeligibility– Publicagency– Locallandorwateruseresponsibility

• Flexiblemanagementstructure• CouldbeoneGSAforbasinor

multipleGSAsthatcoordinate• EmpowersGSAsto:

– Measureextractions– Conductstudies– Manageextractions– Assessfees– Achievesustainability

GSAs- GroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies-

GSA=GroundwaterSustainabilityAgency

SGMA RolesDWR=Calif.Dept.ofWaterResourcesSWRCB=StateWaterResourcesControlBoardGSA=GroundwaterSustainabilityAgency

Stepthree

AchieveSustainability

20yearsafteradoptionofplan

• Annualreports(waterextraction,storage)

• Prevent“undesirableresults”

SGMAStepstoCompliance

Stepone

FormGroundwaterSustainabilityAgency(ies)– GSA–

June30,2017

100%coverage:nomore,noless

Steptwo

DevelopGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan– GSP–

January31,2022• Sustainable

managementcriteria;

• Implementationthresholds&actions

SGMA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementActGSA=GroundwaterSustainabilityAgencyGSP=GroundwaterSustainabilityPlan

SGMA– ConsequencesofFailure(aka“StateIntervention”)

• StateWaterBoardstepsin• WaterExtraction/reportingFees

• MandatedWaterMeters• WaterPlanningFees• StateWaterBoardpreparesInterimPlan

• BasinstillneedstoprepareGSP

FeesFiling $130/wellProbation $40/AFInterimplan $55/AFDeminimis $100/well

Forag:over$300/acre*

*estimatedcost

SGMA=SustainableGroundwaterManagementActGSP=GroundwaterSustainabilityPlan

SustainabilityMeans…

… avoiding “undesirable results”

UndesirableResults1. Chronic lowering of groundwater levels2. Reductions in groundwater storage3. Seawater intrusion 4. Degradation of water quality 5. Significant land subsidence 6. Surface water depletions from groundwater

DevelopingThePlan

• TheGSAshaveuntilJanuary2022tocompleteaGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan

• ThesevenGSAsareworkingtodevelopasingleintegratedplanfortheBasin– TheplanwillhavespecificcomponentsuniquetoeachGSA

• Mustdemonstratesustainability

• Technicalanalysis– Conceptualmodel– Waterbudget

• Lookintothefuture…– Computermodel– Play“whatif”games

• Definemilestonesandthresholds 20422022

Projected Future

Howdoyoudemonstrate“sustainability”?

(Sub)Basin&GSAs- Piecesofawhole-

Staterequiressingle:– DataSet– Methodology– Coor.Agreement– PointofContact

Requirescoordinated:– GWmodels– Sustainableyields– Plans

GSA=GroundwaterSustainabilityAgency

ThePlanisaBIG challenge

Required• Coordination• Negotiation• Funding($2M+)• Lotsofoutreach• Complexscience• Jointfact-finding• Maintainautonomy

Otherfactors• Consequencesarehigh• Planisduein2022• Autonomy+SingleSubmittal

• After2022:annualreportsand5-yearupdates

DRAFTGrantApplication

• Incrementalapproach

• EachPhase– Governance– Coordination– TechnicalImplementation

– StakeholderEngagement

– Funding

ProjectManagementandAdministration

Phase1

GSPFoundation

2015– 2018

Phase2

BasinCharact.&Analysis

2018– 2019

Phase3

Sust.Planning

2019– 2020

Phase4

GSPPrep.&Submittal

2020–2022

Costs&Funding

StateGrantRequest37%

ExistingStateGrant2%WaterForum

30%

LocalAgencies

9%

Sac.County18%

CityofGalt4%

GrantFunding

• FundsfromProp1throughDWR• Grantsupto$1Mor50%(whicheverisless)• FundsONLYforPlanpreparation(andstudies)• OnlyoneapplicationperBasin• Demonstratedpublicengagement• Crediblescopeofworkneeded• Demonstrationofbasincollaborationkey

DWR=Calif.Dept.ofWaterResources

Conclusion:SGMAisComplexandHighStakes

GettingInvolved

• ThesevenGSAshaveorganizedintoaBasinWorkingGroup

• Meetingsareopentothepublic• Meetingsummariesarepostedtoawebpage

– cosumnes.waterforum.org• Periodicworkshopswillbeheldthroughouttheplanningeffort

• Draftdocumentswillbeavailableforpublicreviewandcomment.

QUESTIONSANDCOMMENTS

NextSteps

Next4Years• It’sallabouttheGrantApplication!!!– GrantapplicationsdueonNovember13th

• PreparethePlan– Analyses– UndesirableResults– Sustainableyield– ManagementActions

2022thru2042• ImplementthePlan• Monitoring• Reporting• Possibly:managementactions

• Unknown:long-termcosts

YourInput:EngagingWaterUsers+thePublic

Howdoweensureinterestedwaterusersarewellinformedandtheirperspectivesaremeaningfullyinformingplandevelopment?• Whatfrequencyofinvolvement?• Whereandwhen?• Whattopicsareofgreatestinteresttoyou?• Howtogetthewordout?