sustainable pajaro valley groundwater sustainability plan proposal …€¦ · ·...

SustainablePajaroValley

GROUNDWATERSUSTAINABILITYPLANPROPOSAL

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ATTACHMENT4WORKPLANThe following Scope of Work lists and describes the tasks, subtasks and applicable deliverables for development, preparation and submittal of the Pajaro Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan (PVGSP), consistent with all Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) regulations for the Pajaro Valley Groundwater Subbasin. As documented in the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PV Water) Alternative submittal to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in December 2016, the PV Water Basin Management Plan (BMP) along with other PV Water documents satisfy the intent of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) for groundwater sustainability planning. As DWR’s decision on accepting PV Water’s Alternative submittal is not due until 2018, this work plan addresses the possibility that PV Water will have to develop a GSP for the Subbasin by the deadline of January 2020 for basins in critical overdraft. Even if DWR does not accept the BMP and other PV Water documents as an Alternative to a GSP, information from the BMP and other PV Water documents can be used for much of the GSP. Thus, the work plan describes the work that has already been completed that meets GSP regulations, additional work required to enhance the documentation and specifically meet GSP regulations, where needed, and tasks to compile the information into a stand-alone report to be submitted to DWR as a GSP. The tasks are outlined below, followed by a detailed discussion of the tasks. • Task 1. Project and Grant Management

o Subtask 1.1. DWR Grant Contracting o Subtask 1.2. Consultant Contracting o Subtask 1.3. Project and Grant Administration

§ Baseline Schedule and Management § Baseline Budget and Management § Team and Agency Coordination

o Subtask 1.4. Grant Invoicing and Reporting § Quarterly Invoices § Quarterly Progress Reports § Final Project Reports

• Task 2. Groundwater Sustainability Plan Development and Chapters o Subtask 2.1. GSP Administrative Information (CCR §354.4, §354.6) o Subtask 2.2. GSP Notice and Communication (CCR §354.10)

§ Confirm GSP Stakeholders § Workshop to Develop Shared Project Understanding § Survey Assessment of Key Stakeholders § Community Outreach and Engagement Plan § Plan, Coordinate and Facilitate Stakeholder Engagement in GSP Development § Inter-Agency Coordination

o Subtask 2.3. GSP Plan Area and Basin Setting (CCR §354.8, §354.14-§354.20) § Summary of Jurisdictional Areas and Other Features § Water Resource Monitoring and Management Programs § Land Use Elements and General Plans § Additional GSP Elements § Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model § Current and Historical Groundwater Conditions § Water Budget Information § Management Areas (as Applicable)



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o Subtask 2.4. Sustainable Management Criteria (CCR §354.24-CCR §354.30) § Sustainability Goal § Minimum Thresholds § Measurable Objectives § Interim Milestones § Undesirable Results

o Subtask 2.5. Monitoring Network (CCR §354.34-CCR §354.40) § Description of Monitoring Network § Monitoring Protocols for Data Collection and Monitoring § Representative Monitoring § Assessment and Improvement of Monitoring Network § New Monitoring Wells

o Subtask 2.6. Projects and Management Actions to Achieve Sustainability (CCR §354.44) § Current Projects § Supplemental Projects (if necessary)

o Subtask 2.7. Plan Implementation (CCR §356.2, §356.4) § Estimate of GSP Implementation § Schedule for Implementation § Annual Reporting § Periodic Evaluations

o Subtask 2.8. References and Technical Studies (CCR §354.4) o Subtask 2.9. Finalize and Submit GSP

Task1.ProjectandGrantManagementPV Water, as the applicant, will act as the grant manager for the Proposition 1 grant to prepare the PVGSP. PV Water will administer these funds and respond to DWR’s reporting and compliance requirements associated with the grant administration. PV Water will act in a coordination role: disseminating grant compliance information to the project team responsible for implementing the tasks in this agreement, obtaining and retaining evidence of compliance (e.g., task deliverables, data, etc.), obtaining data for progress reports from individual project team members, assembling and submitting progress reports to the State, and coordinating all invoicing and payment of invoices. Detailed subtask descriptions, deliverables and percent complete are provided below.

Subtask1.1.DWRGrantContractingPV Water, as the applicant and grant administrator, will enter into an agreement with DWR establishing the terms and conditions of the grant. This task involves coordinating the preparation and execution of the agreement including changes enhancements or adjustments to the work plan, schedule or budget, if requested by DWR.

Deliverable: • Executed DWR Grant Agreement

Subtask1.2.ConsultantContractingPV Water will contract with consultant(s), as needed, to develop the PVGSP. This task involves soliciting and contracting with consultant(s) to ensure all grant agreement conditions and deliverables will be met. PV Water has an existing contract with the US Geologic Survey to complete some of the required groundwater modeling.

Deliverable: • Executed Consultant Contract(s)



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Subtask1.3.ProjectandGrantAdministrationPV Water will create a baseline schedule and budget, consistent with the Grant Agreement. PV Water will monitor task activities and adjust the baseline schedule and budget, if needed, and identify actions needed to mitigate schedule or budget changes and coordinate these actions with the consultant(s). Any issues or required amendments will be documented and reported to DWR.

Deliverables: • Baseline Schedule and Budget, updated Schedules and Budgets

Subtask1.4.GrantInvoicingandReportingPV Water will be responsible for compiling invoices for submittal to DWR. This includes collecting invoice documentation from each of the consultants, verifying all costs are eligible, and compiling the information into a DWR Invoice Packet, as required by the Grant Agreement. PV Water will be responsible for preparing quarterly progress reports for submittal to DWR. PV Water will require each consultant to prepare and submit progress reports with monthly invoices to aid in the preparation of quarterly progress reports. Reports will meet generally accepted professional standards for technical reporting and the requirements terms of the contract with DWR outlined in the Grant Agreement. For example, progress reports will explain the status of the project and will include the following information:

• Summary of the work completed for the project during the reporting period; • Activities and milestones achieved; and • Accomplishments and any problems encountered in the performance of work.

PV Water will prepare a final project and grant completion report. The report will include:

• Documentation of actual work done; • Changes and amendments, if any; • Final schedule showing actual progress versus planned progress; • Summary of how the completed plan meets the goals and requirements of the funding

program; • Copies of final documents and reports generated during the project; and • Plan to meet the continued implementation and reporting requirements of the program. Deliverables: • Quarterly Invoices Progress Reports • Project and Grant Completion Report

Task1ProjectandGrantManagement

Task PercentComplete Notes

1.1.DWRGrantContracting 0% Willbeginimmediatelyfollowingdraftgrantnotification

1.2.ConsultantContracting 0% Willbeginduringgrantagreementdevelopment

1.3.ProjectandGrantAdmin. 0% Willbeginimmediatelyfollowingdraftgrantnotification

1.4.GrantInvoicing&Reporting 0% Willbeginimmediatelyfollowinggrantagreementexecution



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Task2.GroundwaterSustainabilityPlanDevelopmentandChaptersTask 2 includes all of the activities associated with the development, preparation and submittal of the PVGSP, consistent with all GSP Regulations for the Pajaro Valley Groundwater Basin. PV Water manages the basin based on several recent planning documents, which will be the source of information needed to complete many of the chapters of the PVGSP. These documents, listed below, were cited in PV Water’s Alternate GSP Submittal to DWR. Activities associated with compiling, referencing and summarizing relevant documents is included in Subtask 2.8. The specific information from the reference documents utilized to support the development of plan chapters is described in each subtask.

• Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Annual Reports (1998 – 2016) • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Salt and Nutrient Management Plan (2016) • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Basin Management Plan Update (2014) • Integrated Draft Environmental Impact Report for Pajaro Valley Water Management

Agency Basin Management Plan Update (2014) • USGS Integrated Hydrologic Model of Pajaro Valley (2014) • Groundwater Monitoring Network Review, Modifications, and Recommended

Improvements (2016) • USGS Update of Pajaro Valley Hydrologic Model (due December 2017) • Watsonville Slough Hydrologic Monitoring (WY 2016-2017) • College Lake Hydrologic Monitoring (WY 2016-2017) • Monterey and Santa Cruz County Ordinances

Subtask2.1.GSPAdministrativeInformation(CCR§354.6)Subtask 2.1 includes the development of the PVGSP’s Introduction, Purpose and Goal, and Agency Information and Authority sections consistent with GSP regulations CCR section §354.6. As stated in the Alternative Plan submittal to DWR, the required information has been prepared in the documents referenced above. This task involves the compilation of the existing information into Chapter 1 of the PVGSP GSP to meet the Administrative Information requirements of CCR §354.6. It should be noted that the requirement to estimate the cost of implementing the plan is included in Subtask 2.7. This subtask involves compiling the agency and authority information developed in the reference documents under Subtask 2.8 and will begin immediately following grant award (0% complete).

Deliverable: • Chapter 1 of the PVGSP, covering CCR section §354.6

Subtask2.2.GSPNoticeandCommunication(CCR§354.10)The communications during GSP development will build on a long-term PV Water commitment to stakeholders who have a vested interest in a sustainable water supply. Not only is community engagement and outreach a part of PV Water’s philosophy, it has proven valuable in both of our most recent critical groundwater studies including the Basin Management Plan Update (BMP Update, February 2014) and Salt Nutrient Management Plan (SNMP, October 2016) which both serve as foundational to identifying outcomes in managing and implementing our basin sustainability. Through these two processes, PV Water reached out to stakeholders and engaged the community in a meaningful process of input at critical milestones. This process provided education on the basin’s capacity and risks of not developing a reliable water supply. As a



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result, this community based process resulted in the understanding of the key issues, risks of not creating reliable water supply, and ultimately in a set of solutions for implementation. As a result of both the BMP Update and SNMP, we have gained valuable experience in these two communications and outreach processes and communication structures that PV Water can apply and customize to our GSP process – we know what has worked and what to anticipate in order to build consensus and agreement for a path forward and implementing solutions. As required by the regulations and guidelines, this chapter of the PVGSP will identify and describe the beneficial uses and users, include the Strategic Communications Guide, detail the decision making process, and summarize the public meetings and comments. Much of this work has been completed and only requires minor modifications to better support the specific GSP needs. Confirm GSP Stakeholders While PV Water is not starting from a blank slate given all the prior engagement processes, we will go beyond the initial outreach of the BMP Update as suggested above with additional outreach and invitations to participate as part of the PVGSP. Engagement begins with identifying who should be engaged by asking: whose interests will be significantly affected by development and implementation of a GSP for the Subbasin. The online GSA formation filing with DWR identifies a list of over 100 Interested Parties in Section E. This task will ensure that we test assumptions that the BMP Update did not leave any stakeholders out, particularly as PV Water moves into implementation of sustainability projects. Additional stakeholders through an independent evaluation to go beyond the BMP Update will include categories such as:

• Independent groundwater pumpers in agriculture at different scales including coastal versus inland perspectives

• Residential water users • Native American tribes • Federal and state resource agencies (Resource Conservation Districts, Natural

Resources Conservation Service) • Additional DAC and SDAC communities • Private companies

Workshop to Develop Shared Project Understanding After updating and verifying the GSP stakeholders, PV Water will publicly initiate the GSP development process with a workshop, intended to building understanding of the GSP requirements and process. The “kickoff” workshop would likely be structured primarily around the GSA Board and members, the Advisory Committee, and any technical staff assigned to the GSP effort. The workshop also would be open to the public and provide an opportunity for input from the public. Our focus would be on shared understanding of SGMA and the GSP



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development process; we would emphasize clear and realistic expectations about roles and responsibilities, opportunities to participate in the survey assessment and GSP development, and availability of key technical information. Other potential workshop topics include:

• GSP Shared Understanding: It will be essential to confirm the decision making and representation framework established by PV Water for GSP development and adoption. This topic includes the functioning of the GSA, its funding and other resources, its management, and the role and authority of the Advisory Committee.

• GSP Approach: This topic includes developing a shared vision for GSP success; creating GSP process goals and metrics for progress and decision making; anticipating challenges and opportunities; and identifying key deliverables and milestones including Advisory Committee charter.

• GSP Engagement Strategy: Creating a strategy to identify and engage Stakeholder participants and their interests and anticipated concerns through a stakeholder assessment. PV Water recently developed a community engagement strategy and plan (discussed below); this task would involve identifying any special considerations for GSP development.

Survey Assessment of Key Stakeholders For the Survey Assessment, we will design and conduct a focused, efficient assessment step in order to ensure that we have a reliable understanding of stakeholder needs, priorities, interests, and concerns related to:

• Participation in the GSP process and gap analysis from BMP • Quality of, access to and uses of information and technical tools including models • Decision making for the GSP – how will the Advisory Committee operate? • Vision for GSP success • Concerns or interests related to GSP implementation including future GSA decisions

about: Who pays? For what? How much? And why? • Role(s) of the GSP team including objectivity and lack of bias • Former processes and outcomes that can be integrated into the GSP on decisions that

augment the success of the GSP (ie BMP Implementation Projects) The tools for this assessment tentatively include an online survey and a limited number of individual and group discussions. We will prepare a summary of key findings and recommendations that will inform other tasks. Community Outreach and Engagement Plan PV Water has prepared a Community Outreach and Engagement Plan (COEP). This task involves making amendments, if needed, to better suit the GSP development process and respond to the information gained from the workshop and survey. Based on the new information, we will modify the existing COEP. The plan’s changes will depend on what we learn in the workshop and assessment to a significant extent. Our experience and knowledge of SGMA suggest the following will be included:

• Specific GSP engagement goals • Key stakeholders’ interests related to GSP components including Sustainability Goal,

Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Criteria • Specific GSP engagement activities such as facilitation of stakeholder interactions with

technical team • GSA’s decision making process



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• Inter-basin engagement needs and opportunities such as with Aromas WD, and Monterey and San Benito Counties as well as neighboring basins such as Santa Cruz Mid-County Basin, Purisima Highlands Subbasin, Salinas Valley Basin Eastside-Aquifer and Langley Area Subbasins

• Opportunities for participation and how public input will be considered • Approach to outreach and education for the interested public including how the public

will be kept informed • Recommended methods of communication • Website and other tools for access

The COEP will identify opportunities for meaningful engagement to improve outcomes, optimize resources, broaden support, and reduce conflict. It will consider both intra-basin and inter-basin dimensions of engagement. Equally important, the COEP will explicitly focus on meeting the minimum requirements identified in SGMA and its regulations. For example, the GSP must have a section that explains the GSA’s decision making process, identifies opportunities for public engagement, and describes how the GSA encourages active involvement from diverse elements of the Basin’s population. PV Water has an established and successful decision making structure that was used for the BMP Update which serves as a model to launch from for our GSP approach. PV Water is governed by a seven-member board of directors that represents the users of groundwater within the Agency’s boundaries. Four directors are directly elected by voters within their division and three directors are separately appointed by Monterey County, Santa Cruz County, and the City of Watsonville. In addition, PV Water regularly convenes committees of interested stakeholders to study and make recommendations to the board on important agency decisions. Our BMP Update is the product of a multi-year collaborative effort by a stakeholder committee comprised of representatives as indicated in the figure and listed below:

• PV Water staff and directors • Local governmental agencies, including Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey, City of

Watsonville, Pajaro Sunny Mesa Community Services District, Aromas Water District • Farm Bureaus from Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties • San Andreas Mutual Water Company • Community Water Dialogue • DAC and SDAC communities: Watsonville, Pajaro, and other communities as identified

in the Pajaro River Watershed IRWM Plan • Individuals from the landowner, grower, rural residential, and environmental communities

PV Water included the stakeholders in key milestone meetings where they had input throughout the process and in identifying priority projects as solutions. Due to this successful community-based process, we will continue to engage these parties and any other interested persons or entities as we implement the BMP and launch the GSP process. Plan, Coordinate and Facilitate Stakeholder Engagement in GSP Development As elements of the plan are developed, a central engagement task will be facilitating the interaction of the GSA’s designated representatives (Advisory Committee), other stakeholders, and the interested public. These interactions will occur primarily in the context of the Advisory Committee; they also may involve one or more ad hoc technical committees; and they may also involve the Board and GSA members. These assumptions will be addressed as part of the initial



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workshop. Our engagement strategy anticipates developing an agreed framework for GSP development with the Advisory Committee; this framework will be added to the COEP. The framework will include customized engagement approaches for each key element that will be identified as part of a gap analysis that identifies information missing from the BMP to meet GSP requirements and will include Sustainability Criteria and Measurable Objectives. These approaches will vary depending on where it is critical to reach agreements within the Advisory Committee, and where it is sufficient to ensure that all key viewpoints and concerns are heard without seeking agreement. This scope, schedule and budget assumes eight meetings throughout the development of the GSP. There will also be additional stakeholder education and engagement opportunities through the Agency’s BMP implementation activities and meetings. Meeting products may include: communication tools such as Website Update, PowerPoint for public meetings, meeting announcements, agendas, and sign in sheets both in Spanish and English.

Inter-Agency Coordination In addition to stakeholder outreach, PV Water will facilitate inter-agency coordination. Inter-agency coordination will include inter-basin coordination meetings with representatives from the adjacent Santa Cruz Mid-County Basin, Purisima Highlands Subbasin of the Corralitos Basin, and the Langley Area and 180/400 ft Aquifer Subbasins of the Salinas Valley. The purpose of these meetings is to ensure that the Parajo Valley Subbasin’s GSP does not adversely affect



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the adjacent basins from attaining their sustainability goals; and conversely that the adjacent basin GSPs do not adversely affect the Parajo Valley Subbasin from attaining its sustainability goal (Regulations §350.4(f), §354.28(b)(3), §354.38(e)(4)). It is not expected that formal coordination agreements with the adjoining basins will be executed. Given the significant amount of work already completed, this task is considered 50% complete.

Deliverables: • Meeting agenda, presentations, summaries and other materials • Survey Assessment of Stakeholders • Community Outreach and Engagement Plan • Subchapter 2.1.5 of the PVGSP covering CCR section §354.10

Subtask2.3.GSPPlanAreaandBasinSetting(CCR§354.8,§354.12-§354.20)As required by the regulations and guidelines, PV Water’s technical consultant will incorporate the appropriate information from available referenced documents into this chapter of the PVGSP. Specifically, these documents will be used for the following portions of Plan Area and Basin Setting: Plan Area Information Available

• Summary of jurisdictional area and other features • Water resources monitoring and management programs

o Existing monitoring networks and protocols o Description of conjunctive use programs o Summary of the process for permitting new or replacement wells

• Additional GSP elements o Control of saline water intrusion o Well abandonment and well destruction programs o Well construction policies o Replenishment of groundwater extractions o Conjunctive use and underground storage o Efficient water management practices o Relationship with State and federal agencies

Basin Setting Information Available

• Hydrogeologic conceptual model • Current and historical groundwater conditions

o Groundwater contour maps o Maps of seawater intrusion o Groundwater quality issues o Land subsidence

• Historical water budget • Groundwater model by USGS: Pajaro Valley Hydrologic Model (PVHM) as updated in

2017 Work by PV Water’s technical consultant to compile the existing information from these plans and documents also involves preparing new maps that contain, at a minimum, all the features specified in the GSP annotated outline.



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PV Water’s technical consultant will develop some additional information required by the GSP annotated outline that is not contained in existing plans and documents. The USGS will support PV Water’s technical consultant with use of the PVHM model for some of this information. The items and topics that need additional work are: Plan Area Information Needed

• Land use elements or topic categories of applicable General Plans o A summary of general plans and other land use plans governing the basin. o A general description of how implementation of existing land use plans may change

water demands within the basin or affect the ability of the Agency to achieve sustainable groundwater management over the planning and implementation horizon, and how the Plan addresses those potential effects.

o A general description of how implementation of the Plan may affect the water supply assumptions of relevant land use plans over the planning and implementation horizon.

o Land use map of basin. Use PV Water crop mapping plus General Plans of County and City of Watsonville.

o To the extent known, the Agency may include information regarding the implementation of land use plans outside the basin that could affect the ability of the Agency to achieve sustainable groundwater management.

• Additional GSP elements o Addressing groundwater contamination cleanup, recharge, diversions to storage,

conservation, water recycling, conveyance, and extraction projects. o Impacts on groundwater dependent ecosystems.

Basin Setting Information Needed

• Identification of data gaps and uncertainty within the hydrogeologic conceptual model • Current and historical conditions

o Update long-term hydrographs through 2016. o Update graph depicting estimates of the change in groundwater in storage, based on

PVHM model, demonstrating the annual and cumulative change in the volume of groundwater in storage between seasonal high groundwater conditions, including the annual groundwater use and water year type.

o Identification of interconnected surface water systems within the basin and an estimate of the quantity and timing of depletions of those systems.

• Water Budgets o Current water budget using PVHM model (last 10 years) o Estimate of sustainable yield using PVHM model based on sustainable management

criteria developed in Task 2.4. o A quantitative evaluation of the availability or reliability of historical surface water

supply deliveries as a function of the historical planned versus actual annual surface water deliveries, by surface water source and water year type, and based on the most recent ten years of surface water supply information.

o Projected water budgets, climate change, and sea level rise for 50 year planning period based on USGS modeling due for completion December 2017.

o Use projected water budgets to estimate future baseline conditions of supply, demand, and aquifer response to Plan implementation, and to identify the uncertainties of these projected water budget components.



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• Evaluation of need and delineation of Management Areas. The majority of the work needed to establish Management Areas will be conducted during development of sustainable management criteria in Task 2.4. This subtask will need to completed once sustainable management criteria have been developed.

PV Water’s technical consultant will prepare the text, charts, and maps required to complete the subsections of the PVGSP related to Plan Area and Basin Setting, per the GSP annotated outline. This subtask involves compiling the information developed under Subtask 2.8 and developing the basin setting information as required. This subtask is considered 60% complete.

Deliverable: • Chapter 2 of the PVGSP, covering CCR section §354.8 for Plan Area, CCR sections

§354.12 through §354.18 for Basin Setting, and CCR section §354.20 for Management Areas.

Subtask2.4.SustainableManagementCriteria(CCR§354.24-§354.30)The purpose of this task is to develop the Sustainable Management Criteria (SMC) for the six sustainability indicators that define sustainability and provide the metrics by which successful management will be measured. The deliverable of this task will be the majority of Chapter 3 of the PVGSP as outlined in DWR’s GSP annotated outline. As the SMC define sustainability, DWR considers this task to be the most important part of a GSP. Existing PV Water documents, such as the BMP, include criteria consistent with the intent of SGMA. However, given the criteria and documents were developed prior to SGMA requirements, the criteria will be reviewed and refined to clearly demonstrate consistency. Identifying SMC is not a linear process, but requires working iteratively between the subtasks to propose, clarify, and define the sustainability goal, minimum thresholds, measurable objectives, undesirable results, and interim milestones. Finalizing these criteria will be an iterative process that requires stakeholder input, technical analyses, stakeholder facilitation and possibly conflict resolution to arrive at broad agreement on the definition of undesirable results. This iterative process is illustrated in the figure below, where criteria are developed based on several iterations successively building up to the final criteria. The numbers on the figure represent steps that will iterate among the various SMCs. The figure shows that we plan on addressing Minimum Thresholds multiple times (steps 3 and 8), and Measurable Objectives multiple times (steps 4, 9, and 12). PV Water will engage stakeholders for each of these steps to ensure the SMC reflect local interests for what sustainability means for the Pajaro Valley Subbasin. Each of these steps, sometimes in combination, will be addressed at stakeholder advisory committee meetings. Sustainability Goal PV Water and its technical consultant will develop the first part of the draft sustainability goal at the onset of the project in order to set the guiding concepts for basin sustainability. The draft goal will identify the applicable sustainability indicators for the Pajaro Valley Subbasin and include draft descriptions of the undesirable results for each of the sustainability indicators based on an assessment of what local groundwater users consider significant and unreasonable. This assessment will include working with environmental concerns for important sustainability indicators such as surface water depletion. This draft goal will then evolve over the development of the sustainable management criteria. PV Water will finalize the sustainability



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goal after all other SMC have been developed. Thus, the final sustainability goal will be the result of the PV Water working with its consultant and stakeholders to define how groundwater may be managed over a 20-year planning and implementation horizon that culminates in the absence of undesirable results, and achieves sustainability.

Iterative Process of Developing Sustainability Management Criteria

Minimum Thresholds Minimum thresholds are the quantitative values for each applicable sustainability indicator used to define undesirable results. Minimum Thresholds will reflect what is locally significant and unreasonable for the basin’s groundwater users and uses. The assessment of what local groundwater users consider significant and unreasonable will have informed the draft descriptions of undesirable results in the draft sustainability goal. Based on the draft descriptions of undesirable results, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop concepts on the bases for minimum thresholds for applicable sustainability indicators. These bases may include proposing the use of groundwater levels as proxies for minimum thresholds for certain sustainability indicators. This will require that PV Water’s consultant develop a clear correlation between groundwater elevations and the required sustainability indicator. PV



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Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee on the conceptual options will be facilitated to arrive at agreement on the bases for minimum thresholds. Then, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop specific quantitative minimum thresholds at representative monitoring points for consideration by the stakeholder advisory committee. Per DWR’s GSP guidelines, minimum thresholds in the GSP will be supported with discussions of:

• How minimum thresholds are established for each relevant sustainability indicator, • How minimum thresholds are selected to avoid causing undesirable results, • How minimum thresholds may affect interests of beneficial uses/users of groundwater or

land uses/property interests, and • How each minimum threshold is quantitatively measured for each relevant sustainability

indicator. PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee to arrive at agreement on the minimum thresholds. Based on the agreed-upon minimum thresholds, PV Water’s technical consultant will finalize description of minimum thresholds at representative monitoring points. Measurable Objectives Measurable objectives set above minimum thresholds will be based on agreed upon basin operational flexibility, and guided by the historical water budget and groundwater elevation information. Applying operational ranges to the minimum thresholds will result in initial estimates of measurable objectives. These may be refined and adjusted based on an understanding of future groundwater management pracices. As with minimum thresholds, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop concepts on the bases for operational flexibility and measurable objectives for applicable sustainability indicators. If groundwater level proxies are used for minimum thresholds, groundwater level proxies will also be used for measurable objectives. PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee on the conceptual options will be facilitated to arrive at agreement on the bases for minimum thresholds. Then, based on agreed upon bases for operational flexibility, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop specific quantitative measurable objectives at the representative monitoring points used for corresponding minimum thresholds for consideration by the stakeholder advisory committee. Per DWR’s GSP guidelines, measurable objectives in the GSP will be supported with discussions of:

• Describing each measurable objective, • How the measurable objectives are established for each sustainability indicator, and • How a reasonable margin of operational flexibility was established for each measurable

objective.



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PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee to arrive at agreement on the measurable objectives. Based on the agreed-upon measurable objectives, PV Water’s technical consultant will finalize description of measurable objectives at representative monitoring points. Interim Milestones Interim milestones are quantitative targets used to assess progress towards measurable objectives and sustainability every five years (IM on figure below) up to the 20 years at which time sustainability needs to be achieved. PVGSP will describe the interim milestones in the section on measurable objectives as listed in DWR’s annotated outline for GSPs described above. However, PV Water and its technical consultant will define the interim milestones after defining the measurable objectives and deciding on projects to achieve measurable objectives within 20 years (Subtask 2.6) so interim milestones are included as a separate subtask.

As discussed in Subtask 2.6, the PVHM will be used to simulate projects to evaluate whether measurable objectives are achieved by 2040. As part of Subtask 2.6, PV Water will select a combination of projects to include in the PVGSP that achieves measurable objectives and sustainability. For this subtask, PV Water’s technical consultant will evaluate the sustainability criteria over time in results from model simulations of the selected projects to specify quantitative interim milestones at the representative monitoring points for consideration by the stakeholder advisory committee.

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IM#1 IM#3IM#2Sustainable



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PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee to arrive at agreement on the interim milestones. Based on the agreed-upon interim milestones, PV Water’s technical consultant will finalize description of interim milestones at representative monitoring points. Management Areas The GSP regulations allow for definition of multiple management areas with different minimum thresholds and measurable objectives than the rest of the basin. It may be appropriate to define multiple management areas in the Pajaro Valley Subbasin, such as the coastal and inland areas. However, the definition of undesirable results needs to be consistent with the rest of the basin so this discussion takes place after agreement on definition and concepts for minimum thresholds and measurable objectives. PV Water’s technical consultant will advise the stakeholder advisory committee on the appropriateness for defining management areas and PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee on whether management areas should be established. If management areas are established, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop a description of the minimum thresholds and measurable objectives for each management area, with the rationale for selecting those values (if different from the basin at large) and explanation of how the management area can operate under different minimum thresholds and measurable objectives without causing undesirable results outside the management area. Undesirable Results Undesirable results are the ultimate metric for sustainability; a basin is considered sustainable if all undesirable results are avoided. Undesirable results are combinations of minimum thresholds that taken together define significant and unreasonable. Based on minimum thresholds and draft descriptions of undesirable results, PV Water’s technical consultant will develop proposed combinations of minimum thresholds to define undesirable results. PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee to arrive at agreement on the quantitative definition of undesirable results. As mentioned previously, the steps for developing the sustainable management criteria, such as undesirable results are not linear and straightforward. We anticipate addressing undesirable results at least twice: in steps 5 and 10 of the figure. If management areas are defined, the above evaluation will need to consider whether definitions of undesirable results for each indicator apply to the basin as a whole, or each management area individually. This subtask generally includes the development of new information specifically for the GSP and is considered only 10% complete.

Deliverable: • Subchapters 3.1 through 3.4 of the PVGSP, covering regulation section §354.24 for

Sustainability Goal, section §354.26 for Undesirable Results, section §354.28 for Minimum Threshold, and section §354.30 for Measurable Objectives.



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Subtask2.5.MonitoringNetwork(CCR§354.34-CCR§354.40)Description of Monitoring Network The Monitoring Network subtask will describe the monitoring network objectives for the basin, including an explanation of how the network will be developed, improved upon, and implemented to monitor groundwater and related surface conditions, and the interconnection of surface water and groundwater, with sufficient temporal frequency and spatial density to evaluate the affects and effectiveness of Plan implementation. The monitoring network objectives need to accomplish the following:

• Identify representative monitoring points for minimum thresholds and measurable objectives

• Demonstrate progress toward achieving measurable objectives described in the Plan. • Monitor impacts to the beneficial uses or users of groundwater. • Monitor changes in groundwater conditions relative to measurable objectives and

minimum thresholds. • Quantify annual changes in water budget components.

PV Water already has a robust operational groundwater level and quality monitoring network in place as part of current basin monitoring efforts. Additionally, the Agency has started a process to assess, modify, and recommend improvements to the existing monitoring network. Specifically, PV Water already has the following monitoring network components required for a GSP:

• Database to store groundwater monitoring data. • Monitoring network already focuses on the following sustainability indicators:

o Chronic lowering of groundwater levels o Reduction of groundwater storage o Seawater intrusion o Degradation of water quality

Components of the monitoring network that require additional work to meet the GSP annotated outline are:

• Monitoring network still needs to be further developed to address: o Land Subsidence. Be able to identify the rate and extent of land subsidence, which

may be measured by extensometers, surveying, remote sensing technology, or other appropriate method.

o Depletions of Interconnected Surface Water. Monitor surface water and groundwater, where interconnected surface water conditions exist, to characterize the spatial and temporal exchanges between surface water and groundwater, and to calibrate and apply the tools and methods necessary to calculate depletions of surface water caused by groundwater extractions. Scientific rationale for the monitoring site selection process.

• Quantitative values for minimum threshold, measurable objective, and interim milestones measured at each monitoring site or representative monitoring sites established to be documented for each sustainability indicator.

• Update monitoring features with reporting standards provided in GSP regulations. • The location and type of each monitoring site within the basin to be displayed on a map,

and reported in tabular format, including information regarding the monitoring site type, frequency of measurement, and the purposes for which the monitoring site is being used.



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Monitoring Protocols for Data Collection and Monitoring PV Water has already established monitoring protocols for groundwater water quality sampling and groundwater level measurements. Protocols for subsidence and groundwater production would still need to be developed to comply with GSP requirements. Representative Monitoring Points Minimum thresholds and measurable objectives are only applied at representative monitoring points. PV Water’s technical consultant will propose representative monitoring points for specific sustainability indicators within each management area. PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant will facilitate discussion with the stakeholder advisory committee to arrive at agreement on the selection of representative monitoring points. If management areas are established, the quantity and density of monitoring sites in those areas need to be sufficient to evaluate conditions of the basin setting and sustainable management criteria specific to that area. Assessment and Improvement of Monitoring Network In 2015 through 2016, a PV Water consultant prepared a Technical Memorandum presenting a review of the Agency’s groundwater monitoring network. The purpose was to inventory, classify, and evaluate the existing groundwater monitoring network as to its adequacy to develop data to understand and effectively manage the groundwater resources of the Pajaro Valley Groundwater Basin (PVGB). Specifically, the network was evaluated on the ability to capture basin responses to groundwater condition changes associated with factors such as climate, pumping, and groundwater management activities. Additionally, the network and associated data collection program were compared to the requirements for groundwater monitoring as part of SGMA. Based on the review, recommendations to improve the network’s overall effectiveness and comply with the requirements of SGMA were developed. Lastly, an evaluation of the costs of the current monitoring program and recommendations of potential cost savings were presented. As the review process began, some obvious shortcomings to the network were identified. Most prominent was the network’s lack of spatial coverage within the city limits of Watsonville. Due to the obvious need and because funding was available at the time, the Agency constructed two multi-completion monitoring wells known as the PV20 series in the Agency parking lot located in downtown Watsonville prior to the release of the TM. Additionally, some minor corrections and updates to network data files were made as conflicts, errors, and omissions were identified and summarized. Generally, the conclusions were that the Agency has an aerially-extensive groundwater data collection network. This network allows monitoring of water level and water quality data across the basin and within the four primary aquifer units. The network has been developed over decades and the accumulated data represents an invaluable resource for understanding and managing the water resources of the basin. The review of the network finds it to be robust and well implemented but with room to improve. Based on the review of the existing monitoring network, there were several recommendations. This work plan includes the installation of new wells, as recommended, to comply with SGMA and support the development of the PVGSP.



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New Monitoring Wells The spatial coverage of the groundwater monitoring network covers much of the Pajaro Valley, however, PV Water has identified data gaps in the monitoring network through geospatial analysis. To help address the monitoring gaps, PV Water installed a new monitoring well cluster (PV20). PV20 is an existing multi-completion monitoring well cluster with dual-completions at the well site. PV20 has provided PV Water with the ability to collect groundwater quality and groundwater level data specific to the Alluvial, Upper Aromas, Lower Aromas, and Purisima formations of the PVGB and eliminated a data gap in the monitoring network. Shortly after construction was completed in December 2015, the wells were equipped with low flow pumps and data loggers. Total project cost of the PV20 monitoring well was $227,120. The scope of the PV20 project incorporated acquiring support services, supply of additional monitoring wells, monitoring equipment, and funding necessary to eliminate a known data gap in the PV Water monitoring network. Activities included:

• Acquire Expert Hydrogeologist Support Services and Determine Well Site • Design, Permit, and Construct two Multi-Completion Monitoring Wells

o Permitting through Santa Cruz County or Monterey County o Preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP) o Construction of two multi-completion monitoring wells

• Installation of Continuous Monitoring Equipment and Water Sampling Equipment To continue addressing the identified data gaps, this proposal includes a funding request for the installation of four new monitoring wells in the areas determined to have gaps. The new monitoring wells would provide the ability to collect groundwater quality and groundwater level data in areas where limited data are currently available. The new monitoring wells would be instrumented with continuous data loggers that record groundwater level and temperature, at a minimum. Dedicated low flow groundwater pumps will be installed in each well. The low flow pumps allow for collection of groundwater quality samples during semi-annual monitoring events, which coincide with PV Water’s CASGEM monitoring. The proposed project will help PV Water enhance the existing monitoring network to ensure sufficient data collection is available to demonstrate short-term, seasonal, and long-term trends in groundwater conditions to evaluate the GSP implementation and comply with the requirements of SGMA.



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The scope of the proposed project includes constructing four new monitoring wells, monitoring equipment, and funding necessary to eliminate a known data gap in the PV Water monitoring network which will be used to evaluate the GSP implementation and compliance with SGMA. Specific new well activities include:

• Monitoring Wells Siting o Site Evaluation/Site Agreements - Evaluate regions of data gaps in the monitoring

network to identify optimal placement of proposed monitoring wells. Communicate with public and private property owners in optimal site locations and execute site agreements to allow site access and construction.

• Design, Permit, and Construct two Multi-Completion Monitoring Wells o Permitting through Santa Cruz County or Monterey County o Prepare Request for Proposal (RFP) o Drill two multi-completion monitoring wells – Monitoring wells will be drilled, logged,

constructed, and developed per specifications in RFP. • Install Continuous Monitoring Equipment and Water Sampling Equipment in New Wells.

Given the Agency’s robust operational groundwater level and quality monitoring network, the work already completed to assess, modify, recommend and implement improvements to the existing monitoring network, development of the PVGSP chapter is considered 50% complete.

Deliverables: • Subchapter 3.5 of the PVGSP, covering regulation sections §354.34 through §354.40 • PV20 and new Monitoring Well Completion Reports

Subtask2.6.ProjectsandManagementActionstoAchieveSustainability(CCR§354.44)PV Water’s BMP includes a set of projects to meet basin goals. The projects include conservation, increased recycled water storage and deliveries, and four local surface water projects (Figure 7-1 from BMP). Implementation of all but one of the local surface water projects is already in process as Phase 1 of the BMP Implementation. PV Water would implement Phase 2 including the fourth local surface water project, Murphy Crossing with Recharge Basin, if basin goals are not met by 2025. This task will evaluate whether these projects in the BMP achieve groundwater sustainability, as defined by the SMC developed in Subtask 2.4, by 2040 and maintain sustainability until 2070. The PVHM will be used to simulate projects under future climate over a period of 50+ years to evaluate whether measurable objectives are achieved by 2040 and whether undesirable results are avoided from 2040-2070. This modeling work is currently underway by the USGS and will be completed by December 2017 (Subtask 2.8). The simulations will include Phase 1 projects only, as well as Phase 1 projects plus Murphy Crossing. As part of Subtask 2.4, PV Water’s technical consultant will propose Interim Milestones based on the simulation that shows projects achieving and maintaining sustainability. If simulations of BMP Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects do not indicate that they will achieve and maintain sustainability, PV Water’s technical consultant will identify additional projects with the help of significant outreach and multiple stakeholder advisory group meetings. The PVHM will be used to simulate the implementation of these projects to evaluate whether they lead to sustainability being achieved and maintained in the required timeframe. From the additional projects that lead to sustainability, projects will be selected to add to the BMP projects in the GSP as part of a facilitated process led by PV Water’s stakeholder engagement consultant.



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The result of this task will be Chapter 4 of the PVGSP as outlined in DWR’s GSP annotated outline. In accordance with the outline, the descriptions of the Basin’s projects and management actions will include:

• Measurable objective expected to benefit from each project, • Circumstances for implementation, • Public noticing, • Permitting and process, Time-table for initiation, completion, and accrual of benefits, • Expected benefits and how they will be evaluated, • How the project or management action will be accomplished, • Legal authority required, • Estimated costs and plans to meet costs (economic analysis and finance strategy), and • Relationship to additional GSP elements as described in Water Code §10727.4.

This portion of the PVGSP will also describe the process by which the GSAs provide notice to the public and other agencies that the implementation of projects or management actions is being considered or has been implemented. The projects and management actions to achieve sustainability were developed in the BMP. This subtask involves compiling the BMP project information and PVHM and developing the additional project information, as required by the GSP guidelines. This subtask is considered 80% complete.

Deliverable: • Chapter 4 of the PVGSP, covering CCR sections §354.42 through §354.44



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Subtask2.7.PlanImplementation(CCR§356.2,§356.4)The purpose of this task is to finalize the cost and schedule for GSP implementation, outline annual reports, outline five-year update reports, and the process for periodic evaluations. The result of this task will be Chapter 5 of the PVGSP as outlined in DWR’s GSP annotated outline. This task involves describing steps, schedule, and a fiscal strategy for implementing the GSP. PV Water’s BMP describes these items for Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects included in the BMP, but PV Water’s technical consultant will need to develop this information if additional projects are required based on the evaluation in Task 4. As indicated in DWR’s GSP annotated outline, PV Water’s technical consultant will also draft a description of an estimate of GSP implementation costs, an implementation schedule, a plan for annual reporting, and a process for required periodic evaluations and adaptive management, if required. The cost and schedule for GSP implementation were developed in the BMP. This subtask involves compiling the BMP project information developed under Subtask 2.8 and developing the additional project information, if required, and the required monitoring and reporting to the Department. This subtask is considered 70% complete.

Deliverable: • Chapter 5 of the PVGSP, covering regulation section §356.2, §356.4

Subtask2.8.ReferencesandTechnicalStudies(CCR§354.4)PV Water manages the basin based on several recent planning documents, which will be the source of information needed to complete many of the chapters of the PVGSP. These documents, listed below, were cited in PV Water’s Alternate GSP Submittal to DWR. Specific information regarding the development of plan chapters based on information from these documents was described in each subtask. PV Water will provide to the Department electronic copies of the reports and other documents and materials cited as references that are not generally available to the public.

• Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Annual Reports (1998 – 2016) • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Salt and Nutrient Management Plan (2016) • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Basin Management Plan Update (2014) • Integrated Draft Environmental Impact Report for Pajaro Valley Water Management

Agency Basin Management Plan Update (2014) • USGS Integrated Hydrologic Model of Pajaro Valley (2014) • Groundwater Monitoring Network Review, Modifications, and Recommendations (2016) • USGS Update of Pajaro Valley Hydrologic Model (due December 2017) • Watsonville Slough Hydrologic Monitoring (WY 2016-2017) • College Lake Hydrologic Monitoring (WY 2016-2017) • Monterey and Santa Cruz County Ordinances

With the exception of the USGS model update, these reference documents are complete and this task involves compiling the information, summarizing in the GSP, and submitting the documents electronically to the Department. This subtask is considered 90% complete. As shown in the Budget, much of the work and costs associated with development of these documents is included as match expenditures.

Deliverables: • Chapter 6 of the PVGSP, covering regulation section §354.4 • Electronic copies of references and technical studies



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Subtask2.9.FinalizeGSPThe purpose of this task is to finalize and submit the PVGSP prior to January 31, 2020. Various chapters and sections of the PVGSP are developed in previous tasks. This task combines all the previous sections, organizes the appendices, preparing the Executive Summary, and ensures that the GSP meets all the requirements of the SGMA legislation and regulations. It is expected that a draft GSP will be prepared and distributed for comments by the Advisory Committee before a final GSP is presented to PV Water’s Board for adoption. In addition to the required public noticing and plan distribution, PV Water will publicly notice and consider the PVGSP at regular Agency board meetings prior to final submittal to the Department. This task will also include the development of public information materials including a brochure and powerpoint presentation to support the ongoing community outreach associated with the GSP implementation.

Deliverables: • A complete GSP that meets all the requirements of the SGMA legislation and

regulations, including an Executive Summary (covering regulation section §354.4) • GSP informational materials including project brochure and powerpoint presentation

Task2GSPDevelopmentandChapters

Task PercentComplete Notes

2.1.GSPAdministrativeInformation 0% RequirescompilingexistinginformationintoChapter1ofthePVGSP

2.2.GSPNoticeandCommunication 50%Requirescompilingexistinginformation,modifyingexistingplans,anddocumentingprocessasnecessaryforSubchapter2.1.5ofthePVGSP

2.3.GSPPlanAreaandBasinSetting 60%RequirescompilingexistinginformationanddevelopingadditionalinformationasnecessaryintoChapter2ofthePVGSP

2.4.SustainableManagementCriteria 10% RequiresdevelopingnewpoliciesasnecessaryintoSubchapter3.1–3.4ofthePVGSP

2.5.MonitoringNetwork 50%RequirescompilingexistinginformationanddefininguseforGSPimplementation,asnecessaryintoSubchapter3.5ofthePVGSP

2.6.Projects&ManagementActivities 80%Requirescompilingexistinginformation,evaluatingprojectsforGSP,anddevelopingandevaluatingsupplementalprojects,asnecessaryintoChapter4ofPVGSP

2.7.PlanImplementation 70% Requirescompilingexistinginformationanddescribingreportingplan,asnecessaryintoChapter5ofthePVGSP

2.8.ReferencesandTechnicalStudies 90%Requirescompilingreferencesandtechnicalstudies,listinginChapter6ofthePVGSP

2.9.FinalizeGSP 0%RequirespreparingExecutiveSummary,finalizingandadoptingthePVGSP,andsubmittingelectroniccopiestoDWR

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