Title
Consider adopting the Integrated Planning Forum Concept and establish an ad hoc committee to guide development and implementation of the forum.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:
Adopt the Integrated Planning Forum Concept and establish an ad hoc committee to guide development and implementation of the forum.
DISCUSSION:
On June 25, 2026, the County Administrative Office submitted to the Superior Court the joint County of Monterey and Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) response to the 2025-2026 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury (CGJ) report titled “Seawater Intrusion - A Shared Problem in Monterey County” (Report). Today’s consideration stems from the Board of Supervisors (BOS) commitment to the CGJ to respond to Report Recommendation #3 by June 30, 2027, by providing a status report back to the BOS regarding development of a recommended funding strategy that considers an array of water management challenges currently faced by various water management entities in Monterey County.
More specifically, the BOS proposed to establish, through the Agency, a forum for integrating water management planning and development to move beyond isolated planning efforts and, instead, develop a strategy that more comprehensively addresses water supply reliability, flood management, groundwater sustainability, ecosystem needs, and long-term economic stability for our communities. Since the June CGJ response, Agency staff have been examining planning efforts in other areas of the state, e.g. the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, spoken with other key interests, e.g. the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency, and drafted a description of what an integrated planning forum might try to achieve and how - see attached DRAFT - MC Water Integrated Water Development Planning Forum - 09-28-26.
This recommendation aligns Goals B and C of the draft Strategic Plan goal...
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