Title
a. Consider receiving a draft of the Groundwater Monitoring Program Fee Study; and,
b. Provide feedback to staff as appropriate. (Staff Presenting: Amy Woodrow)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Finance Committee:
a. Receive a draft of the Groundwater Monitoring Program Fee Study; and,
b. Provide feedback to staff as appropriate.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
In October 2024, the Board of Supervisors of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (“Agency”) passed and adopted Agency Ordinance Number 5426 (“Ord. No. 5426”) which repealed Ordinance Numbers 3660, 3717, and 3718; adopted updated Agency regulations requiring well owners to register wells with the Agency and periodically report well extraction data; affirmed Agency requirements for groundwater level and quality monitoring; allowed the Agency to enter into groundwater management support service agreements with requesting entities; provided for Agency collection of a regulatory fee to be set by resolution of the Agency Board of Supervisors; provided for a variance process; and established penalties for violations (Attachment 1).
At the same time, the Agency Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 20-348 to approve and implement the Agency’s Groundwater Monitoring Program Manual which accompanies Ord. No. 5426 and sets forth specific requirements for the Groundwater Monitoring Program (“GMP”), which comprises the well registration, groundwater extraction reporting, groundwater level monitoring, and groundwater quality monitoring programs (Attachment 2).
The GMP is used to produce the data necessary to understand the hydrologic budget of the monitored area, facilitate implementation of the Agency Act, inform operations of Agency projects, and support resource management that allows for continued well owner operations throughout the community. Historically, the Agency implemented the GMP across Zones 2, 2A, and 2B in a discretionary manner as f...
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