Title
Well Permit Application Activities Update
Report
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
In support of Monterey County’s Well Permit Application Program the Agency acts as technical advisor to the program’s lead agency, the Environmental Health Bureau (EHB). In accordance with a 1991 interdepartmental Memorandum of Agreement between the Agency and EHB, the Agency performs a comprehensive review process on well permit applications for new wells pumping five acre-feet of water or more per year, as well as for proposed well destructions and repairs.
The Agency provides review and/or advisement to EHB within five (5) business days of receiving new well permit applications. The Agency has provided EHB a review within 5.4 business days, on average, for permits received in 2024.
The Agency also reviews final well designs and annular seal depth proposals on an on-going basis and is committed to providing a response to EHB within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving design proposals.
The Agency receives funds that cover staff time for well application review, well completion report processing, and database maintenance from fees collected by EHB. The Agency’s fees are defined in Article XI of the Monterey County Fee Resolution.
The Agency conducts a well impact assessment for non-replacement domestic and high-capacity wells in fulfillment of the County’s mandate to implement policies of the 2010 Monterey County General Plan. This year, none of the well impact assessments performed indicated potential for significant adverse impacts to the subject under evaluation by the applicable policy (e.g., existing domestic wells, water system wells, or in-stream flows).
Table 1 (attached) provides a summation of well permit applications received in 2024 for evaluation by Agency staff, categorized by permit type, Agency management area, and aquifer unit. Also included is a tabulation of new well applications reviewed for the year. This table is now being provided to the Board of Directors ...
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