Title
Consider receiving the 2022 August Trough Groundwater Level and 2022 Seawater Intrusion Contour Maps.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Receive the 2022 August Trough Groundwater Level and 2022 Seawater Intrusion Contour Maps.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) is responsible for data collection and analysis of groundwater data throughout the Salinas Valley to support the ongoing Groundwater Level contouring, Seawater Intrusion mapping, and other programs related to current groundwater conditions. Conditions are assessed throughout the year to better understand how aquifers are responding during different hydrologic conditions as well as the relative groundwater storage fluctuations that occur on an annual basis. These activities align with Strategic Plan Goals B7, Use of data and analysis to make informed decisions based on science and E1, Improve public outreach to increase transparency, communication, education and information about Agency projects and programs.
August Trough Groundwater Level Survey - (Program No. 23 Groundwater monitoring of dedicated wells and No. 50 August Trough
On a single day in August, Agency staff conducts an intensive groundwater level survey of the northern Salinas Valley. Groundwater levels (GWLs) are sampled at 143 wells from Chualar to the coast, to obtain a snapshot of conditions within and beyond the seawater intrusion fronts. This is done during a time of the year when aquifers are most stressed by pumping. One of the key purposes of the survey is to monitor and assess the forces driving seawater intrusion, in particular groundwater level gradients sloping inland from the coast, which are most pronounced when pumping is at its seasonal peak.
The 2022 August Trough contours for the 180-Foot and East Side Shallow Aquifers are included as Attachment A. Compared to the 2021 survey, there was a decline in ...
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