Title
a. Receive a presentation on the Salinas Valley Deep Aquifers Study; and
b. Provide direction to staff as appropriate; and
c. Proposed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Action: Find the Study is statutorily exempt under CEQA Guidelines (15262 Feasibility and Planning Studies). (MOVED FROM PM SCHEDULE TO AM SCHEDULE VIA SUPPLEMENTAL)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a presentation on the Salinas Valley Deep Aquifers Study; and
b. Provide direction to staff as appropriate; and
c. Find the Study is statutorily exempt under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Guidelines (15262 Feasibility and Planning Studies).
SUMMARY:
In 2017, the County of Monterey Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) issued "Recommendations to Address the Expansion of Seawater Intrusion in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin." In 2018, the County of Monterey adopted Interim Ordinance No. 5302 (extended by No. 5303), which prohibited construction of new wells in Salinas Valley's Deep Aquifers unless exempted and directed MCWRA to complete a study of the Deep Aquifers. In 2020, MCWRA updated its 2017 report; however, some recommendations were not implemented, and the interim ordinance expired. The expiration of the interim ordinance, coupled with data on well construction and groundwater extraction in the Deep Aquifers that occurred while the interim ordinance was in place, highlighted the need to complete this critical study. The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) and funding partners worked to complete the study. In 2021, the SVBGSA issued a request for proposals and Montgomery & Associates, Inc. (M&A) was selected as the contractor to conduct the Deep Aquifer Study (Study). The study is available on the SVBGSA website: https://svbgsa.org/deep-aquifer-study/. The results of this Study are presented today. M&A previously also presented the Study at the SVBGSA Board meeting, the Marina Coast Wa...
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