Title
Consider authorizing the CAO to transmit a letter on behalf of the County of Monterey to the State Water Resources Control Board not later than June 30, 2017 indicating that the County will be the Groundwater Sustainability Agency for any areas in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin within Monterey County that are declared "unmanaged" by the State Board pursuant to the provisions of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Authorize the CAO to transmit a letter on behalf of the County of Monterey to the State Water Resources Control Board indicating that the County will be the Groundwater Sustainability Agency for any areas in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin within Monterey County that are declared "unmanaged" by the State Board pursuant to the provisions of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
SUMMARY:
The Sustainable Groundwater Management ("SGMA") provides that Groundwater Sustainability Agencies ("GSA") be established by June 30, 2017, for groundwater basins that are "high" or "medium" priority as determined by the Department of Water Resources. SGMA further provides that counties are the default GSA for any areas in a basin for which a GSA has not been otherwise established by that date and which the State Water Resources Control Board ("State Board") declares "unmanaged," unless the county opts out of that designation. Many counties are submitting "protective" letters indicating that they are accepting the GSA role in the event areas are declared unmanaged to avoid the basin being declared "probationary" and the state dictating management of the basin. It is recommended that Monterey County transmit such a letter for the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin in Monterey County ("Basin").
DISCUSSION:
The Basin is a combination of high and medium priority sub-basins, and one or more GSAs must be formed for those sub-basins by June 30, 2017. If any area of any sub-...
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