BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Compliance for Groundwater Basins Overlapping with San Benito County.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
A. Receive information on Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) compliance options for groundwater basins overlapping with San Benito County; and
B. Provide direction to staff on which compliance option to pursue for the overlapping groundwater basins described under Recommendation A.
Body
SUMMARY:
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA or Act) identified the Santa Clara Valley Water District (District) as the exclusive local agency within its statutory boundaries (i.e., Santa Clara County) to comply with the Act and sustainably manage the County's groundwater subbasins. As the exclusive local agency for all groundwater basins subject to SGMA requirements in Santa Clara County, the District may: 1) elect to become the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the basins, or 2) opt out of being the exclusive groundwater management agency for a particular basin. The statutory deadline for electing to become a GSA for a groundwater basin is June 30, 2017.
For the major groundwater basins in the County, namely the Santa Clara and Llagas subbasins, the District elected in 2016 to become the GSA. Beyond these two subbasins, there are relatively small parts of groundwater basins centered in neighboring San Benito County that overlap into Santa Clara County ("Overlap Areas") as shown in Attachment 1. It is the Overlap Areas that call for the District's action.
Staff is seeking Board direction on compliance options for the Overlap Areas. San Benito County Water District (SBCWD) staff has expressed willingness to consider various groundwater management arrangements for these Overlap Areas in coordination with the District, including the two options identified for Board consideration. Staff recommends Option 1, which entails the District becoming the GSA for th...
Click here for full text