BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Resolution Setting Time and Date of Public Hearing to Become the Groundwater Sustainability Agency for the Portions of the Hollister and San Juan Bautista Subbasins Located in Santa Clara County.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING TO BECOME THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY FOR THE PORTIONS OF THE HOLLISTER AND SAN JUAN BAUTISTA SUBBASINS LOCATED WITHIN SANTA CLARA COUNTY to occur on JUNE 13, 2017, at 1:00 PM at the Santa Clara Valley Water District, 5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California.
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 subject to SGMA requirements that are centered in neighboring San Benito County but overlap into Santa Clara County (“Overlap Areas”) as shown in Attachment 1.
On February 14, 2017, staff presented several SGMA compliance options for the Overlap Areas to the Board, with related information on next steps and potential financial impacts. The Board directed staff to pursue becoming the GSA for the Overlap Areas and to coordinate with the San Benito County Water District (SBCWD), which manages groundwater within its jurisdiction of San Benito County.
Staff recommends that the District conduct a public hearing on June 13, 2017, to consider becoming the GSA for the portions of the Hollister and San Juan Bautista Subbasins in Santa Clara County. The SBCWD has filed notification with DWR to become the GSA for the portions of these subbasins within San Benito County. Staff is working to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the SBCWD related to SGMA compliance and groundwater management in the Hollister and San Juan Bautista Subbasins. The MOU will document the working relationship between the two agencies, related responsibilities, and mutual expectations related to SGMA compliance. Staff plans to provide the draft MOU to the Board as part of the June 13, 2017 agenda item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There are minor costs associated with setting the public hearing, including a small amount of staff time and costs associated with public notices required by Government Code 6066. These costs will be charged to non-rate-revenue sources since the Overlap Areas do not fall within existing groundwater Zones of Benefit and the costs cannot be recovered via groundwater charges applicable to existing Zones of Benefit.
CEQA:
The recommended action does not constitute a project under CEQA because it does not have a potential for resulting in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Map
Attachment 2: Resolution
Attachment 3: Public Hearing Notice
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Garth Hall, 408-630-2750