BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Resolution Commemorating March 10-16, 2019 as Groundwater Awareness Week.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution COMMEMORATING MARCH 10-16, 2019, AS GROUNDWATER AWARENESS WEEK.
Body
SUMMARY:
Groundwater Awareness Week is an annual observation of the importance of groundwater that is celebrated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Groundwater Association, and other organizations advocating groundwater protection. A key District objective is to protect and augment Santa Clara County's groundwater supplies. The District's comprehensive programs to sustain local groundwater are described in the Board-adopted 2016 Groundwater Management Plan.
This year marks the 20th year anniversary of Groundwater Awareness Week. Commemorating this week (i.e. March 10 -16, 2019) helps to raise awareness that although groundwater may be out of sight, it should not be out of mind. To increase community awareness of the importance of groundwater, the District will share relevant information and tips on conserving and protecting groundwater on the District website and through social media.
BACKGROUND:
The District was formed in 1929 to address unsustainable groundwater pumping that resulted in chronic overdraft, land subsidence, and salt water intrusion. Major District investments in storage, recharge, and imported surface water addressed these issues and helped groundwater recover to sustainable levels. The protection and augmentation of groundwater remains a central District purpose, and comprehensive groundwater management ensures continued sustainability.
Nearly half the water used annually in Santa Clara County is pumped from groundwater by water retailers and thousands of private well owners. Because pumping consistently exceeds natural recharge, the District replenishes groundwater with local and imported surface water through streams and recharge ponds. The District also supplies treated ...
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