From the Department of Water Resources:
Upcoming events
Central Valley SGMA Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Workshop for GSAs
This free workshop will provide GSAs in the Central Valley basins with an update on SGMA implementation and discussions for GSP development.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Clovis Veterans Memorial District
808 Fourth Street
Clovis, CA
Look for more information soon!
Stream Depletion Through The SGMA Lens: Practical Solutions For A Complex Problem
The Groundwater Resources Association and the California Department of Water Resources present a workshop exploring the regulatory, policy, and technical aspects of depletions of interconnected surface water and practical solutions by water management agencies.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena
300 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
More Information and Registration
Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Updates
Basin Boundary Modification
OPEN NOW – Required Initial Notification period. Local agencies intending to submit a Basin Boundary modification request are required to submit an “Initial Notification” of their intent within 15 days of local agency’s decision to explore basin modification. Initial Notifications can be submitted and viewed at http://sgma.water.ca.gov/basinmod/
Tentative Schedule
- January 1, 2018 – Submission Period opens
o During this 3 month window, GSAs and local agencies can submit the required information to support a Basin Boundary Modification in the BBMRS on the SGMA Portal http://sgma.water.ca.gov/portal/#intro.
- March 31, 2018 – Submission Period Closes and 30-day Public Comment Period opens
o All information to support a boundary modification should be submitted to the BBMRS
- April 30, 2018 – Public Comment Period Closes
o DWR begins boundary modification requests and public comments
- Approximately July 2018 – Draft Basin Boundary Modifications released
- Approximately August 2018 – Final Basin Boundary Modifications released
Pursuant to SGMA, DWR developed regulations for a process to modify Bulletin 118 groundwater basin boundaries. In November 2016, DWR reviewed the requests and finalized the boundary modifications, which are posted on the Basin Modification Boundary web page at http://water.ca.gov/groundwater/sgm/basin_boundaries.cfm.
Contact:
Tim Godwin Timothy.Godwin@water.ca.gov or (916) 651-9223
Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation
Local agencies have submitted GSA formation notices for small portions of a single basin, large portions of multiple basins, and for separate areas within the same basin.
- More than 99 percent (estimated) of high- and medium-priority basins are either covered by a GSA, an adjudicated area, federal or tribal land, or an Alternative.
o Some “fringe areas” outside of adjudicated areas are not covered.
- 262 local agencies have GSA formation notifications posted.
- 375 unique areas are being managed by GSAs – each area has its own 90-day period.
- 140 basins have GSAs.
o 108 basins are high or medium priority.
o 32 basins are low or very-low priority (or do not have a priority yet).
- 22 high- or medium-priority basins submitted an Alternative Plan and are not required to form a GSA unless the Alternative is not approved by DWR.
All GSA notifications can be submitted, viewed, and managed within DWR’s SGMA Portal
Visit the State Water Board’s Groundwater Management Program website and GSA Compliance Map.
Contact:
Mark Nordberg Mark.Nordberg@water.ca.gov or (916) 651-9673
Draft Guidance Documents for Engagement and Communication
DWR is inviting public comments on two draft guidance documents, Guidance Document for Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Stakeholder Communication and Engagement (C&E) and Engagement with Tribal Governments. The C&E document offers guidance on communication with stakeholders for GSP development through a transparent and inclusive process. The Engagement with Tribal Governments document is intended to help local agencies engage with a Tribal government in the planning, financing and management of a GSA, or with the development and implementation of a GSP.
Please send your comments to: sgmps@water.ca.gov Subject: Comments to Guidance Documents
or by U.S. Postal Service to:
P.O. Box 942836
Sacramento, California 94236-0001
Attn: Lauren Hersh, Rm 201
The deadline for submitting public comments is by 5 pm Monday, August 28.
Facilitation Support Service Offers Online Application
Under the requirements of SGMA, all beneficial uses and users of groundwater must be considered in the development of GSPs, and GSAs must encourage the active involvement of diverse social, cultural, and economic element of the population. The goal of the Facilitation Support Services related to GSP development is to assist GSAs in reaching consensus on potentially contentious water management topics arising from the diverse beneficial uses and users of groundwater. Priorities of this funding are given to the critically over-drafted basins.
Applications for FSS are being evaluated on a continuous basis as funding allows. Applications must be submitted through the DWR Facilitation Support Service online application. For more information, or to start a FSS application, contact DWR’s regional coordinators or visit the DWR website’s FSS page.
Technical Assistance
The goal of the technical assistance program is to provide education, data, and tools at both regional and statewide scales to aid GSAs with development and implementation of GSPs and inform water resource planning decisions. Watch for announcements of upcoming DWR webinars! Updates on technical assistance can be found on the California Water Commission website .
Contact:
Steven Springhorn Steven.Springhorn@water.ca.gov or (916) 651-9273
New FAQs Available for 2017 Final Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) for Groundwater Sustainability Plans and Projects
The Draft Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) for Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) and Projects was released on May 8, 2017. The public comment period for the Draft PSP for GSPs and Projects closed on June 19, 2017.
DWR has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) based on public input http://water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/sgwp/solicitation.cfm
The Sustainable Groundwater Planning (SGWP) grant program is funded by Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion water bond overwhelmingly approved by California voters in 2014. Proposition 1 authorized the Legislature to appropriate $100 million for competitive grants for development of sustainable groundwater plans and projects, of which $86.3 million is available in the 2017 SGWP GSP and Projects PSP. The grants are intended to support groundwater management that furthers the goals of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, a historic 2014 law that requires local agencies to bring stressed groundwater basins into sustainable patterns of pumping and recharge. Groundwater supplies a third or more of California’s water supply.
DWR will solicit proposals to award funding on a competitive basis in two funding categories: projects that serve severely disadvantaged communities and Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). GSPs have two tiers: Tier 1 is for critically overdrafted basins and Tier 2 is for all other high- and medium- priority basins. The final materials will be available on the SGWP Grant Program webpage later this month.
Here is the upcoming timeline for the Proposition 1 SGWP PSP:
- Final PSP – Aug 2017
- Phase 1 Continuous Filing Opens – Aug 2017
- Continuous Filing Closes – Oct 2017
- Release of Phase 1 Funding Awards – Dec 2017
Contact:
Heather Shannon Heather.Shannon@water.ca.gov or (916) 651-9212
A Newsletter about Funding and Technical Assistance
In line with DWR’s commitment to support Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and stakeholders throughout SGMA implementation, DWR will be providing periodic SGMA Implementation Assistance Updates. Check out The Spring 2017 issue of Implementation Assistance Update.
Contact:
Hong Lin Hong.Lin@water.ca.gov or (916) 653-6353
SGMA Definitions and Groundwater Glossary
SGMA provided California with a roadmap for sustainably managing our groundwater, and it also came with its own lexicon. Looking for the definition of “Undesirable result” or “De minimis extractor”? It’s right here. Additional important groundwater terms and definitions are included in the Groundwater Information Center’s Groundwater Glossary.
