From the Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management Program:
Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Funding Available Filing Period Closes November 13, 2017
The SGWP Grant Program provides funds for projects that develop and implement sustainable groundwater planning and projects consistent with groundwater planning requirements outlined in Division 6 of the California Water Code, commencing at §10000.
The final 2017 Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) and Projects Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) for the Sustainable Groundwater Planning (SGWP) Grant Program, funded by the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) makes available a total of $86.3 million, with at least $10 million made available to projects that serve Severely Disadvantaged Communities and the remaining amount for planning, development, or preparation of Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Eligible projects must address high and medium priority basins as identified in DWR Bulletin 118 or a non-adjudicated portion of one of these basins. Please note that Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) are required to notify DWR and the public prior to initiating development of a GSP (in compliance with California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Section 350 et seq. and Water Code section 10727.8).
For more information regarding the final PSP, public comments received on the draft document, as well as other information about the SGWP Grant Program, visit: http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/sgwp/
The release of the final PSP initiates the open filing period for Phase 1 of this solicitation. The application is available online through the Grants Review and Tracking System (GRanTS). The deadline to file for grant funding is November 13, 2017 at 5:00 PM.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions is also posted on the DWR website.
Contact:
Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program
901 P Street
P.O. Box 942836
Sacramento, CA 94236-0001
SGWP@water.ca.gov 916.651.9613 (office)
California Land Use Viewer Presentation Now Online
Whether you missed the September 29th webinar demonstrating how to use the California DWR Land Use Viewer or are using it for the first time, you are now able to access the webinar on YouTube and the Data, Tools, and Reports webpage. A fact sheet is also posted for your convenience.
The Land Use Viewer is part of DWR’s ongoing commitment to provide technical assistance to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other water managers throughout the state. It allows GSAs and the public to easily access both statewide (as recent as 2014 crop data) and existing county land use datasets that have been collected over the last 30 years. The Viewer also includes a variety of tools that will allow users to download and analyze land use data.
How DWR will use this Data
For many years, DWR has collected land use data throughout the State and uses this information to develop water use estimates for statewide and regional planning efforts, including water use projections, water use efficiency evaluation, groundwater model development, and water transfers. With the passage of SGMA, DWR will use the existing county and newly developed statewide land use information to review GSPs and enhance DWR’s groundwater models that will be made available for GSAs to use, if they choose, for GSP development.
Visit http://water.ca.gov/groundwater/sgm/data_tools_reports.cfm for additional information on DWR’s SGMA related Data, Tools, and Reports.
Contacts:
Land Use Viewer, Wyatt Arnold | Wyatt.Arnold@water.ca.gov
Land Use Program, Simon Eching | Simon.Eching@water.ca.gov
Technical assistance, Steven Springhorn | Steven.Springhorn@water.ca.gov
Technical Assistance
DWR provides local agencies and GSAs with technical assistance which includes data, tools, and reports at both the regional and statewide level to support Groundwater Sustainability Plan development and implementation. Visit DWR’s SGM Program – Data, Tools, and Reports webpage for access to:
- Statewide Data Platforms
- Interactive Maps
New – The Well Completion Report Map Application provides access to statewide Well Completion Reports. Well Completion Reports contain information collected by drillers during the drilling and construction of water wells, including the location, dates of construction, planned use, depth of the well, subsurface geologic units encountered, well construction, and well yield.
Modeling
New – DWR provides a number of existing integrated hydrologic modeling codes and applications available for use. A summary of these resources is available in the Modeling Tools Fact Sheet, along with frequently asked questions on DWR’s Integrated Hydrologic Models and Water Budget Pilot Projects.
Climate Change
New – DWR is providing data, tools, and guidance to assist GSAs with incorporating climate change into their GSPs. This effort leverages previous work done by DWR for the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). The anticipated release of this information is later in Fall 2017. Please refer to the Climate Change Fact Sheet for more information about what will be provided
- Reports – Best Management Practices, Guidance Documents, Bulletin 118, and Bulletin 160
Contact: Steven Springhorn | Steven.Springhorn@water.ca.gov | (916) 651-927
Upcoming Events
GRA Offering Free Webinar on Collaborative Engagement in Groundwater Planning
The Groundwater Resources Association of California is offering a free webinar from on collaborative engagement in groundwater planning. The webinar will bring together a panel of groundwater stakeholders and the Consensus Building Institute to look at best practices for collaborative efforts in SGMA implementation, particularly as California’s basins look towards groundwater sustainability plan development.
November 1, 2017 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Register for the free webinar at https://www.grac.org/events/149/
Public Forum: Managed Groundwater Recharge to Support Sustainable Water Management
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Sacramento Convention Center, Rooms 202 and 203,
1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in collaboration with DWR and other state entities, is hosting a Public Forum on Managed Groundwater Recharge to Support Sustainable Water Management. The goal of this forum is to bring together water authorities, agricultural organizations, regulators, and other stakeholders to address groundwater recharge opportunities and associated policies.
Register at https://secure.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/groundwater/
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.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has a web-based application to assist local agencies in water management planning efforts. Check out the Water Management Planning Tool .
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