WATER SUPPLY PLANNING COMMITTEE
ITEM:		DISCUSSION ITEM
4.	UPDATE ON CARMEL RIVER SGMA DISCUSSION WITH STATE
Meeting Date:			August 3, 2020	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David J. Stoldt	Program/
			General Manager	Line Item No.:	N/A
Prepared By:			David J. Stoldt	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378.

DISCUSSION:  On May 23, 2019 MPWMD received a letter from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Chief of the Groundwater Management Program making the finding that while the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) planning deadlines are technically applicable to the Carmel Valley Alluvial Aquifer (CVA), failing to meet these deadlines would not result in SWRCB staff recommending to place the CVA into probationary status. Following receipt of this letter, staff inquired to Amanda Peisch-Derby, the Central Coast groundwater basins Department of Water Resources (DWR) regulator, how the District acting as the CVA’s Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) was to participate in SGMA requirements. On 7/15/2020 Ms. Peisch-Derby informed Jon Lear that through the Practices and Procedures that had been set up while working on the Critically Overdrafted Groundwater Basins, the CVA GSA would be required to submit a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by January 31, 2022 along with all other High Priority Basins listed in SGMA.

On 7/16/2020 a telephone conference was held between Dave Stoldt and Jon Lear of MPWMD, Craig Altare and Ms. Peisch-Derby from DWR, and Natalie Stork the current Chief of Groundwater Management Program at SWRCB regarding how the CVA fit into the regulatory framework of SGMA. Natalie affirmed that SWRCB staff agreed with the findings in the May 23, 2019 letter and SWRCB staff had no plans to recommend to their Board that the CVA put into probationary status. Amanda restated that DWR Procedures would require that DWR report to the SWRCB that the CVA GSA had not complied with submitting a GSP, however DWR does not have authority to manage groundwater. Mr. Altare, the DWR Coordinating Officer for SGMA, stated that he did not see a problem with this arrangement and unless a SGMA structured GSP was useful locally to manage the CVA, he did not see a reason to prepare a GSP and submit it to DWR. Ms. Peisch-Derby pointed out that technically the CVA would be listed or shown on a map as a groundwater basin that had not complied with SGMA. Craig said possibly there could be a footnote on a table and a different color on a map the CVA due to the special circumstances. Jon Lear asked if being included in a list of groundwater basins out of compliance with SGMA would restrict the District from applying for DWR grant funding. Mr. Altare replied that he would check with his colleagues at DWR and see if this was a potential issue. District staff will follow up.

U:\staff\Board_Committees\WSP\2020\20200803\04\Item-4.docx