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Principal Office: 2 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 Website: www.smgwa.org
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Date: February 27, 2020 Time: 5:30 p.m. Location Scotts Valley City Council Chamber 1 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066
1. CONVENE MEETING
1.1 Call to Order and Roll Call
1.2 Additions/Deletions to the Agenda
1.3 Oral Communications on matters not on the Agenda
2. ADMINISTRATIVE
2.1
2.2
Approval of Minutes – January 23, 2020 Board Meeting
Committee Meeting Reports – None
3. CONSENT
None
4. GENERAL
4.1 Informational Session – Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Elements
4.1.1 GSP Roadmap – February 27, 2020
4.1.2 Sustainable Management Criteria and Groundwater Quality – Georgina King (Montgomery & Associates), and Rosemary Menard (City of Santa Cruz)
- Sustainable Management Criteria Overview
- Basin Water Quality
- Federal and State Water Policy Framework
- Degraded Groundwater Quality statement of Significant and Unreasonable Conditions
Recommendation: Receive information and provide input regarding a draft statement of significant and unreasonable conditions affecting groundwater quality.
5. STAFF REPORTS
-
-
Legal Counsel (Terry Rein)
Memo: Alternate Directors Participation in Public Meetings
Administrative (oral, Piret Harmon)
6. DIRECTORS REPORTS
6.1 Individual Directors’ Reports (oral) - Travel/Training
- Meetings
6.2 Board Compliance
7. FUTURE ITEMS
- Fiscal Year 2021 Budget (April/May)
- Records Retention Policy
- Financial Controls for Borrowing Money
Informational Sessions
- Groundwater Sustainability Plan Elements
- Water Demand Forecasting (March)
8. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
- -
ACWA Groundwater Committee Meeting Notes, Montgomery and Associates, February 11, 2020 Establishing a Plan for 2022, Press Banner, February 2020
9. EVENTS CALENDAR
- 2020 ACWA Legislative Symposium, March 12, 2020 Sacramento, CA - 2020 ACWA Spring Conference and Exhibition, May 05 – May 08, 2020 Monterey, CA - Third Annual GSA Summit – Groundwater Resources Association of California, June 10 – June 11, 2020
Sacramento, CA
10. ADJOURNMENT
The next scheduled Board of Directors meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on March 26, 2020 in the Scotts Valley City Council Chamber, 1 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, California.
PURSUANT TO TITLE II OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990, THE SANTA MARGARITA GROUNDWATER AGENCY REQUESTS THAT ANY PERSON IN NEED OF ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, ASSISTANCE OR ACCOMMODATION(S) IN ORDER TOEFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE AT THE AGENCY’S PUBLIC MEETING PLEASE MAKE SUCH A REQUEST TO THE SANTA MARGARITA
GROUNDWATER AGENCY AT 2 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, SCOTTS VALLEY, CA 95066, OR BY CALLING (831) 438-2363 A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED MEETING. ADVANCE NOTIFICATION WITHIN THIS GUIDELINE WILL ENABLE THE DISTRICT TO MAKE REASONABLE ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY.
Principal Office: 2 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 Website: www.smgwa.org
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Date: January 23, 2020 Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Scotts Valley City Council Chamber 1 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066
1. CONVENE MEETING
1.1 Call to Order and Roll Call Chair Perri called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.
Directors (Alternates acting as voting Directors shown in italics): J. Dilles, D. Engfer, L. Farris, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri
Alternates (Present as non-voting observers): R. Moran
Staff: C. Blanchard, P. Harmon, S. Hill, D. McNair, R. Menard, J. Ricker, R. Rogers, S. Ryan, N. Wallace
Others: D. Ceppos, B. Maxfield, T. Rein, C. Tana
1.2 Additions/Deletions to the Agenda None
Director E. Cassidy entered the meeting at 5:32 p.m. Alternate J. Koopman entered the meeting at 5:34 p.m. and attended as a non-voting observer.
1.3 Oral communications on items not on the Agenda
None
2. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
2.1 Approval of Minutes – December 11, 2019 Board Meeting MOTION: Stiles/Dilles to approve December 11, 2019 Board of Directors meeting minutes. AYES: E. Cassidy, J. Dilles, L. Farris, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri NOES: None ABSTAIN: Engfer ABSENT: A. Franklin, J. Leopold
2.2 Election of Officers
MOTION: Henry/McPherson to nominate C. Perri for Board Chair. AYES: E. Cassidy, J. Dilles, D. Engfer, L. Farris, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri
NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: A. Franklin, J. Leopold
MOTION: McPherson/Pollock to nominate L. Henry for Vice Chair. AYES: E. Cassidy, J. Dilles, D. Engfer, L. Farris, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: A. Franklin, J. Leopold
MOTION: Stiles/Henry to nominate A. Franklin for Board Secretary. AYES: E. Cassidy, J. Dilles, D. Engfer, L. Farris, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: A. Franklin, J. Leopold
2.3 Committee Meeting Reports None
3. CONSENT AGENDA
None
4. GENERAL BUSINESS
4.1 Informational Session – Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Elements
A. Franklin entered the meeting at 5:42 p.m.
4.1.1 GSP Roadmap – January 23, 2020 4.1.2 Santa Margarita Basin – Preliminary GSP Projects and Management Actions - Introduction and Session Review - Report on Santa Margarita Basin Groundwater Model Update - Santa Margarita Basin – Preliminary GSP Projects and Management Actions - Facilitated Discussion
C. Tana presented groundwater modeling information to the Board and responded to questions from the Board, Staff, and Public. Four public comments were heard.
E. Cassidy requested clarification as to the speaking privileges of Alternate Directors attending as non-voting observers. P. Harmon and T. Rein stated that Agency Bylaws prohibit Board Alternates attending meetings as non-voting members from participating or acting in Board discussions.
D. Ceppos presented potential Project and Management Actions (PMAs) information and facilitated a discussion among the Board, Staff, and Public. PMAs discussed were Direct Potable Reuse and Distributed Solutions. One public comment was heard.
5. STAFF REPORTS
Legal Counsel Update (oral, T. Rein) T. Rein reported no updates. Financial Report for the Period of October 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 (Stephanie Hill) P. Harmon reported on the new format for financial reports and responded to questions from the Board. The Board directed Staff to include itemized credit card statements in future financial reports. Administrative (oral, P. Harmon) - Miller Maxfield Contract Status
P. Harmon reported on the current contract status with Miller Maxfield and responded to questions from the Board. The Board Directed Staff to provide periodic updates on Community and Public Outreach/Relations services.
- Cost Share in FY 2018 vs. 2019 and 2020
P. Harmon reported on cost share differences between fiscal year 2018, 2019, and 2020, and that Staff plans to revisit the current cost share ratio in 2022.
6. DIRECTORS REPORTS
6.1 Individual Directors’ Reports - Travel/Training
- Meetings L. Henry reported on a SMGWA Study session hosted by San Lorenzo Valley Water District on January 16, 2020 and responded to questions from the Board.
6.2 Correspondence/Requests from Individual Directors
P. Harmon reported on the requests submitted to Staff and responded to questions from the Board. 6.3 Board Compliance
The information was accepted without comment.
7. FUTURE ITEMS
- Records Retention Policy - Financial Controls for Borrowing Money
- FY 2021 Budget
Informational Sessions
- Groundwater Sustainability Plan Elements
- Water Demand Forecasting (Feb 2020)
8. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
- ACWA Conference Groundwater Committee Notes, M&A, December 2019
- Notice of Potential CASGEM Monitoring Well Data Transfer for GSP Development, Department of Water
Resources, November 2019
R. Stiles commented on the language of this item.
- Issues for Consideration on Development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans for Central Coast Groundwater Basins, Central Coast Water Quality Control Board, December 2019
9. EVENTS CALENDAR
- 2020 ACWA Legislative Symposium, March 12, 2020 Sacramento, CA
- Third Annual GSA Summit – Groundwater Resources Association of California, June 10 – June 11, 2020 Sacramento, CA
N. Wallace was designated as the point of contact for Directors wishing to attend these events.
10. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Stiles/Franklin to adjourn the meeting at 8:26 p.m.
AYES: E. Cassidy, J. Dilles, D. Engfer, L. Farris, A. Franklin, B. McPherson, D. Pollock, R. Stiles, L. Henry, C. Perri
NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: J. Leopold
APPROVED BY: Chris Perri, Chair Date ATTEST: Angela Franklin, Secretary Date
Summary Roadmap for Santa Margarita Basin GSP Development - February 27, 2020
Year Month Technical Consultant (M&A) Tasks Board Meeting Topics Board Review Board Action
(Y/N)
Work Progress
(%)
Staff & Editorial Reviewers Tasks
Sep - GSP Road Map, HCM, background on basin GWLs Draft Sustainability GoalAgree on inapplicable Sustainability Indicators Y
Oct Introduction
Model basics and update on model improvementsIntroduce Sections of the GSPBasics of Section 1Management Areas
- N 90
Section 1, excluding Estimated Cost of Implementing the GSP subsection (Oct - Nov)
Nov Basin SettingModel Update No Meeting Section 1 N 40
Section 1, excluding Estimated Cost of Implementing the GSP subsection (Oct - Nov)
Dec Basin SettingModel Update Climate Change - N 50 -
Jan
Model UpdateDMSBasin SettingProjects & Management Actions
Model update statusProjects & Management Actions
Model update and calibration results N 60
Feb
Projects & Management ActionsModel UpdateMonitoring NetworkBasin SettingDMS Analysis
Process for developing SMCsGWQ#1 - Background on Groundwater QualityDegraded GWQ statement of significant and unreasonable, and approach for SMCsPredictive groundwater model assumptions (incl. future water demands)
Summery of Groundwater Quality in Santa Margarita BasinExample Statements of Significant and Unreasonable GWQ
Y - Statement of Significant &
Unreasonable GWQ
Mar
Develop approaches for GWL SMCBasin SettingModel UpdateMonitoring Network
GWQ #2 - draft MT and MOGWL #1 - background on GWL, proposed approaches for MT and MO, and potential RMPs (won't have water budget yet)Predictive groundwater model assumptions (incl. future water demands)
Section 2Draft GWQ MT and MOSummary of Groundwater Level Conditions in the Santa Margarita BasinExample statements of Significant and Unreasonable for GWL
Y - GWQ MT and MO,
Statement of Significant &
Unreasonable GWL
Section 2, excluding future water budget, SY, and Communication & Engagement Plan (Mar-Apr)
AprPrepare GWL SMCDevelop predictive modelModel update
GWL #2 - proposed GWL MT and MOModel calibration results and water budget Proposed GWL MT and MO N
Section 2, excluding future water budget, SY, and Communication & Engagement Plan (Mar-
May Draft MT and MO for GWLGWL #3 - draft MT and MOPrioritization of Projects & Management Actions and timing of implementation to be included in predictive modeling
Draft GWL MT and MO Y - GWL MT and MO
Jun Draft MT and MO for DWS DSW #1 - background on DSW, proposed approaches for MT and MO, and potential RMPs
Summary of Interconnected Surface Water in the Santa Margarita BasinExample statement of Significant and Unreasonable for DSW
Y - Statement of Significant &
Unreasonable DSW
Groundwater Model Update and Improvements Report (May - June). To be included in the GSP as an Appendix
Jul Draft MT and MO for DWS DSW #2 - proposed DSW MT and MO Proposed DSW MT and MO N
Groundwater Model Update and Improvements Report (May - June). To be included in the GSP as an Appendix
Aug Draft MT and MO for DWS DSW #3 - extra meeting if needed Revisions to DSW MT and MO
Sep Draft MT and MO for Depleted SWDSW #4 - draft MT and MOGW Stor #1 - background on GW Stor, proposed approaches of MT and MO, and potential RMPs
Approval of draft DSW MT and MO, GW Stor statement of significant and unreasonable, and direction on approach for SMCs
Oct Modeling of Projects and Management Actions
Present predicted impacts to groundwater conditions based on projects and management actions. Compare against draft MT and MO for all SI
Recommend adjustments to MT and MO for all SI, and Revisions to Sustainability Goal
NovDraft MT and MO for Storage, including future water budget and SY
GWS #2 - draft GWS MT and MO Approval of Draft GWS MT and MO
Section 3 (Jan-Feb)Section 2 future water budgets and SY subsections (Jan Feb)
Jan Finalize all MT and MO for all SIs Final Sustainability Goal, and MT and MO for all SIs Approval of final Sustainability Goal and MT and MO for all SI Section 4 (Jan-Feb)
Mar Plan Implementation - Section 5 (Mar - Apr)
May - Additional meeting if neededSection 2 Communication & Engagement Plan subsection (May)
Jun Compile draft GSP, including executive summary - Complete draft GSP (Jun)
Jul Draft GSP Out for Public Review - Approve Draft GSP for Public Review
Sep Receive comments on draft GSP -
Oct Address comments Possible meeting to discuss commentsNov Prepare final GSP - Approve Final GSPDec Upload GSP to DWR Portal -
2022 Jan >>>GSP Due<<< -
2019
2020
2021
Additions in Bold-Italics - Deletions struck-through
ACWA-JPIA ACWA Joint Powers Insurance AuthorityAF Acre FootAFY Acre Foot per YearBMP Best Management PracticesCD Certificate of DepositCEQA California Environmental Quality ActDHS Department of Health ServicesDMS Data Management SystemDSW Depletion of Interconnected Surface WaterDWR Department of Water ResourcesEIR Environmental Impact ReportGASB Governmental Accounting Standards BoardGSP Groundwater Sustainability PlanGWL Chronic Lowering of Groundwater LevelsGWQ Degraded Groundwater QualityGWS Reduction of Groundwater StorageIRWM Integrated Regional Water ManagementJPA Joint Powers AgreementLAFCO Local Agency Formation CommissionLID Low Impact DevelopmentMGD Million Gallons per DayMGY Million Gallons per YearMO Measurable ObjectivesMT Minimum ThresholdsO&M Operations and MaintenancePHG Public Health GoalPPB Parts Per BillionRFP Request for ProposalsRMP Representative Monitoring PointRWMF Regional Water Management FoundationRWQCB Regional Water Quality Control BoardSCWD Sant Cruz Water DepartmentSDWA Safe Drinking Water ActSGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management ActSI Sustainability IndicatorSLVWD San Lorenzo Valley Water DistrictSMC Sustainability Management CriteriaSMGWA Santa Margarita Groundwater AgencySqCWD Soquel Creek Water DistrictSVWD Scotts Valley Water DistrictSW Surface WaterSWRCB State Water Resources Control BoardSY Sustainable Yield
Common Acronyms
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Board of Directors Agenda Report
__________________________________________________________________________
To: Board of Directors
Date: February 27, 2020
Item: General 4.1.2
Subject: Informational Session – Sustainable Management Criteria and Groundwater Quality
SUMMARY
Recommendation: Receive information and provide input regarding a draft statement of significant and unreasonable conditions affecting groundwater quality.
Fiscal Impact: None from this action.
DISCUSSION
Georgina King (Montgomery & Associates) and Rosemary Menard (City of Santa Cruz) will lead a presentation and discussion on SGMA requirements regarding groundwater quality.
1. Introduction and Session Review (5 minutes)
2. Sustainable Management Criteria Overview (15 minutes)
3. Basin Water Quality (30 minutes)
4. Federal and State Water Policy Framework (15 minutes)
5. Degraded Groundwater Quality statement of Significant and Unreasonable Conditions (45minutes)
Submitted by,
Piret Harmon
General Manager
Scotts Valley Water District
Attachments: None
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Board of Directors Staff Report
_____________________________________________________________________
To: Board of Directors
Date: February 27, 2020
Item: Staff Reports
Subject: Alternate Directors Participation in Board Meetings
SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
SMGWA Board members have inquired whether Alternates should be allowed greater participation in SMGWA meetings.
Section 6.4 of the SMGWA Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement addresses Alternate Directors as follows:
Alternate Directors. Each Member [the Scotts Valley Water District, the San Lorenzo Valley Water District and the County of Santa Cruz] may have one Alternate to act as a substitute Director for either of the Member's Directors. One Alternate shall also be appointed to act as a substitute Director for the two Directors representing private well owners, and one alternate for each entity may be appointed to act as a substitute Director for the City of Scotts Valley, City of Santa Cruz and Mt. Hermon Association. All Alternates shall be appointed in the same manner as set forth in Section 6.3. Alternate Directors shall have no vote and shall not participate in any discussions or deliberations of the Board unless appearing as a substitute for a Director due to absence or conflict of interest. If the Director is not present, or if the Director has a conflict of interest which precludes participation by the Director in any decision-making process of the Board, the Alternate Director appointed to act in their place shall assume all rights of the Director, and shall have the authority to act in his/her absence, including casting votes on matters before the Board. Alternates are strongly encouraged to attend Board meetings and stay informed on current issues before the Board.
The question about participation by Alternates gives rise to potential Brown Act concerns (Government Code 54950 et seq) of the Member agencies which comprise the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency.
The Brown Act gives the public the right to attend and participate in “meetings” of local legislative bodies. The definition of the term “meeting” (Government Code Section 54952.2) encompasses almost every gathering of a majority of the public agency members and includes: “Any congregation of a majority of members of a legislative body at the same time and place to hear, discuss, or deliberate upon any item that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body or the local agency to which it pertains.”
Exceptions to the Brown Act include:
(c) Nothing in this section shall impose the requirements of this chapter upon any of the following: ….(4) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and noticed meeting of another body of the local agency, or at an open and noticed meeting of a legislative body of another local agency, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled meeting, business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency….(6) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and noticed meeting of a standing committee of that body, provided that the members of the legislative body who are not members of the standing committee attend only as observers.
(Government Code Section 54952.2(c)(4) and (6)).
Before making a recommendation on whether Alternates should be allowed greater participation in Santa Margarita Groundwater Meetings, staff will confer with counsel for the Member Agencies relating to Brown Act compliance, and report back to this Board.
Submitted by,
Terry Rein
Legal Counsel
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency
Attachments: NONE
COMPLIANCE
NameForm 700
Annual Filing 2019
AB: 1234 Ethics Current
AB:1234 Ethics Due
Code of Conduct Guiding Principles
Board Members Edan Cassidy 04/01/19 02/04/20 02/04/22 01/16/18 02/12/19Jack Dilles 01/07/20 01/19/19 01/19/21 12/15/17 01/31/19Doug Engfer 02/27/19 08/09/18 08/09/20 12/16/17 03/13/19Angela Franklin 03/27/19 01/30/20 01/30/22 12/15/17 01/31/19Lois Henry 02/07/20 12/14/18 12/14/20 12/14/18 01/31/19John Leopold 03/22/19 09/13/19 09/13/21 12/15/17 02/01/19Bruce McPherson 03/22/19 12/31/19 12/31/21 08/28/18 05/21/19Chris Perri 02/05/20 03/19/19 03/19/21 12/16/17 01/31/19Dale Pollock 05/02/19 03/16/19 03/16/21 12/18/17 01/31/19Ruth Stiles 03/24/19 02/05/19 02/05/21 12/15/17 02/08/19Lew Farris 07/03/19 05/28/19 05/28/21 06/12/19 06/12/19Alternates David Baskin 02/25/19 07/07/18 07/07/20 01/23/18 01/31/19J.M. Brown 03/28/19 03/28/19 03/28/21 07/09/18 02/01/19Rick Moran 09/26/19 09/10/19 09/10/21 09/09/19 09/09/19Bryan Hayes 01/29/20 10/30/19 10/30/21 12/18/17 08/06/19Jeff Koopman 05/06/19 05/09/19 05/09/21 05/02/19 05/02/19Donna Lind 03/20/19 10/08/19 10/08/21 12/15/17 02/01/19Danny Reber 03/29/19 04/24/18 04/24/20 01/15/18 01/31/19
AB 1234: Public Officials Ethics Training
Code of Conduct
Guiding Principles
California Law requires that local officials who receive compensation, salary, stipends, or expense reimbursements complete a public official’s ethics laws and principles training relevant to public service within six months of taking office and repeated every two years. District retains original certificates of completion for five years.
The Board understands the importance and value of a positive and constructive culture to the overall performance of the Agency. In order for the Board to function in an effective manner, it is important that the Directors acknowledge their respective roles and the level of performance necessary to carry out the duties of a Director. All Directors shall agree in writing to follow the Guiding Principles of the Agency set forth in Appendix B of the Bylaws.
The Board understands the importance and value of a positive and constructive culture to the overall performance of the Agency. In order for the Board to function in an effective manner, it is important that the Directors acknowledge their respective roles and the level of performance necessary to carry out the duties of a Director. All Directors shall agree in writing to follow the Guiding Principles of the Agency set forth in Appendix A of the Bylaws.
ATTENTION Did you get an email
concerning Form 700? Form 700’s are now due for 2019. DEADLINE: 01 APRIL 2020
New for 2020: All filers must e-File using the Netfile system.
You can file for SMGWA at the same time as your primary agency.
Have questions? Your filing officer is here to help!
SMGWA Filing Officer: Nick Wallace
831-600-1901/[email protected]
ACWA GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES
February 11, 2020
DWR-SGMA Implementation Updates Taryn Ravazzini, Deputy Director at DWR, opened her remarks with commenting that the SGMA Office has to run the program concurrently for planning and assisting the 2022 GSP development process, and providing implementation assistance to the 2020 GSPs; all while reviewing the GSPs received by January 31st, 2020.
Recap on 2020 GSP Submittals (Craig Altare, GSP Review Section Lead) • 46 GSPs were submitted by 1/31/2020
o 43 GSPs are from the 18 critically overdrafted (COD) subbasins o 3 GSPs are from non COD subbasins o 1 Alternative was submitted by Borrego Springs (due to a new adjudication action)
• DWR has posted 24 GSPs so far, for the 75 day public comment period • The remaining GSPs are scheduled to be posted by February 19th; an e-mail notifying interested
parties will be sent to the SGMA list-serve • The evaluation and assessment process is starting; needs to be completed within 2 years of
submittal o DWR is planning on a progressive release with review of simpler GSPs completed sooner
than 2 years. o Basins with multiple, coordinated GSPs will probably take the full 2 years.
• See joint DWR/State Board Factsheet on the GSP submittal and evaluation process. • Annual reports are due April 1 in the year after the GSP has been submitted; it covers
information from the prior water year (e.g. October 1, 2018 through September 20,2019, for the first annual report for 2020 GSPs)
o Multi-GSP basins can submit a single basinwide annual report or individual reports for each submitted GSP
o DWR acknowledges that there will probably be quite a few data gaps in the first annual report because the GSP probably wasn’t adopted until after the WY 2019 reporting period., Data gaps are especially expected for comparing progress to reaching sustainability criteria
o DWR will develop and provide additional resources (FAQ and template for data upload in February annual reporting system for the GSP reporting system in early March)
o Since the annual reports are mostly data and progress towards meeting sustainability goals, the DWR review will be short and check-list driven; DWR is not anticipating to provide extensive review comment reports on these.
o DWR will reach out if it has any concerns about progress towards sustainability.
• Questions on how DWR will handle public comments received on submitted GSPs: o DWR will consider each comment during the GSP review; but no formal responses will
be provided o Taryn: DWR intends to keep communicating with interested parties and conduct
meetings with NGOs, water management groups (such as ACWA) to receive further input as needed. DWR will post comments received out of public comment period but is not obligated to consider in its review. SGMA relates to other issues such as land use and therefore will need to work with other agencies and governments.
Communications and Engagement: Past and Future Activities (Keith Wallace, C&E Section Lead)
• Recap of January workshops: o January, in Paso Robles, attended by more than 70 people o January 9th in Clovis, attended by approximately 100 people o A video recording, DWR's presentation slides, and SWRCB's presentation slides from
the Clovis workshop are available. • Planned 2020 events:
o Spring workshops, similar to the January ones, by this time geared towards the non-COD basins and located in Northern CA
o Summer Groundwater Summit: discuss statewide groundwater policies and nexus with the Water Resilience Portfolio
o Two additional Forums to create a venue for SGMA practitioners to exchange ideas (late Summer and Fall).
• Funding: o There are roughly $100 million left in Prop 68 grant funding for GSP implementation
that will be released in early 2021.
Q&A • What happens if one GSA does not sign an intra-basin coordination agreement?
o Then, the basin is not meeting statutory requirement. DWR will need to coordinate with SWRCB about next steps.
• What happens if one GSA does not adopt the GSP that covers the entire basin? o DWR will evaluate if adopting GSAs can implement GSP for the entire basin.
• How will DWR treat NGO letters like the one issued December 18, 2019? o DWR will review and consider letter in light of its responsibilities.
• How big is DWR’s staff dedicated to SGMA? o SGMO has 30 staff plus 40 from District offices. There is a big request for governor’s
budget to support.
ACWA Talk: Groundwater Accounting and Trading Platform Eric Averett, Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District
Key take-aways:
• See waterbudget.rrbwsd.com • Platform was primarily developed to answer the question by landowners “How much can I
pump?” • Developed a landowner web-based dashboard integrating real-time evapotranspiration data by
APN and calculates the available water budget for that property • This is an open-source platform that can be copied and recreated by anyone; very low
development cost • Developed over 1 year with landowners input • The Manager’s dashboard allows to input District allocations to calculate water available to
landowner; also includes other water sources • This tool is to help the District management area to stay in balance per their GSP • Groundwater pumping allotment Pro-rata per acre assigned to APNs. Allocation component
includes native yield, project water, stored water, and reconciliation (unused water that is reallocated).
• The demand calculations are directly linked to the free Open ET data for consumptive use so pumping does not have to be metered.
• Also includes historical data for comparison to previous years demand • This first pilot application is about to become live; landowners will have their own login • Includes a water market transaction scheme (not yet live)
o To buy and sell water; like “Craigslist for water” o District is not liable for this, only develops some rules based on water availability within
the District and acts as facilitator for the transactions that occur between willing landowners
Newsom Administration’s Draft Water Resilience Portfolio (Cindy Tuck, ACWA Deputy Executive Director)
• ACWA prepared comment letter in advance of draft, with most comments addressed in draft document
• Comment letter on draft is on website. • Positives in document include amount of discussion on groundwater and proposal for resilience
water bond • Water bond is $4.75 billion, including $395 million for CODs implementation of SGMA. Would
like to add $300 million for groundwater. • Committee members suggested more flexibility in who can receive awards, such as not limiting
to CODs.
Groundwater Resources Association Updates (Abigail Madrone, President)
Upcoming Events: • GROUNDWATER MONITORING - MEASUREMENTS, MANAGEMENT AND APPLICATIONS
CONFERENCE o Tuesday, Mar 3, 2020 8 a.m. - Wednesday, Mar 4, 2020 5 p.m o Monterey Tides
• LAW & LEGISLATION FORUM o Wednesday Mar 11, 2020 o The Sutter Club, Sacramento o The GRA/CGC 2020 Groundwater Law and Legislation Forum will be an interactive day of
learning and discussions regarding the most current legal and legislative issues affecting California groundwater. You will hear from California legislators regarding groundwater concerns on the horizon in the new California Legislative Session, and have the opportunity to network with your peers in the California groundwater space.
o This event occurs the day before the ACWA Legislative Symposium, at the same venue • CALIFORNIA FOCUSED PFAS CONFERENCE
o April 29, 2020 o Sterling Hotel, Sacramento o This one-day symposium will be unlike any other PFAS event you’ve ever attended and
is a “must-attend” event for anyone working groundwater projects in California. • THIRD ANNUAL GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT
o Wednesday, Jun 10, 2020 8 a.m. - Thursday, Jun 11, 2020 5 p.m. o Hilton Sacramento Arden West o This year’s Summit will be an opportunity to celebrate a significant milestone with the
first round of GSP submittals (due at the end of January) and to exchange information, ideas and best practices for successful GSP development and implementation.
o Lisa Porta with M&A and GRA Director, is chairing this conference; please contact her with questions or input at [email protected].
• THIRD ANNUAL WESTERN GROUNDWATER CONGRESS o Monday, Sep 14, 2020 8 a.m. - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 5 p.m. o Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel o You’ll find three full day sessions dedicated to Water Resources, SGMA, Contaminants
and a myriad of Special Topics related to the furtherance of GRA’s vision of Sustainable o Groundwater for All.
• Find a local branch near you to get involved with local practitioners; find out more at
https://www.grac.org/
March 3rd is almost upon us! We’re receiv-ing mail-in ballots, hearing about candi-dates nonstop on the radio, and I can’t
seem to see anything besides political yard signs on my way to work. While it can be stressful to see so many options on your ballot, we’d like to help alleviate some pressure by keeping our community well informed. Without further ado, let’s cut to the quick with Measure R. If you’ve managed to miss the signs and radio shows, Measure R hopes to authorize about 274 million dollars in bonds over the course of 30 years to improve Cabrillo Community College. I was lucky enough to pick the brains of Cabrillo’s President, Matt Wetstein, and the Cabrillo College SLV/SV Trustee, Donna Ziel, on the matter.
According the president, Measure R, if passed, will be put to great use, “There are three main projects identified in Measure R, for the Aptos campus: a totally new science center, a renovated library, and a student services support building.” Other funds will also be put aside for updat-
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REAL ESTATE
KATIE EVANSSTaff reporTer
Cabrillo StudentS , continued on page 3eStabliShing a Plan, continued on page 3
Cabrillo Students Are ‘Ready for the Future:’Are You?
The leaky roof from above.
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A SuMMAry Of MEASurE r
Establishing a Plan for 2022
Water regularly is recognized as our most valuable natural resource. Everything else is in second place, for without water, we
won’t last long as a society.We in the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley watersheds are being challenged to formulate a sustainable water plan by January 2022. That seems like a way off, but there’s a lot of work to do, with a cooperative effort, to make that timeline. This plan will be formulated by the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (SMGWA), one of several such agencies established by state legislation in 2014. You may have read recently about the Mid-County Water Agency, which is threatened by saltwater intrusion, recently completing its plan. The bad news, you might say, is that the state again is shoving something down the throat of local government. The good news is that the state gave local governments – who know best about their own water challenges – time and authority to develop the plan. If we don’t meet the requirements, however,
the state will step in and do the plan itself.SMGWA – a 34-square-mile basin comprised of well owners, the cities of Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz, the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley Water Districts and Mount Hermon – for the past few years has been com-piling data and identifying preliminary options to address future needs in the watershed.Recently, SMGWA heard from consultant Dave Ceppos and others about the Projects and Management Actions (PMAs) that need to be addressed on our path to completing a long-range, sustainable water plan. It’s no easy
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pAgE 14JUDiciAL cAnDiDATEs
pAgE 16A LOVE LETTER
| 3FRIDAY, FebRuARY 14, 2020
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Cabrillo StudentS, continued from page 1eStabliShing a Plan, continued from page 1
ing wiring, plumbing, and other old infrastruc-ture. Off the Aptos campus, Measure R could also fund a public training center in Watsonville for firefighters and police. Measure R has been in the works for several years. Planning began before started before Wetstein’s appointment to presidency, “We asked the community, back in 2016, what they wanted from Cabrillo. They emphasized the need for a good transfer institution, getting students into good jobs and good four-year universities.” Wetstein has high hopes for the Measure R timeline; the last bond would be sold during 2022-2023, construction would finish in 2026, and the final bond would be paid off in 2052-2053. Wetstein went into further detail on the con-struction plans, beginning with the science cen-ter. “The science building will be modernized and expanded… The building was built before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. It’s not that old, in terms of the equipment, but it has a lot of design issues, particularly with the venti-lation, water delivery systems, and gas. It will also expand access to lab space… [Measure R would] not only give modern space to students, but it gives them access to the courses faster. There would be no need for a waitlist. They would get enrolled as soon as they come in as students. It’s going to shorten their pathway to a new college.” We then chatted about his vision for the library. “The hub, the tutoring and studying space, is very impacted, so if you go in there, it’s high traf-fic and loud. There’s a good amount of square footage we can remodel. The footprint of the building will stay the same, but the study space will move forward and become more efficient.” “There’s an old theater building that was the student resources building, but it got shut down during the recession.” Wetstein cited a broken million-dollar boiler as the main reason for abandoning the building. The new plans would “bring a bunch of student services into that space, admissions and records, financial aid, counseling and advising, educational planning, veterans services.” All of these services already exist at Aptos, but Wetstein wants a consoli-dation of student services, “It’s just bad form to direct students around campus and have them get lost for functions that they have to complete.” Ziel darkly chuckled, “It’s our test.
If you can manage to find us, we’ll take you as a student.” Measure R would also replace old infrastructure around campus. Last summer, a sewer line broke in the cafeteria, costing Cabrillo 100,000 dollars in repairs of their 240,000-dollar bud-get. Wetstein worries, “There are other build-ings around campus with the same 60-year-old pipes and infrastructure… The campus is a time bomb.” Wetstein already knows this Measure can have a huge impact. He helped to enact a similar process as the Vice President of Instruction and Planning at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. “They had a 255-million-dollar bond measure in 2004, so while I was the VP we did very similar projects… Once you build it and replace the structure with a new one, we saw enrollment go up… and then grades went up. Student success rates increased with the new building… I hope that same effect will take place at Cabrillo when you offer modern spaces to students.” Ziel mused on what could prevent San Lorenzo and Scotts Valley voters from voting yes on Measure R, “When I’m talking to people who are unconvinced or against [Measure R], they really don’t understand how we are funded. When I tell them almost every community col-lege goes out for a bond every six years, and that our last bond was in 2004, they’re surprised…The state simply doesn’t allocate us enough funds in our budget to keep up to date. Our students are ready for the future.” Wetstein also remarked on conversations with Measure R dissenters, “Some people tell me ‘I don’t have skin in the game, because I don’t have a son or daughter and I’m not going to Cabrillo.’ I say ‘Let’s thing about that. Are you a small business owner? You’re probably hiring a Cabrillo graduate… More importantly, think of the services you’re getting in the community. Do you want nurses that are well trained? 80% of those nurses got their education at Cabrillo…We’re one of the major workforce creators in this county, so in terms of preparing students for careers and jobs, it’s hard to think of an insti-tution that has the same impact as us.” You can find out more about Measure R on https://www.cabrilloyesonr.org/. If you’d like to share your thoughts on Measure R, please send a quick blurb (no more than 300 words) to [email protected].
A leaking roof pipe at Cabrillo College.
task, with climate change, possible droughts, increasingly intense storms, and more under consideration before a five-year plan (to be reviewed annually) is finalized.
Another point of good news: Ceppos said that of all the groundwater agencies he is dealing with in California, SMGWA has the most promise in providing an integrated, consolidated, agreeable plan for the future.
As evidenced by the SMGWA membership, there are a lot of straws (not plastic, of course) being placed in our groundwater basin. The decision we make on our water oversight is as important as any we will make for our future. I’m confident that with a lot of work we will succeed in coming up with a plan that addresses our needs while protecting our watershed. Please join us for the next SMGWA meeting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Scotts Valley City Council Chamber.As we think about the sustainability of our water supply, we can’t help but think about growth. Our county, like most others in California, has not kept up with our projected need for new housing units. The state is taking notice.This past year, Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators have implemented, or in some cases just proposed, initiatives designed to reduce barriers to housing development, especially affordable units. I understand the need to build housing and have sup-ported recent projects before the Board of Supervisors.However, I do want to caution against the potential loss of local land-use authority. We need to preserve some control over housing projects in order to promote good water-supply planning, mitigate traffic and environmental impacts, and retain the character of our communities. This is especially true in my district. We have overtaxed septic systems and a con-gested state highway acting as a main street in the San Lorenzo Valley. In neighbor-ing Scotts Valley, we have seen a lot of new housing in recent years, but the property tax base cannot keep up with the costs of core city services. All of this underlines the need for continued smart planning by our local agencies. In addition to working on the groundwater agency and METRO boards, I look for-ward to serving this year as chair of our Regional Transportation Commission and continuing as chair of the policy board for our community-choice energy agency, Monterey Bay Community Power.As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns at [email protected] or 831-454-2200.
Bruce McPherson is a Santa Cruz County Supervisor, representing the 5th District. Before he was elected Supervisor in 2012, and reelected in 2016, he served two terms in the California State Assembly and two terms in the California State Senate. During his 11 years in the Legislature, he served as chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, vice chair of the Senate Education and the Senate Environmental Protection Committees, and chair of the Assembly Elections Committee. In the aftermath of the resignation of California’s Secretary of State in early 2005, he was nominated for the position by Governor Schwarzenegger and confirmed unanimously by both the Senate and Assembly, subsequently serving as California’s Secretary of State in 2005 and 2006. He was recog-nized as Legislator of the Year by numerous organizations and foundations, including the California School Boards Association, the California State Association of Counties, the League of California Cities, the California Wellness Foundation, and the California Small Business Association. After 2006, he was appointed to distinguished positions at many organizations, including California Forward, a statewide organization that was co-chaired by Leon Panetta to investigate the structural issues that contribute to the state’s partisan stalemates. As a County Supervisor, he was the driving force behind the formation of Monterey Bay Community Power, one of the largest and most successful com-munity choice energy agencies in California and serves as the Chair of the Policy Board.
How ground water occurs in rocks
