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HomeMy WebLinkAbout17 Recieve the Annual Martis Valley Basin Report AGENDA ITEM # 17 Page 1 of 3 MEETING DATE: February 3, 2021 TO: Board of Directors FROM: Steven Poncelet, Public Information and Strategic Affairs Director SUBJECT: Review of the GEI Consultant’s Martis Valley Groundwater Basin Annual Report APPROVED BY______________________________ Brian C. Wright, Interim General Manager/ Water Utility Director RECOMMENDATION: Receive the GEI Consultant’s Martis Valley Groundwater Basin Annual Report – Water Years 2018 and 2019. BACKGROUND: The District has a long history of stewardship and collaboration in managing water resources. A major tenant of local water resource management has been to use the best available science to inform the decision making process. This has resulted in decades of monitoring and scientific study including the Desert Research Institute's Martis Valley groundwater model/report as part of the Federal Truckee River Basin Study. This effort was supported by the District, Northstar Community Services District - NCSD, and Placer County Water Agency - PCWA (Local Water Agencies) and was a key component of the collaboratively adopted 2013 Martis Valley Groundwater Management Plan (GMP). In 2014, California passed into law the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which applied to all Medium and higher Priority basins (Martis Valley was at the time designated Medium Priority). This, in effect, put the implementation of the 2013 GMP on hold. The District, PCWA, NCSD, Town of Truckee, Nevada County and Placer County (local SGMA agencies) in the Martis Valley Groundwater Basin (MVGB) put forth an Alternative Submittal in December, 2016 in compliance SGMA. The local SGMA agencies hired a licensed engineering firm (GEI Consultants) to certify the MVGB Alternative Submittal. The Alternative Submittal and supporting GEI report document that the MVGB has operated within its sustainable yield for at least 25 years. The MVGB Alternative Submittal was submitted in December, 2016. Subsequently, in April of 2017, a first-year SGMA Annual Report was submitted while the on-going review by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) of the Alternative Submittal continued. Page 2 of 3 In early 2019, while Alternative Submittal review still continued, DWR was required to review basin prioritization. The MVGB was initially again prioritized Medium but, upon review and engagement with DWR by the local SGMA agencies, the MVGB was re- prioritized to 'Very Low' and was no longer required to comply with SGMA. The local SGMA agencies agreed to formally withdraw the Alternative Submittal from DWR consideration and to go back to the 2013 Martis Valley GMP framework, including reconvening the Stakeholder Working Group which was active in the development of the plan. It is believed that this local GMP framework is a much more effective and efficient process to manage groundwater resources than the heavy hand of SGMA regulation. The three Local Water Agencies worked with our local partners to develop a plan to go back to the GMP framework. This included updating the Stakeholder Working Group list to reflect the local agencies or groups with direct interest in Martis Valley groundwater resources. In general, the stakeholders fall into three categories: local public agencies; major water users/pumpers; and local non-profits/interest group. A GMP Stakeholder Working Group kick-off meeting was held on October 3, 2019 where the three Local Water Agencies reviewed the 2013 Martis Valley GMP and the key meetings and actions that would occur going forward. This includes an annual report tracking the performance and long-term sustainability of the groundwater basin along with an update to the GMP every five years. Given the significant amount of work and reporting during the SGMA Alternative Submittal, it was agreed that the start of the GMP would now be 2019. It was also agreed that first GMP annual report would cover the past two water years (October - September 2017/2018 and 2018/2019) which would provide continuity from the last SGMA annual report. The District, as the largest agency in the basin, took the lead on the contracting for this report. The Local Water Agencies solicited a proposal from GEI Consultants who had previously done work in the Martis Valley on sustainable yield, the SGMA Alternative Submittal, and the SGMA Annual Report. GEI Consultants is very familiar with both the Martis Valley and the Local Water Agencies. The District’s Board authorized a contract with GEI Consultants at the December 4, 2019 Board meeting with the costs to be split equally between the three Local Water Agencies. The GEI Consultant’s Martis Valley Groundwater Basin Annual Report – Water Years 2018 and 2019 has been finalized and is Attachment 1. The report documents the management and monitoring activities within the Basin and benefits from increased monitoring by the Local Water Agencies, the data collected as part of the Truckee River Operating Agreement (TROA) annual reporting, and voluntary data from some private well operators. As documented in the Executive Summary and throughout the report, the Martis Valley Groundwater Basin continues to operate well within sustainable yield and is overall a healthy basin. As the lead agency for the GEI Consultant’s contract and report, staff is bringing the final report to the Board for review and acceptance. Next steps would include sending the report out to the SWG and holding our annual Stakeholder Working Group meeting which will include a presentation of the results by GEI Consultants. It should be noted that our Page 3 of 3 ‘annual’ schedules have been impacted by both the transition from SGMA back to the GMP and by COVID. Going forward, it is the intention of the Local Water Agencies to conduct this process on a more routine annual schedule. This item is in support of the following objectives and goals identified by the District. 1.05.020 Objectives: 1. Responsibly serve the public. 3. Provide reliable and high quality water supply and distribution system to meet current and future needs. 5. Manage the District in an environmentally sound manner. 6. Manage the District in an effective, efficient and fiscally responsible manner. 1.05.030 Goals: 1.1 Conduct the District’s business in a legal, ethical, open, and transparent manner. 1.2 Implement a proactive public outreach program. 1.3 Promote communication and cooperation with other public and private agencies. 3.1 Maintain and implement a current Urban Water Management Plan which includes current and future projections of water quality, demand, and supply. 5.5 Minimize negative impact of District operations on the environment. 5.6 Provide key leadership in the stewardship of the District’s aquifer, watershed, and natural infrastructure. 6. Utilize modern, cost effective work methods and equipment. FISCAL IMPACT: The GEI Consultants contract for the Martis Valley GMP Annual Report is for an amount of $21,000 plus a 10% change order authorization of $2,100 for a total not to exceed contract amount of $23,100. The final cost will be equally split (1/3) amongst Northstar Community Services District, Placer County Water Agency, and the District. GEI invoiced and the District paid $18,560 in 2020. The remaining $2,440 accrued payable in 2020 and receivable of $14,000 was established at year-end 2020 for the 2/3 of cost due from the other agencies. The Water Operations Budget in 2020 has sufficient Budget for the District’s $7,000 cost. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: GEI Consultants Martis Valley Groundwater Basin Annual Report – Water Years 2018 and 2019.