HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 1 Attachement r2016-28 Alternative Submittal
Resolution No. 2016-28
APPROVING THE MARTIS VALLEY GROUNDWATER BASIN
SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT ALTERNATIVE
SUBMITTAL
W HEREAS, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”), as amended and codified in
California W ater Code §§ 10720, et seq., applies to all groundwater basins in the State of California;
and
W HEREAS, The legislative intent of SGMA is to prov ide sustainable management of groundwater
basins, to enhance local management of groundwater, to establish minimum standards for the
sustainable groundwater management, and to prov ide local groundwater agencies with the authority
and the technical and financial assistance necessary to sustainably manage groundwater; and
W HEREAS, SGMA requires “sustainable groundwater management” for all groundwater basins or
sub-basins that are designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of W ater
Resources (“Department”) in the Department’s report entitled “California’s Groundwater: Bulletin 118”
(“Bulletin 118”); and
W HEREAS, The Martis Valley Groundwater Basin (“MVGB”) is located in both Nevada County and
Placer County and has been designated by the Department as Basin No. 6-67 and is currently
designated a medium-priority basin; and
W HEREAS, SGMA defines a “local agency” as a local public agency that has water supply, water
management, or land use responsibilities within a groundwater basin; and
W HEREAS, there are a total of six qualifying local agencies with jurisdiction ov er MVGB, which
include the County of Nev ada, the County of Placer, the Town of Truckee, the Truckee Donner Public
Utility District, the Placer County W ater Agency and the Northstar Community Serv ices District,
collectiv ely referred to as “Partners” and who wish to cooperate in sustainable groundwater
management and compliance with SGMA; and
W HEREAS, SGMA provides that any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a
groundwater basin have discretion to become a groundwater sustainability agency (“GSA”) for that
basin; and
W HEREAS, SGMA requires that either: (1) a groundwater sustainability plan (“GSP”) be dev eloped
and implemented by the GSA; OR (2) if a local agency or combination of local agencies believes that
an alternativ e to a GSP satisfies the objectiv es of SGMA, the local agency may submit the alternative
to the Department for ev aluation and assessment no later than January 1, 2017, and ev ery fiv e years
thereafter; and
W HEREAS, the Partners believ e that an alternativ e to a GSP will satisfy the objectiv es of SGMA
becaus e the basin has been operated within sustainable yield for at least the last 10 years, a fact that
has been documented by a hydrogeologist registered in the State of California; and
W HEREAS, the Partners wish to collectiv ely submit an alternativ e titled Martis Valley
Groundwater Basin Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Alternative Submittal (“Alternativ e
Submittal”) to the Department; and
W HEREAS, the Truckee Donner Public Utility District has led the preparation of the Alternativ e
Submittal, with input and rev iew by all Partners and a hydrogeologist registered in the State of
California; and
W HEREAS, the Alternativ e Submittal lev erages the Martis Valley Groundwater Management Plan
adopted in 2013, the Truckee Riv er Operating Agreement, enacted under Federal Law to restrict and
monitor surfac e water and groundwater use, and a body of scientific work that demonstrates the
existence of sustainable groundwater management in MVGB for at least 10 years; and
W HEREAS, the Alternative Submittal addresses the six undesirable results that hav e been identified
by the Department and is believed by the Partners to be functionally and substantially compliant with
SGMA and applicable requirements of the Department; and
W HEREAS, based on the abov e findings, the Partners intend to submit the Alternativ e Submittal to
the Department by the due date set by SGMA of January 1, 2017, and, subject to approv al of the
Department, intend to continue sustainable groundwater management of the MVGB in accordance
with the Alternativ e Submittal and without formation of a GSA or preparation of a GSP.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF T HE TRUCKEE-DONNER PUBLIC
UTILIT Y DISTRICT DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Alternativ e Submittal has been rev iewed by the Truckee Donner Public Utility District
and is found to prov ide for the legislative intent of SGMA and qualify the MVGB as eligible for an
alternativ e to a GSP.
Section 2. The Alternativ e Submittal, in substantially the same form as attached to this Resolution, is
approv ed by the Truckee Donner Public Utility District and it is requested that the Alternative Submittal
be submitted to the Department for rev iew and approval by the District on behalf of all Partners.
Section 3. Subject to the Department’s approv al of the Alternativ e Submittal, the Truckee Donner
Public Utility Distric t wishes to continue participation in sustainable groundwater management with the
Partners.
Section 4. Approv al of this Resolution and the Alternativ e Submittal are exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act based on a legislative exemption prov ided in SGMA, W ater Code Section
10728.6, and for purposes of protection of natural resources and the env ironment, per CEQA
guidelines Sections 15307 and 15308.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors at a meeting duly called and held within the
Dis trict on the sev enth day of December of 2016 by the following roll call v ote:
AYES: Directors: Ellis, Bender, W armerdam, Laliotis, and President Aguera.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
_____________________________
Joseph Aguera, President
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Michael D. Holley, District Clerk