HomeMy WebLinkAbout9 Contract with GEI Consulting for Martis GMP Annual Report
AGENDA ITEM #9
MEETING DATE: November 2, 2022
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Steven Poncelet, Public Information and Strategic Affairs Director
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Contract with GEI Consultants for
Hydrogeologic Consulting Services
APPROVED BY ___________
Brian C. Wright, General Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with GEI Consultants for the Martis
Valley GMP Annual Report in an amount of $21,500, plus a 10% change order
authorization of $2,150, for a total not to exceed contract amount of $23,650.
DISCUSSION:
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 (GEl Consultants) to certify the MVGB Alternative
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Submittal.
The Alternative Submittal and supporting GEl Consultants 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.
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.
The Local Water Agencies solicited a proposal from GEl Consultants who had previously
done work in the Martis Valley on sustainable yield, the SGMA Alternative Submittal, and
the SGMA Annual Report. GEl Consultants is very familiar with both the Martis Valley and
the Local Water Agencies. The Local Water Agencies agreed to split the costs of the
annual reports equally (i.e. 1/3 share).
The District’s Board awarded a contract to GEI Consultants in December of 2019 for the
GMP annual report to cover water years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The two year report
was presented to the Martis Valley Stakeholder Working Group in March of 2021. The
delay in completing the report and presentation to the Stakeholder Working Group was a
result the transition from SGMA to a GMP framework along with the start of the COVID
pandemic.
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The District’s Board awarded a second contract to GEI Consultants in October of 2021 to
cover water years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. Again, due mostly to the impacts of COVID,
a two year annual report was prepared and presented to the Stakeholder Working Group
in May of 2022. The latest report continues to document that the Local Water Agencies are
managing the basin well within the sustainable yield estimates (~8,000 Acre-Feet per Year
water use verses 22,000 AFY sustainable yield) and that groundwater levels remain
largely stable. That being said, the last two water years have been classified as very dry
with 2020/2021 water year having the lowest precipitation in the last twenty years. As
expected, with a drop in precipitation there is a corresponding drop in groundwater levels.
The MVGB has historically recovered from drought quickly and the Local Water Agencies
will continue to monitor the impacts of drought and recovery on Martis Valley aquifer.
One proactive step that the Local Water Agencies took a few years back was to change
from only monitoring groundwater levels twice per year (spring and fall) to a regime of
monthly monitoring. The new data set creates the opportunity to begin understanding how
the aquifer responds to drought and seasonal fluctuations. It is important to note, however,
that this is the first drought that monthly data is being collected so there is no direct
comparison the decades of previous groundwater monitoring but we are developing an
important tool for future droughts.
ANALYSIS
The Local Water Agencies have met and decided to continue to work with GEI Consultants
for the annual report and are now back on an annual cycle with the next report covering
water year 2021/2022. The Stakeholder Working Group meeting is planned for spring of
2023. The five year update of the GMP is planned for 2024. The GEI proposal for the
Martis Valley GMP Annual Report is $21,500 which would be split equally amongst the
Local Water Agencies. The GEI Consultants proposal is Attachment 1.
OBJECTIVES & GOALS:
This item is in support of the following objectives and goals:
District Code1.05.020 Objectives:
1. Responsibly serve the public:
1.3 Promote communication and cooperation with other public and private agencies.
5. Manage in an environmentally sound manner:
5.6 Provide key leadership in the stewardship of the District’s aquifer, watershed, and
natural infrastructure.
Strategic Goals:
1. Manage for Financial Stability and Resiliency
2. Environmental Stewardship: Create a sustainable, resilient environment for all of our
communities
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FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposal from GEI Consultants for the Martis Valley GMP Annual Report is for
$21,500. Staff is recommending a 10% change order authorization of $2,150 for a total not
to exceed contract amount of $23,650. The maximum amount to be split amongst the Local
Water Agencies would be $7,883.33 each. The District’s portion of this item is included in
the Board approved FY23 Budget (2.2.923.00.736) which has $8,240 for this expense.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GEI Consultants Proposal Martis Annual Report 2021-2022
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