2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

Transcription

1 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Butte County Water Commission January 7, 2015 Dan McManus (530)

2 Presentation Overview: Legislation Background : How did we get here and what were some of the key drivers? 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act DWR Implementation Next Steps

3 Major Milestones toward Sustainable Groundwater Management Bulletin Governors Drought Proclamations (Jan/Apr) DWR Initiates Sustainable Groundwater Management AB AB 303 Local GW Assistance Grants SB 1938 SBx7-6 CASGEM Program AB 359 California Water Action Plan CWP GW Report Governor Signs Groundwater Legislation (9/16/14)

4 Statewide Groundwater Use Average Annual Use Total Supply: 43 MAF/yr GW Use = 16.5 MAF/yr 39% of total supply

5 Sacramento River Hydrologic Region Groundwater Use vs Total Water Supply by Planning Area Total Water Supply: 9,008 TAF Use met by GW: 2,743 TAF ~30%

6 2014 = th Lowest Since 1906

7 Change in Groundwater Elevation Contour Map Spring 2005 Spring 2010 with Estimated Change in Groundwater in Storage by Hydrologic Region Level Change DWR CWP 2013 Update, Volume 4 SR: -0.7 to -1.7 MAF SJR: -1.0 to -2.6 MAF TL: -3.7 to -8.9 MAF CV Total: -5.4 to MAF

8 Chico Groundwater Level Change Historic Spring Low ( ) vs Recent Drought Spring Low ( ) DWR April 2014, Drought Report

9 Long Term Groundwater Elevation Change Map Summer 2004 Summer 2014 Well Depths: < 200 Chico Willows

10 2004

11 Renewed Land Subsidence Renewed land subsidence threatens infrastructure, buildings, water delivery systems, and long-term water supply capacity. Adapted from Ireland, 1983.

12 2012 Groundwater Management Planning

13 California Water Action Plan Final Released: January 22, year Plan to improve sustainability of CA s Water Resources

14 California Water Action Plan Goals: Reliability: Develop more reliable water supplies Restoration: Restore important species and habitat Resilience: Establish a more resilience, and sustainably managed water resource system 10 Broad Actions: 1. Make Conservation a California Way of Life 2. Increase Regional Self Reliance and IWM Across all Levels of Gov. 3. Achieve the Co Equal Goals of the Delta Plan 4. Protect and Restore Important Ecosystems 5. Manage and Prepare for Dry Periods 6. Expand Water Storage Capacity and Improve Groundwater Mgmt. 7. Provide Safe Water for All Communities 8. Increase Flood Protection 9. Increase Operation and Regulatory Efficiency 10. Identify Sustainable and Integrated Financing Opportunities

15 California Water Action Plan Action #6: Expand Water Storage Capacity and Improve Groundwater Management Provide Essential Data to Enable Sustainable Groundwater Mgmt Support Funding Partnerships for Storage Projects Update Bulletin 118, California Groundwater Plan Improve Sustainable Groundwater Management Support Distributed Groundwater Storage Increase Statewide Groundwater Storage Accelerate Clean-up of Contaminated Groundwater and Prevent Future Contamination

16 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

17 The Sustainable Groundwater KEY PRINCIPLES Management Act of 2014 AB 1739: Dickinson SB 1168: Pavley SB 1319: Pavley Groundwater best managed at the local or regional level, and local agencies should have the tools and authority they need to sustainably manage their resources. When local or regional agencies cannot or will not manage their groundwater sustainably, the State will intervene until the local agencies develop and implement sustainable groundwater management plans. 17

18 The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 KEY INTENDED OUTCOMES Establish effective local governance to protect and manage groundwater basins Achieve sustainable management of groundwater basins Manage regional water resources for regional self-sufficiency and prepare for dry periods 18

19 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Requires that a groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) be adopted for the most important groundwater basins in California Limited to high & medium priority basins 127 out of 515 basins in the state Adjudicated basins are exempt, except for minimal reporting Low & very low priority basins are exempt, though they are encouraged to adopt plans. * Initial Basin Priority = June, 2014 Results --- Basin Priority will be updated to Include impacts to habitat and stream flow June 2014 Basin Prioritization Results

20 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Establishes a timetable for adoption of GSPs By 2017, local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSA) must be identified. By 2020, overdrafted basins must be covered by a groundwater sustainability plan (GSP). Other high & medium priority basins not in overdraft must have plans by By 2040, each high & medium priority basin must achieve sustainability, though this can be extended by 10 years for good cause Governor Signs Sustainable Groundwater Management Legislation 9/16/14 Groundwater Sustainability Agencies Identified Groundwater Sustainability Plans (Basins in Overdraft) Groundwater Sustainability Plans (Non-Overdrafted High & Medium Priority Basins) All High & Medium Priority Basins Achieve Sustainability

21 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Empowers local agencies to manage their basins sustainably Gives local agencies new authority to: Adopt and enforce rules, Require registration of groundwater wells, Measure and manage groundwater extraction, Groundwater use reporting Fee assessment Request revisions of groundwater basin boundaries. Local agency means any local public agency that has water supply, water management, or land us responsibilities within a groundwater basin. Exempts local groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) from CEQA

22 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Establishes Basic Requirements for GSPs: Description of physical setting Identification of groundwater conditions: (levels, quality, subsidence, groundwater surface water interaction) Historic and projected water demands and supplies Maps: basin and agency boundaries, recharge areas. Measurable Objectives with Interim Milestones (every 5 yrs) to achieve sustainability in 20 yrs. Description of how GSP is given consideration in General Plans

23 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Key Definitions Sustainable Groundwater Management The management and use of groundwater in a manner that can be maintained during the planning and implementation horizon without causing undesirable results. Undesirable Results Chronic lowering of gw levels that result in significant and unreasonable depletion of supply if continued over the planning and implementation horizon. Significant and unreasonable reduction in groundwater storage Significant and unreasonable degradation of water quality Significant and unreasonable land subsidence that significantly interferes with surface land uses Surface water depletions that have significant and unreasonable adverse impacts on beneficial uses of surface water Subject to Critical Conditions of Overdraft A basin is subject to critical conditions of overdraft when continuation of present water management practices would probably result in significant adverse overdraft-related environmental, social, or economic impacts.

24 2014 Sustainable GW Management Legislation Provides for a limited state role DWR will evaluate groundwater sustainability plans within two years of submission. State Water Board may temporarily intervene in four limited circumstance. No governance structure for a basin after 2 ½ years No plan after five years (overdrafted basins) or ten years (other basins) Plan is inadequate and the basin has serious groundwater problems Local agency has not adequately implemented the plan and the basin has serious groundwater problems State Board must return control to local agencies as soon as they adopt an adequate plan. State Board may limit its temporary control to the portion of the basin not being managed.

25 2014 Sustainable GWM Near-Term Timeline

26 2014 Sustainable GWM Expanded Timeline

27 DWR Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Groundwater Sustainability Program Strategic Plan Describes DWR role and responsibilities under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and outlines related actions from the California Water Action Plan.

28 DWR Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Objectives: 1. Groundwater sustainability agency governance and sensible regulations 2. Provide Technical Assistance to GSAs 3. Provide Planning Assistance to GSAs 4. Provide interregional assistance to local agencies acknowledging interaction with adjacent basins

29 DWR Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Functional Areas Sustainable Groundwater Management Groundwater Sustainability Assessment State Technical Assistance State Planning Assistance Financial & Regional Planning Assistance Interregional Assistance Basin Groundwater Budget Groundwater Management Information System Statewide Groundwater Planning (B-118) Regional Agency Capacity Assistance Evaluate Storage & Conveyance Projects Basin Boundaries, Prioritization, and Budget GSP Assessment Statewide Data Collection Groundwater Evaluations Statewide Water Planning (B-160) Recharge/Supply Planning Financial Assistance Statewide-Regional Integration Improve Surface Water Reliability Assess Surface Water & Groundwater Interaction

30 DWR Rollout: Phased Implementation of Legislation to Achieve Sustainable Groundwater Management Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Realignment of Governance and Areas (Oct 2014 through 2017) Development and Adoption of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) (2017 to Jan 2020 or 2022) Initial Management through Water Budgets (Jan 2020 or 2022 plus 5 10 years) Sustainable Groundwater Management (20 years from 2020 or 2022)

31 DWR Near Term Implementation recap January 2015 to December 2016 Develop Initial Basin Priority done (for now) Identify Basins Subject to Overdraft Conditions Adopt Regulations to Revise Basin Boundaries January 2016 Adopt Regulations to Evaluate and Implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans June 2016 Publish Report on Water Available for Groundwater Replenishment Dec. 31, 2016

32 DWR Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Implementation Challenges Imbalance of water supply to demand Coordinated water management with a basin Regulatory oversight and enforcement Development of regulations and criteria On-going degradation of basins Data management and lack of adequate data Funding and resources Communications and outreach Uncertainties

33 DWR Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program Communication and Outreach Tools and Information: State agency committees Public stakeholder meetings leverage existing meetings associations/foundations/organizations Regional workshops and forums Groundwater sustainability advisory panel Topic-specific webinars One-on-one meetings

34 Questions? DWR Groundwater Information Center: Dan McManus (530)