Agenda

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TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	08/09/2021
Subject: RECEIVE a report on the preparation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the East Contra Costa Groundwater Subbasin & take ACTION as appropriate.
Submitted For:	TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Department:	Conservation & Development
Referral No.:	6
Referral Name:	Review and monitor the establishment of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and Groundwater Sustainability Plans for the three medium priority groundwater basins within Contra Costa County as required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Presenter:	Ryan Hernandez, DCD	Contact:	Ryan Hernandez (925)655-2919

Information

Referral History:

This report is in fulfillment of the TWIC referral to monitor compliance of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Contra Costa County is a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and overlies a portion of the East Contra Costa Groundwater Subbasin. The County, together with our partner GSAs, are preparing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan to be submitted to the Department of Water Resources by January 31, 2022.

Referral Update:

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (Act) requires local agencies to manage groundwater in a sustainable manner. The Act also requires all high- and medium priority groundwater basins, as designated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), to be managed by a GSA. The East Contra Costa Groundwater Subbasin (Subbasin) is a medium priority basin, (DWR Basin 5-22.19, San Joaquin Valley). With the County, there are seven GSAs that overly the Subbasin, the Cities of Antioch and Brentwood, Byron Bethany Irrigation District, Diablo Water District, Discovery Bay Community Services District and East Contra Costa Irrigation District (together Overlying Agencies). Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) is a member of the working group and contributes to the development of the GSP.

In the February 2021 update to the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee we discussed the process and schedule to develop a singular GSP. We implemented several tools, including conducting virtual public meetings, to inform the public and encourage access and participation in the preparation of the ECC GSP. See the East Contra Costa Groundwater Sustainability webpage for draft chapters, maps and contact information:

https://www.eccc-irwm.org/about-sgma

All chapters of the GSP, except for Chapter 5, are now posted on the website above and we are continuing to seek public comments. We expect to publish the completed draft ECC GSP by September 1 for thirty days and anticipate preparing a report and presentation for the Board of Supervisors to consider adoption of the GSP before the end of the year.

The attached presentation provides additional information on the basin setting and conditions; and the proposed sustainable management criteria, projects and management actions, and plan implementation.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

RECEIVE report on the preparation of a draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The Board of Supervisors will consider adopting the draft GSP later this year per the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, and DIRECT staff as appropriate.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

Costs to prepare the groundwater sustainability plan will be divided evenly among the parties to the MOU, except that the County may elect to satisfy some or all of its cost-share obligation through in-kind services performed by County staff, which will be funded by the Water Agency.

Attachments
ECC GSP Presentation