From the Department of Water Resources, Sustainable Groundwater Management Program:
Public Comment Period for Sustainable Management Criteria BMP Ends Soon
Thanks to everyone who submitted comments on DWR’s draft Best Management Practice (BMP) publication, Sustainable Management Criteria (SMC). Comments received by DWR on the SMC BMP are posted on DWR’s Public Comments – Best Management Practices webpage, and will be considered as staff drafts the final version. The window for public comment closes January 8, 2018.
The SMC BMP characterizes the relationship between the different sustainable management criteria – the sustainability goal, undesirable results, minimum thresholds, and measurable objectives – and describes best management practices for developing these criteria as part of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). This BMP does not impose new requirements, but describes best management practices for satisfying the requirements of SGMA and the GSP Regulations. The SMC BMP is available on DWR’s BMP webpage, along with the public meeting presentation and webcast.
You may still email your comment to: sgmps@water.ca.gov Subject: Comments on Draft SMC BMP, or comment by US Postal Service to P.O. Box 942836 Sacramento, California 94236-0001 Attn: Lauren Hersh, Rm 201. Comments must be postmarked or date-stamped no later than January 8, 2018.
Basin Boundary Modifications Requests Now Open for Submission
SGMA established a process for local agencies to request DWR to review and revise boundaries of existing groundwater basins or subbasins, including establishing new subbasins. GSAs and local agencies are encouraged to reach out to DWR for assistance with this process. All information to support a boundary modification should be submitted to the Basin Boundary Modification Request System.
The 2018 Basin Boundary Modification Schedule:
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- January 1, 2018: Submission Period opens for 6 months. During this window, GSAs and local agencies can submit the required information to support a Basin Boundary Modification on the SGMA Portal http://sgma.water.ca.gov/portal/#intro.
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- June 30, 2018: Submission Period Closes and 30-day Public Comment Period Opens
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- July 30, 2018: Public Comment Period Closes
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- Fall 2018: Draft Basin Boundary Modifications Released
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- Fall/Winter 2018 – Final Basin Boundary Modifications Released
For more information on basin boundary modifications, including the Basin Boundary Assessment Tool and the Basin Boundary Modification Request System, please visit: http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/sgm/basin_boundaries.cfm.
Contact: Dane Mathis| Dane.Mathis@water.ca.gov | (559) 230-3354
Webinar Planned for NEW GSP Initial Notification System
DWR is putting the finishing touches on a new GSP initial notification system, created for GSAs to use when submitting their intent to develop a GSP in accordance with the GSP regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Section 353.6). Existing notifications that have been provided to DWR and posted on our website (http://water.ca.gov/groundwater/sgm/gsp_in.cfm) will be transferred to this new system. DWR will be contacting and assisting GSAs with the transfer process. We also plan to hold a public webinar later this month with instructions on how to use the new GSP initial notification system. Once the system is live, GSAs will be required to use the system when submitting future notifications. Watch for more details soon!
Contact: Steven Springhorn | Steven.Springhorn@water.ca.gov | (916) 651-9273
Who’s Your Person?
To assist GSAs and stakeholders in GSP development, DWR has assigned a Point of Contact (POC) for each high and medium priority basin that is subject to SGMA. The POC serves as the basin liaison to connect GSAs with DWR staff. The POC can assist GSAs in locating DWR’s program information (BMPs, guidance documents, data and tools), and identify and obtain available assistance. Think of your POC as your go-to person – and find them on the Communications and Outreach page of DWR’s website.
Data, Tools, and Reports
From datasets to groundwater – surface water models, DWR is providing technical assistance to help GSAs develop GSPs, and implement the SGMA requirements. The SGMA Technical Assistance Factsheet enables users to find links to technical resources, available on DWR’s SGMA Program – Data, Tools, and Reports webpage including:
- Statewide Data Platforms
- Interactive Maps
**New** – The Well Completion Report Map Application provides access to statewide Well Completion Reports. Well Completion Reports contain information collected by drillers during the drilling and construction of water wells, including the location, dates of construction, planned use, depth of the well, subsurface geologic units encountered, well construction, and well yield.
The California DWR Land Use Viewer, allows GSAs and the public to easily access both statewide (as recent as 2014 crop data) and existing county land use datasets that have been collected over the last 30 years. The Viewer also includes a variety of tools that will allow users to download and analyze land use data. You may want to access the webinar on YouTube for a demonstration of how to use the Viewer.
- Modeling: DWR provides a number of existing integrated hydrologic modeling codes and applications available for use. A summary of these resources is available in the Modeling Tools Fact Sheet, along with FAQs on DWR’s Integrated Hydrologic Models and Water Budget Pilot Projects and Integrated Hydrologic Modeling and Water Budgets pertaining to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and Groundwater Sustainability Plan Regulations
- Climate Change: DWR is providing data, tools, and guidance to assist GSAs with incorporating climate change into their GSPs. This effort leverages previous work done by DWR for the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). Please refer to the Climate Change Fact Sheet for more information about what will be provided.
- Reports – Best Management Practices, Guidance Documents, Bulletin 118, and Bulletin 160
Visit our Data, Tools, and Reports webpage for additional information on DWR’s SGMA related Data, Tools, and Reports.
Contacts:
Land Use Viewer, Wyatt Arnold | Wyatt.Arnold@water.ca.gov
Well Completion Report Viewer, Ben Brezing | Benjamin.Brezing@water.ca.gov
Technical Assistance, Steven Springhorn | (916) 651-9273 | Steven.Springhorn@water.ca.gov
Upcoming events
California Irrigation Institute: Drought to deluge: Scaling solutions
Monday, January 29, 2018 to Tuesday, January 30, 2018
The California Irrigation Institute announces its 56th annual conference January 29-30, 2018 at the Hilton Arden West in Sacramento, California. The theme of the 2018 conference is Drought to Deluge: Scaling Solutions. The past decade was filled with extreme weather conditions in California. Join us for panels and discussions from top water leaders on how they prepared for this reality and took advantage of wet conditions after years of historic drought. There were many innovative efforts to quickly mobilize projects and reap the benefits of 2017’s extraordinary precipitation. The keynote will be provided by the newly appointed Department of Water Resources Director, Grant Davis. Featured luncheon speaker is acclaimed author, Sandra Postel, also known as founder and director of the Global Water Policy Project.
The conference is attended by a diverse group of water professionals that include agricultural and urban water managers, policy makers, manufacturers and farmers. For more information and to register visit www.caii.org.
CONTACT
California Irrigation Institute
(559) 960-3871 (559) 960-3871
Kathryn@ChandlerAg.com
American Groundwater Trust & Association of Groundwater Agencies Annual Conference: “Everything Aquifers and Groundwater Management”
February 12, 2018 – February 13, 2018, Ontario, CA
This annual event provides a stimulating information exchange and networking opportunity for California’s water agencies, utilities and water districts, and for all water professionals (scientific, engineering, managerial, legal, environmental, regulatory), end-users of water, and local and state elected officials involved with water policy issues.
For more information, Contact American Groundwater Trust (603) 228-5444
The Sixteenth Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, Recharge to the Rescue!
March 6 – March 7, San Diego
The Sixteenth Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, Recharge to the Rescue!, Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Water Management Tool, will take place at on March 6-7, 2018 in San Diego, CA. This event continues a long-standing series of symposia originating in Arizona in 1978.
BSMAR 16 will feature oral presentations, poster presentations, an awards luncheon as well as optional pre- and post-conference workshops and an optional field trip to the Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
Click here for more information.
Click here to view all posted announcements.
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