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Extraído del Informe Consolidado

Esta investigación fue publicada originalmente como parte de un informe consolidado más amplio que contiene múltiples investigaciones. Consulte el PDF consolidado para ver el documento completo.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2021-2022

__ Agree _x_ Partially Disagree __ Disagree Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): We agree

Published: August 22, 2022 10 pages

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⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F5, F6, F7, F8

Findings 7 findings

F2 Page 109

There is an urgent need to create a county-wide drought-resilient water storage and delivery infrastructure. __ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE _X_ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Local water agencies and groundwater sustainability agencies are making substantial progress on tackling the challenging set of water storage and delivery infrastructure issues. They are doing so through a number of inter-agency collaborations; however, the urgency assigned to drought storage and the priorities of local water agencies vary based on their specific supply sources and technical challenges, making an over- arching, county-wide infrastructure neither desirable nor likely to be achievable.

F3 Page 109

Interdistrict water sharing plans spanning North County and Mid-County that could benefit all residents have existed since 2015 and deserve to be accelerated. _X_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Acceleration and expansion of various water sharing plans must be considered in the context of mutual benefit, cost effectiveness and practicability. Also, it is important to note that not all residents are served by the public water agencies. Such water users are very likely the most vulnerable in severe drought conditions and it is notable that MGA and SMGWA have included private pumpers as key stakeholders in working towards a sustainable groundwater supply. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

F4 Page 110

Establishing a strategic groundwater reserve, as described in documents from the City of Santa Cruz, is a well-understood and achievable first step. __ AGREE _X_ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Establishing a strategic groundwater reserve is well-understood in principle, but many studies and tests are required before any particular aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project can be deemed achievable. SCWD is currently in the recovery phase of an ASR demonstration project in which excess winter surface flows were injected into Beltz wells #8 and #12. Much has been learned, and much remains to be learned about the ongoing feasibility of ASR in the Mid-County groundwater basin. Studies of creating drought storage in the over-drafted Lompico aquifer in the Santa Margarita groundwater basin are in an early stage but advancing feasibility studies is a high priority for SMGWA. The practicability of any particular ASR project will need to be assessed in comparison with alternative solutions that are also being evaluated. An important initial step in fully implementing ASR projects in the Santa Margarita and Mid-County basins is the approval of petitions by SCWD and SLVWD before the California Water Resources Control Board to modify their water rights, changing points of diversion and places of use. This will allow water supplies to be managed regionally and more efficiently, which can support a variety of conjunctive use projects, including ASR. [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 103

F9 Page 105

Agency communications to the public emphasize conservation and sustainability while downplaying agency planning to achieve drought resilience. __ AGREE _X_ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): We agree that water providers typically emphasize conservation and sustainability in their communications with the public, but this is driven by California regulations requiring water purveyors to implement water shortage contingency plans. In reality, achieving drought resilience is a natural outgrowth of water shortage contingency planning and sustainability planning. The mandate of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies such as SMGWA as defined by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014 is, first and foremost, to ensure groundwater sustainability. That said, the GSP developed by SMGWA includes a number of potential projects that would also improve drought resilience. This is because the climate scenario used in modeling groundwater conditions in the Santa Margarita basin for the next 20-50 years includes extended dry periods. Thus, all the projects are or will be modeled and evaluated in the context of their resiliency to drought. The planning process used in developing the GSP was noticed to the public at great expense and effort, and open for public comment every step of the way. The public was informed and encouraged to participate not only at SMGWA Board meetings but at various public and community outreach events that allowed for open dialogue and conversation. Drought resilience will no doubt be a positive by-product of implementation of projects in the GSP, and, as SMGWA moves forward with eliciting public input on the projects, planning for drought resilience will be a major component of the agency’s communications. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

F10 Page 106

The individual water supply districts lack funding, resources, and charters to develop county-centric drought-resilience infrastructure. _X_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 99

F11 Page 107

The Groundwater Sustainability Management agencies lack the charters, staff, and resources to plan or execute a county-wide drought-resilience strategy. _X_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): We agree that the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies in the County cannot focus their resources on County-wide strategies. They could participate in regional or County-wide projects to the extent such projects benefit the groundwater basins and are consistent with agencies’ mission under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Regardless of their lacking the charters, staff and resources, the Mid-County Groundwater Agency (MGA) and Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency are joint unions of multiple public agencies, small water systems, and private well owners, all of whom are affected by climate conditions. As such, they have considered and will continue to consider how their collective actions might address and mitigate drought impacts. Several of the proposed management actions in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan recently adopted by SMGWA involve regional collaborations that address drought resilience -- in particular the proposed projects to use the Lompico aquifer as a drought supply storage for the City of Santa Cruz and to use wastewater generated at Santa Cruz Wastewater Reclamation Facility and further treated by Soquel Creek Water District to augment groundwater supplies in the Santa Margarita basin. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

F12 Page 108

There is no county-level agency chartered to plan, propose, or build regional district-spanning drought-resilience infrastructure. _X_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 101 Invited responses on additional findings by SMGWA representative, Piret Harmon

Recommendations 2

R1
Page 111

By December 31, 2022, the Boards of the Santa Margarita Groundwater Management Agency and the Mid-County Groundwater Management Agency should extend their charters to include and proactively deliver drought- resilience project planning and execution. __ HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED – summarize what has been done HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED BUT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE – __ summarize what will be done and the timeframe REQUIRES FURTHER ANALYSIS – explain the scope and timeframe __ (not to exceed six months) _X_ WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED – explain why Required response explanation, summary, and timeframe: The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 provides a list of powers that SMGWA and MGA may exercise with the objective of achieving groundwater sustainability in the basin of their particular jurisdiction. Such authority includes the ability to collaborate on drought resiliency projects to the extent such projects benefit the groundwater basins and are consistent with SMGWA’s and MGA’s purpose and jurisdiction as groundwater sustainability agencies. As documented in the SMGWA charter and guiding principles, it plans to work collaboratively with its member and partner agencies to achieve groundwater sustainability and, through this, drought resilience in the long run. SMGWA and MGA are public agencies and offer ample opportunities for public to provide input to their governing bodies on defining and prioritizing issues that would serve and benefit the stakeholders. Achieving groundwater sustainability in itself is an ambitious task that by and large is an unfunded mandate. Neither SMGWA nor MGA have dedicated staff or permanent funding sources beyond the ratepayers of local water purveyors. The groundwater sustainability agencies have neither the legal mandate nor the human and financial resources to add the task of proactively delivering drought-resilience project planning and execution to its portfolios. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury
R2
Page 112

By December 31, 2022, local water districts should jointly publish an integrated drought-resilience action plan that includes essential infrastructure improvements, estimated costs and schedule to complete improvements that will deliver drought resilience to the Mid-County Groundwater Basin, the City of Santa Cruz, and the Santa Margarita Basin by December 31, 2029. Agencies to respond are the San Lorenzo Water District, the Scotts Valley Water District, the City of Santa Cruz Water Department, the Soquel Creek Water District, the Santa Margarita Groundwater Management Agency, and the Mid-County Groundwater Management Agency. __ HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED – summarize what has been done HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED BUT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE – __ summarize what will be done and the timeframe REQUIRES FURTHER ANALYSIS – explain the scope and timeframe __ (not to exceed six months) _X_ WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED – explain why Required response explanation, summary, and timeframe: Developing the suggested integrated plan would be expensive and time-consuming, requiring extensive political and legal frameworks, public education and input, planning and environmental documents and much more. It would not be an appropriate use of staff time and ratepayers/taxpayers money. The individual water agencies are already implementing projects for each respective jurisdiction as well as working on plans to collaborate and cooperatively link the districts together via projects that are feasible. Through the various water agencies participation in SMGWA and MGA, they already have made significant contributions toward prioritizing a list of potential projects set forth in their groundwater sustainability plans. The lists include high-level regional programs and projects that would have drought resiliency benefits. [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 105 Santa Cruz Grand Jury Scotts Valley Water District Response to Findings and Recommendations Donna Paul Wed, Aug 17, 2022 at 11:30 AM To: "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" Cc: Piret Harmon , Ruth Stiles The Honorable Judge Syda Coglia and the Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury , th On May 25 the District Board of Directors and General Manager received the Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury Report: Our Water Account is Overdrawn that included a required response th to the findings and recommendations. On June 9 the Board, discussed the matter and determined that: 1) it would compile one response on behalf of the District that would include the answers to the findings presented to the invited respondent, the General Manager; 2) Board President Ruth Stiles and Vice President Chris Perri would work with staff to prepare a draft response for consideration at its next meeting; and 3) would staff conduct a survey and invited all Board Members to submit individual responses to be used th to prepare the draft response. On August 11 the Board approved and authorized staff to submit the response for the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury Report: Our Water Account is Overdrawn Beyond Conservation: Achieving Drought Resilience (file attached). As requested, the response is submitted as a PDF file attachment to this email. Please direct any questions about the response to Piret Harmon, General Manager at [email protected]. Cordially, Donna Paul Assistant to the General Manager Sco s Valley Water District 2 Civic Center Drive Scotts Valley, CA 95067-0006 Direct: 831-600-1919 [email protected] SVWD Required Response to Findings and Recommedations (08-17-22).pdf 71K 106 Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury The 2021–2022 Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury Requires the Board of Directors, Scotts Valley Water District to Respond by August 22, 2022 to the Findings and Recommendations listed below which were assigned to them in the report titled Our Water Account Is Overdrawn Beyond Conservation: Achieving Drought Resilience Responses are required from elected officials, elected agency or department heads, and elected boards, councils, and committees which are investigated by the Grand Jury. You are required to respond by the California Penal Code (PC) §933(c). Your response will be considered compliant under PC §933.05 if it contains an appropriate comment on all findings and recommendations which were assigned to you in this report. Please follow the instructions below when preparing your response.