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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

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 18, 2022 10 pages
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Findings 5 findings

F8 Page 149
Each agency described in this report communicates well with neighboring agencies, but collaboration is limited and narrow in scope. __ AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): We agree that the agencies evaluated in this Grand Jury report work well together; however, we disagree that collaboration is limited and narrow in scope. A few examples are: (1) in 2007 Central Water District and Soquel Creek Water District formed a Joint Powers Authority and associated committees (Basin and Implementation Group and Basin Advisory Committee) to formally document groundwater conditions and make recommendations for the Mid-County region’s Groundwater Management Plan, (2) in the mid 2000s the City of Santa Cruz and Soquel Creek Water District joined together to partner on the scwd2 Desalination Project (although ultimately the desalination facility was not built), (3) the Department of Water Resources recognized our previous local collaborative efforts during the formation of the SC Mid-County Groundwater Agency and provided us seed grant funding to serve a model for collaboration. More recently, our local SC Mid-County Groundwater Agency (which is comprised of Santa Cruz County, City of Santa Cruz, Soquel Creek Water District, Central Water District, and private well representatives), had the first approved Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for a full groundwater basin, (4) The City of Santa Cruz and Soquel Creek Water District have several agreements to facilitate water transfers and recycling water (5) about $1.9M of a $7.6M dollar state grant to the Mid-County Groundwater Agency is being shared by the City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District to evaluate how we can best collaborate our shared water resources, (6) the Scotts Valley Water District and the Soquel Creek Water District both have formed an ad-hoc committee to evaluate how to maximize shared resources of all types, and etc. The agencies’ staff, and various elected officials, work together consistently on a wide scope of issues and opportunities to address our local water shortage and reliability challenges. The collaborative efforts of all the agencies are a super strength of this region and are not limited or narrow in scope. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury
F9 Page 150
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): Since the late 1990s, the District’s outreach and communications incorporated strong conservation messaging. This was necessary to reduce pumping and to slow further seawater intrusion as we evaluated and developed supplemental supplies. Since drought conditions may take years to show their impacts to a groundwater supply, drought resiliency has not been the primary focus for our agency since we are currently 100% dependent on groundwater as our only water supply. However, since the exploration of desalination between the City of Santa Cruz and Soquel Creek Water District was jointly pursued by the two agencies, drought was a critical factor and the concept was communicated to the regional public that a diversified water portfolio needs to include conservation, curtailment, and a new supply for groundwater protection and drought needs. Further, during the Soquel Creek Water District’s formation of the Community Water Plan around 2015, conservation, climate change, and drought-resiliency were core environmental stewardship values expressed by our customers and hence this partially led to the selection of the Pure Water Soquel project being constructed since recycled water can provide a reliable source of water (not as impacted as surface water sources are during drought times). [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 143
F10 Page 151
The individual water supply districts lack funding, resources, and charters to develop county-centric drought-resilience infrastructure. __ AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): We would be remiss not to recognize and appreciate all the funding for the Pure Water Soquel Project, including a $50M grant and approximately $25M low interest loan from the State Water Resources Control Board, $9M grant from the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, and an $88M low-interest loan from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additional funding is needed to create broader community-wide water resiliency whether it be to expand the Pure Water Soquel project or other capital infrastructure projects. Due to the past and current robust collaboration amongst the water agencies and the formation of the two Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (for the Santa Margarita and SC Mid-County basins), the District believes that no additional charters are needed at this time. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury
F11 Page 152
The Groundwater Sustainability Management agencies lack the charters, staff, and resources to plan or execute a county-wide drought-resilience strategy. __ AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Groundwater Sustainability Agencies were provided some autonomy in how they solve their water challenges and thus the ability to help solve even drought-resilience issues that are more relevant to surface water reliant agencies such as the City of Santa Cruz. For example, the Mid-County Groundwater Agency has designed its goals for the basin to become sustainable and to enable the basin to become a potential source of supply during drought. This is provided in the recent state approved Mid-County Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Staffing seems to almost always be a challenge as we aim to keep water rates as low as possible, but the two local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies are collaborating to share a common administrative support, which will be a significant help and value to all our customers. [Return to Table of Contents] 2021–2022 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 145
F12 Page 153
There is no county-level agency chartered to plan, propose, or build regional district-spanning drought-resilience infrastructure. __ AGREE X PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): There have been county-level efforts for decades to help our region become more water secure. Another county-level agency is not necessary, and potentially not even desirable, due to the proven collaborative efforts of the local water agencies. One demonstrative example of strong community leadership is shown by the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors directing staff to prepare the EIR analyzing environmental impacts for the Pure Water Soquel Project, which has the potential to double the capacity needed by Soquel Creek Water District so that other agencies may also consider/collaborate on an expanded portion of the project to help their drought-needs. This is real leadership and caring for not just its own District, but for the entire community – taking commitment and money. Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

Recommendations 2