Score: +23
(23/6/0)
Monterey County Grand Jury
• 2015-2016
Striving for Sustainability Image Courtesy of Texas Water Development Board. HTTP://www.twdb.texas.gov*
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 16 findings
F1
Monterey County is critically dependent on groundwater for both its agricultural and urban water demands.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Groundwater is critically important to Monterey County's economy.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Several groundwater basin aquifers in Monterey County are now in overdraft.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Overdrafting has resulted in seawater intrusion into the 180 and 400 foot aquifers in the northern Salinas Valley Basin.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Seawater intrusion results in localized salt-contaminated groundwater that is unsuitable for both urban and agricultural uses.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
If no Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is formed by June 30, 2017 for the Salinas Valley Basin, the County of Monterey could then choose to become the GSA for that basin.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
That if the June 30, 2017 deadline for forming one or more GSAs for the Salinas Valley Basin is not met by other interested parties, the County of Monterey agree to become the GSA for that basin in order to prevent state intervention in local groundwater planning.
R4
That the County of Monterey remain mindful of the possibility that it may become the GSA for the Salinas Valley Basin and, with that in mind, take all steps as far in advance of the June 30, 2017 deadline as necessary for it to assume that role prior to that deadline.
F7
If the County of Monterey chose to become the GSA for the Salinas Valley Basin that choice would prevent the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) from intervening in the local Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) planning process except for overseeing and insuring GSP compliance.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
That if the June 30, 2017 deadline for forming one or more GSAs for the Salinas Valley Basin is not met by other interested parties, the County of Monterey agree to become the GSA for that basin in order to prevent state intervention in local groundwater planning.
R4
That the County of Monterey remain mindful of the possibility that it may become the GSA for the Salinas Valley Basin and, with that in mind, take all steps as far in advance of the June 30, 2017 deadline as necessary for it to assume that role prior to that deadline.
F8
Prior to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), local groundwater management plans lacked sufficient enforcement authority to fully manage groundwater sustainability.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
SGMA confers on GSAs stronger enforcement authority than had existed under previous groundwater management enactments or local plans.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
The non-adjudicated Salinas Valley Marina Area and the Salinas Valley Corral De Tierra Area should be included under the authority of the Salinas Valley Basin GSA and part of the GSA's Groundwater Management Plan (GMP).
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
That the County of Monterey remain mindful of the possibility that it may become the GSA for the Salinas Valley Basin and, with that in mind, begin immediately to consider GSP optional components. REQUIRED AND REQUESTED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code Section 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requires responses from each of the following public entities: Monterey County Water Resources Agency
F11
Consensus Builders, Inc. has been retained by the City of Salinas, on behalf of itself and others, in an attempt to integrate competing Salinas Valley groundwater interest's in order to arrive at a consensus GSA before June 30, 2017.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
That the County of Monterey actively participate in the currently ongoing effort by Consensus Builders, Inc. to help achieve the formation of one or more GSAs for the Salinas Valley Basin before the June 30, 2017 deadline.
F12
Many local individuals and entities have for several years been vitally interested in preserving, enhancing, and sustaining both groundwater and surface water availability in the Monterey Peninsula-Salinas Valley areas.
No recommendations for this finding
F13
As a result of past efforts, there are several existing and planned projects that could logically be included in any GSPs adopted within the Monterey Peninsula- Salinas Valley areas, since each such project impacts groundwater sustainability.
No recommendations for this finding
F14
Some of the existing and planned projects for logical inclusion in a local GSP include: a. The Salinas Valley Reclamation Plant (SVRP) and the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP) Distribution System. b. The Pure Water Monterey Groundwater Replenishment Project. c. The Soledad Water Recycling / Reclamation Project. d. The Salinas Valley Water Project. e. The Seaside Aquifer Storage & Recovery Project. f. The California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program. g. The Groundwater Extractions Monitoring System. h. The Salinas River Arundo Removal Project. i. The Interlake Tunnel Project. The Cal-Am Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project. j. k. The DeepWater Desal Desalination/Data Center Project I. The Marina Coast Water District Desalination Project m. The People's Moss Landing Water Desalination Project n. The Sand City Water Supply Project o. Urban Water Conservation p. Agricultural Water Conservation
No recommendations for this finding
F15
As with other legislation that impacts those with divergent interests, legal maneuvering and delaying tactics can, in the case of SGMA, cause the loss of local controls over groundwater planning and management.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
That every public and private entity interested in the formation of a GSA and the adoption of a GSP for the Salinas Valley Basin pledge to consider the groundwater needs of every other interested party with an open mind and a commitment to fairness.
F16
As with other legislation that impacts those with divergent interests, legal maneuvering and delaying tactics can, in the case of SGMA, cause already critical groundwater conditions in Monterey County to get much worse, to the detriment of all concerned.
No recommendations for this finding
Conclusions 1
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CL1The overarching goal of this effort would be to reach widespread support on forming the groundwater sustainability agency for the Salinas Valley and complying successfully with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The keys to success are creating a transparent, inclusive process that engages interested stakeholders, designing a governance structure that balances interests, supports a vibrant economy, manages groundwater sustainably, and meets SGMA requirements. A viable and broadly supported GSA is the essential first step towards long-term sustainable groundwater management. APPENDIX 2 218
Agency Responses 4
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.