LAKEPORT >> For the first time in California’s history, the state is working to regulate its groundwater through a three-bill package. The potential impact of a the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act on Lake County led to a nearly hour-long discussion during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting.
“The reality is California, and maybe one or two other states, is one of the last remaining states where the state isn’t completely hands on regulating groundwater,” District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington observed.
The legislation sets priorities for groundwater basins that are currently overdrafted and sets a timeline for implementation. The timeline consists of local groundwater management agencies being identified by 2017. Overdrafted groundwater basins must have a sustainability plan by 2020; high and medium priority basins not currently overdrafted will need sustainability plans in place by 2022 and all high and medium priority basins target achieving sustainability by 2040.
Lake County has two medium priority groundwater basins, Lake County Water Resources Director Scott De Leon told the board. Neither of these are overdrafted. B
“There are other basins in the county and about 90 percent of the county that is not in a recognized basin,” De Leon explained.
The creation of a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is the first step in the process, De Leon continued. After the agency is established, a plan can be developed.
“As a county you can go to the state and request an alternative, and it is basically an exemption from the creation of a plan by demonstrating that you have been managing your resource effectively, or that the efforts you have been putting forward are sufficient in the state’s eyes as a management plan,” De Leon asserted.
As county governments and agencies in Northern California study the legislation, concerns have arisen over the direction water will flow. Groundwater provides, on average, 40 percent of agricultural and urban water use in the state, annually. This percentage increases during drought years, approaching 60 percent. Some areas depend entirely on groundwater.
“I want to make sure our interests are protected,” District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said. “Sacramento already knows what they are intending to do … which is to protect water for Southern California.”
District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele said he doesn’t think the state “will come in on top of us.”
“I’m not sure we’re the big prize, Central Valley is the prize,” Steele said, “because it is the Central Valley that is truly in a crisis situation.”
“They are going to be looking north to come up and take what they can from us, so it does affect us.” Brown retorted.
During public comment, Upper Lake resident Betsy Cawn said that up to four feet of subsidence has occurred at Scott Valley Creek, resulting from freeway grade increases in the late 1960s.
Additionally, Cawn suggested all stakeholders and groundwater basin managers be involved in the process.
“A lot of agencies were talked about in terms of who is participating in this process, but one thing that wasn’t mentioned was the public,” Mike Dunlap, of Clearlake Oaks, agreed. “There are specific requirements for some of these agencies to involve the public, I would like to see that done.”
The California Department of Water Resources issued a draft strategic plan for state and local agencies. The draft plan explains the California Department of Water Resources’ responsibilities in implementing the law. The hope is that community, agency and personal perspectives will add to the analysis of the law as it comes into place.
“We will be bringing these type of discussions back, the public will be a strong participant in this,” Farrington said.
No action was required by the board, as the discussion was for informational purposes.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
