Update on Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in Sonoma County

Transcription

1 Update on Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in Sonoma County October 25, 2016 Jay Jasperse, Sonoma County Water Agency Peter Bruland, County Administrator s Office

2 Presentation Overview Summary & Background Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Requirements Implementation in Sonoma County Forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies Staff-recommended governance structures Start-up costs Public/Stakeholder Involvement Status of Ukiah Valley SGMA Implementation Next Steps/Timeline

3 SGMA Brief Summary Three medium priority basins must comply with SGMA - Sonoma Valley - Petaluma Valley - Santa Rosa Plain

4 * DWR may grant up to two, five-year extensions on implementation upon showing of good cause and progress Required Steps to Groundwater Sustainability Step one Form Groundwater Sustainability Agency June 30, 2017 Step two Develop Groundwater Sustainability Plan January 31, 2022 Step three Achieve Sustainability 20 years after adoption of plan*

5 Management Authorities under SGMA Groundwater Sustainability Agencies have authority to: Conduct studies Register & monitor wells Set well spacing requirements Require extraction reporting Regulate extractions Implement capital projects Assess fees to cover costs Required to Develop Groundwater Sustainability Plan by 2022

6 Local Implementation: GSA-Eligible Agencies Petaluma Valley Basin Santa Rosa Plain Basin Sonoma Valley Basin City of Petaluma City of Cotati City of Sonoma North Bay Water District City of Rohnert Park North Bay Water District Sonoma County City of Santa Rosa Valley of the Moon Water District Sonoma County Water Town of Windsor Sonoma County Agency Sonoma Resource Sonoma County Sonoma County Water Conservation District *Mutual & CPUC-regulated water companies, by agreement Sonoma County Water Agency Sonoma Resource Conservation District *Mutual & CPUC-regulated water companies, by agreement Agency Sonoma Resource Conservation District *Mutual & CPUC-regulated water companies, by agreement

7 SGMA: What s Happening Locally?

8 Striving to Engage, Keep Everyone Informed, and Garner Funding 2016 Basin Advisory Panel providing periodic input Public Workshops (Fall Summer Fall 2016) Website: Monthly updates on SGMA activities Formal comments on California s GW sustainability plan draft regulations Received $250,000 Proposition 1 grant for managing/sharing data across basins, with public Received additional facilitation services Existing GW management programs continue

9 Forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies CURRENT THINKING IN SONOMA COUNTY

10 Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Framework Structure Petaluma Valley GSA & GSP Sonoma Valley GSA & GSP 1 GSA & 1 GSP per basin with formal coordination between basins Santa Rosa Plain GSA & GSP

11 Possible Areas of Coordination Between Basins Development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans Data framework/management system Basin boundary adjustments Funding requests to external entities (such as the state) Any activities that impact the adjacent basin Communication with state and federal agencies Projects that cross basin boundaries Regulation development Development of funding mechanisms Public outreach and stakeholder engagement Monitoring protocols and coordination with adjacent basins Staffing

12 Adopted Principles for Developing GSA Governance Options Build upon existing cooperation and successful water management efforts in Sonoma County Reinforce local management principles in SGMA Share resources and identify cohesive approach Costs should be equitably shared Represent community stakeholders through advisory committees Conduct robust and transparent outreach

13 Proposed Governance: GSA Boards (Staff Proposal) GSA Eligibility: Determined by State (all basins) GSA Board: One rep from each GSA-eligible entity (all basins) Voting: One vote per entity (all basins) Representation: Sonoma Valley: Must be elected or appointed board/council member Petaluma Valley: Primary representative must be elected or appointed board/council member; alternate may be executive level, at-will staff Santa Rosa Plain: Staff are checking with boards and councils on preference for elected officials serving

14 Proposed Governance: Advisory Body (Staff Proposal) Strong advisory body: Created for stakeholder input Purpose: Advise GSA Board on plan development & implementation Appointments: Formal application process Representation: Sonoma/Petaluma: Comprised of community members Santa Rosa Plain: Most entities prefer advisory panel open to community members and staff Terms: Two-year terms Transparency: Public process, Brown Act meetings Decision-making: Charter & protocols

15 Advisory Body Role (Staff Proposal) Advise GSA Board on: Development and implementation of Groundwater Sustainability plan Regulations Fees Capital projects Programs Communications with stakeholder constituencies

16 Proposed Governance: Advisory Body Petaluma Valley (Staff Proposal) GSA-ELIGIBLE ENTITY APPOINTMENTS One from each GSA-eligible entity AT-LARGE APPOINTMENTS Represent SGMA-defined stakeholders Total of five: 1. North Bay Water District 2. City of Petaluma 3. Sonoma County 4. Sonoma County Water Agency 5. Sonoma Resource Conservation District Total of five: 1. Environmental representative 2. Rural residential well owner 3. Business community representative 4. Agricultural interest (surface water or GW user) 5. At-large community representative Appointed by boards/councils Formal application process encouraged Appointed by GSA Board Formal application process

17 Proposed Governance: Advisory Body Santa Rosa Plain (Staff Proposal) GSA-ELIGIBLE ENTITY APPOINTMENTS One from each GSA-eligible entity AT-LARGE APPOINTMENTS Represent SGMA-defined stakeholders Total of nine: 1. Santa Rosa City Council 2. Windsor Town Council 3. Rohnert Park City Council 4. Cotati City Council 5. Sebastopol City Council 6. Sonoma County 7. Water Agency 8. Sonoma RCD 9. Rep from Mutual/PUC-regulated water districts Appointed by boards/councils Agencies to Determine Process Total of nine: 1. Environmental representative 2. Environmental representative 3. Rural residential well owner 4. Rural residential well owner 5. Business community representative 6. Agricultural interest (surface water or GW user) 7. Agricultural interest (surface water or GW user) 8. Graton Rancheria 9. Gold Ridge RCD Appointed by GSA Board (except Graton Rancheria) Formal application process Undecided whether staff is eligible to appointed

18 Proposed Governance: Advisory Body Sonoma Valley (Staff Proposal) GSA-ELIGIBLE ENTITY APPOINTMENTS AT-LARGE APPOINTMENTS One from each GSA-eligible entity Represent SGMA-defined stakeholders Total of six: 1. City of Sonoma 2. North Bay Water District 3. Sonoma County 4. Sonoma County Water Agency 5. Sonoma Resource Conservation District 6. Valley of the Moon Water District Appointed by boards/councils Formal application process encouraged Total of six: 1. Environmental representative 2. Rural residential well owner 3. Business community 4. Agricultural interest (surface water or GW user) 5. At-large community rep (renter preferred) 6. At-large community rep (hydrologist/geologist preferred) Appointed by GSA Board Formal application process

19 Start-Up Costs Funding subcommittee formed representing all basins 3 start-up cost components: GSP preparation (largest cost component) Administration & operations Development of revenue mechanism Wide range in estimates because there is no precedence Estimates compare well with estimates from other areas Estimates will continue to be refined as new information becomes available Coordination & utilization of existing staff could reduce costs

20 Estimated Annual GSA Start-Up Costs BASIN LOW HIGH Petaluma $450,000 $825,000 Santa Rosa $425,000 $800,000 Sonoma $400,000 $775,000 TOTAL $1,275,000 $2,400,000

21 Options to Fund Start-Up Costs Funding Mechanisms Contributions from GSA-eligible entities Loan/finance (Staff proposal) Financing Options Loans from GSA-eligible entities per negotiated allocation Finance from third party (e.g. County Treasurer) Need to backstop obligation in case of default by GSA Allocation of backstop among GSA-eligible entities

22 Feedback from Public Workshops

23 Final Decision Making on GSA Formation Decision-makers: Boards and Councils of GSA-eligible agencies Public Input: Public officials will consider public input When? Winter 2017 How? Legal documents will be developed in Winter and Spring of 2017 for approval by Boards and Councils

24 What s Next Fall: Continue development of GSA Winter: Proposals Considered by Councils/Boards Outreach on SGMA Basin boundaries (req'd by DWR) Outreach on GSAs options Finalize GSAs Structure Fall 2015 Dec 2015 Spring /Summer 2016 Winter 2017 Winter/Spring: Legal documents developed Public hearings March 2017 Spring: Public hearings Deadline: GSA Formation June 30, 2017

25 Status of Ukiah Valley Basin

26 Proposed Ukiah Valley Basin GSA Governance Stakeholders & Public Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainablity Agency Upper Russian River Water Agency Russian River Flood Control Mendocino County City of Ukiah Mendocino County Resource Conservation District Sonoma County Water Agency Agricultural Seat Tribal Seat

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