1 EASTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Michael D. Nusser Water Resources Planning Manager June 17, 2015

2 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act The lack of adequate rainfall and surface water supplies is forcing many water users to increase groundwater production Many groundwater basins within the state are experiencing water levels at their lowest levels ever This decline has prompted state legislators to create legislation that leads to sustainable management of California’s 431 groundwater basins

3 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act SGMA was signed into law on September 16, 2014

4 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act DWR Published the Final Groundwater Basin Prioritization Results in January 2015: California’s 431 basins categorized as High, Medium, Low, or Very Low Priority o 43 Basins Prioritized as High Priority San Jacinto Basin is a High Priority Basin o Required to have a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) by June 2017 o Required to have a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by January 2020 o Groundwater Sustainability must be achieved within 20 years (by 2040) The 127 basins designated as High or Medium Priority include 96 percent of the annual groundwater use and 88 percent of the 2010 population overlying the groundwater basin area.

5 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act San Jacinto Basin East Side – Adjudicated o Adjudicated basins are not required to form a GSA or to prepare a GSP o Watermaster submits annual reports of groundwater monitoring to the court and now also to DWR West Side – AB 3030 o The existing Groundwater Management Plan meets most but not all of the requirements of SGMA o EMWD publishes annual reports on groundwater monitoring for DWR and stakeholders

6 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) are empowered to: Require registration of wells Measure and limit extractions Conduct studies Implement capital projects to meet groundwater management goals Create and implement a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Impose fees to cover the cost of groundwater management EMWD currently monitors wells producing 25 AFY or more. Private well owners using less than two acre-feet per year for domestic use are exempt from the reporting requirements of SGMA.

7 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act The Groundwater Sustainability Agency: Is the primary agency responsible for achieving groundwater sustainability within the timeframe allowed Can request Basin boundary adjustments Is required to prepare a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Is the primary agency responsible to implement the GSP

8 Formation of a GSA for the San Jacinto Basin Why should EMWD be the GSA? EMWD is the only Regional water agency in the San Jacinto Basin EMWD is the CASGEM agency for the San Jacinto Basin EMWD is the GW Recordation agency for the San Jacinto Basin EMWD manages the west side through its AB 3030 Groundwater Management Plan since 1995 EMWD is a key stakeholder and a member of the Watermaster Board for the east side EMWD is the only agency permitted to recharge imported water

9 Formation of a GSA for the San Jacinto Basin Staff to pursue the formation of a GSA for the entire San Jacinto Basin Staff is still defining groundwater sub-basins and flow direction downstream of Diamond Valley Lake

10 Critical Dates for SGMA Regulations finalized for basin boundary adjustments Jan 2016 Regulations finalized for evaluating and implementing GSP’s June 2016 Local GSA’s for high and medium priority basins must be formed June 2017 GSP must be complete Jan 2020 Basins must achieve sustainability 2040

11 Formation Requirements for a GSA Completion Deadline: June 30, 2017 NEXT STEPS Develop Overall Approach-Complete Obtain Board Concurrence-In Process Notify DWR of intent Public Outreach Establish method of governance Adoption of a Resolution Submittal to DWR

12 Next Steps? Notify DWR of intent o Notify DWR that EMWD intends to become the GSA for the San Jacinto Basin o DWR will post EMWD’s intent on their public web site Public Outreach o Identification of stakeholders o Notifications o Workshops o Public hearing o Solicit input o Build consensus Establish governance

13 Contact Information EASTERN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT Michael D. Nusser Water Resources Planning Manager (951) extension 4514