Sustainable Groundwater Sonoma Valley Governance 3/17/2015 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Sonoma Valley Governance March 27, 2017, Community Meeting

Agenda Welcome Meeting Purpose Summary & Background 3/17/2015 Agenda Welcome Meeting Purpose Summary & Background Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Requirements Basin Conditions Governance in Sonoma Valley Board, Advisory Committee Staffing & Funding Next Steps/Timeline

SGMA Brief Summary Three medium priority basins must comply with SGMA 3/17/2015 SGMA Brief Summary Three medium priority basins must comply with SGMA Sonoma Valley Petaluma Valley Santa Rosa Plain Became law in 2015 Affects Medium & high priority DWR Bulletin 118 basins: Sonoma & Petaluma Valleys, Santa Rosa Plain

Required Steps to Groundwater Sustainability 3/17/2015 Required Steps to Groundwater Sustainability Step two Develop Groundwater Sustainability Plan January 31, 2022 Step three Achieve Sustainability 20 years after adoption of plan* Step one Form Groundwater Sustainability Agency June 30, 2017 We are currently focused on step one, Creation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies or GSAs. * DWR may grant up to two, five-year extensions on implementation upon showing of good cause and progress

Management Authorities under SGMA 3/17/2015 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 Go through this quickly!

Sonoma Valley Water Conditions 3/17/2015 Estimated Total Water Use: 17,900 Acre-Feet (2012) Estimated Groundwater Use: 10,500 Acre-Feet (2012) Urban demand primarily met through imported Russian River water Agricultural and rural residential demand primarily met through local groundwater At least 2,200 permitted groundwater wells

PROPOSED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IN SONOMA VALLEY Forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies PROPOSED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IN SONOMA VALLEY

Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Framework Structure 3/17/2015 Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Framework Structure Petaluma Valley GSA & GSP Sonoma Valley GSA & GSP Santa Rosa Plain GSA & GSP This framework grew out of stakeholder assessment. People wanted local control of basins. People in Sonoma Valley want to make decision about what happens in the plain, they don’t want decisions made by Petaluma. People also strongly felt that there should be robust coordination to ensure efficiencies and to stretch dollars. An example of coordination is the recent $250K grant, which will provide a database and public data portal for all three basins. This framework was vetted at public workshops in the fall Vetted with all boards and councils The working group has built it’s discussion from there. 1 GSA & 1 GSP per basin with formal coordination between basins

Local Implementation: GSA-Eligible Agencies 3/17/2015 Local Implementation: GSA-Eligible Agencies PETALUMA VALLEY SANTA ROSA PLAIN SONOMA VALLEY City of Petaluma City of Cotati City of Sonoma North Bay Water District City of Rohnert Park Valley of the Moon Water District County of Sonoma City of Santa Rosa Sonoma County Water Agency City of Sebastopol Sonoma Resource Conservation District Town of Windsor   Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District These are the agencies that are eligible to serve as GSAs in each of the three basins. SV highlighted. The state has a process by which agencies can ask whether they are eligible. The agencies must be local agencies and have water supply, water management or land use responsibilities.

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

Adopted Principles for Developing GSA Governance Options 3/17/2015 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 (Don’t read; just refer to them.) These principles have been reviewed by all boards and councils. They are guiding staff discussions.

Proposed Governance: Sonoma Valley GSA Board 3/17/2015 Proposed Governance: Sonoma Valley GSA Board GSA Eligibility: Determined by State GSA Board: One rep from each GSA-eligible entity Representation: Elected/appointed officials from each entity serve on board

Proposed Governance: Sonoma Valley 3/17/2015 Proposed Governance: Sonoma Valley Voting: One vote per entity Simple majority for “housekeeping” (contracts, setting meeting dates, etc.) Super-majority vote (2/3%) needed for fees, regulations, budgets Unanimous vote needed to assess entities (if additional funds are needed for operating the GSA)

Proposed Governance Sonoma Valley Advisory Body 3/17/2015 Proposed Governance Sonoma Valley Advisory Body Strong advisory body: Created for stakeholder input Purpose: Advise GSA Board on plan development & implementation Appointments: Formal application process Representation: 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 In all three basins we heard from the public regarding the importance of strong advisory body. Several people referred to the Ag & Open Space model. The GSA board would also be provided the flexibility to create other working committees and advisory committees, including a TAC. Staff is recommending that initially, technical input be provided by the staff and consultants of the GSA-eligible agencies.

Advisory Body Role Advise GSA Board on: 3/17/2015 Advisory Body Role Advise GSA Board on: Development and implementation of Groundwater Sustainability plan Regulations Fees Capital projects Programs Communications with stakeholder constituencies The advisory bodies would have significant policy-making roles, through providing recommendations to the GSA board on a broad array of issues, including the groundwater sustainability plan itself and how that plan would be implemented through regulations, projects, programs and funding.

Proposed Governance Sonoma Valley Advisory Body 3/17/2015 Proposed Governance Sonoma Valley Advisory Body GSA-ELIGIBLE ENTITY APPOINTMENTS   AT-LARGE APPOINTMENTS One from each GSA-eligible entity Represent SGMA-defined stakeholders Total of six: North Bay Water District Sonoma County Sonoma County Water Agency Sonoma Resource Conservation District Valley of the Moon Water District City of Sonoma Environmental representative Rural residential well owner Business community Agricultural interest (surface water or GW user) At-large community rep At-large community rep (hydrologist/geologist preferred) Appointed by boards/councils Appointed by GSA Board Formal application process encouraged Formal application process In Sonoma Valley, the advisory body would include 12 representatives. After the last public meeting, one additional community representative was added, with preference for a hydrologist/geologist.

Start-Up Costs Funding subcommittee formed representing all basins 3/17/2015 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 Estimates compare well with estimates from other areas Focusing on coordination & utilization of existing staff to reduce costs Start-up costs will be covered by commitments from GSA-participating entities

Estimated Year One Start-Up Costs 3/17/2015 Estimated Year One Start-Up Costs BASIN YEAR ONE COSTS Petaluma Valley $470,000 Santa Rosa Plain $460,000 Sonoma Valley TOTAL $1,400,000 Staff subcommittee worked for several months to develop an estimated range of costs for start-up period (between formation of GSA and creation of GSP, when fees could possibly be assessed). This chart shows estimated first year costs – July 2017-June 30, 2018 Major costs included board and advisory body management; fee study; outreach. We checked these numbers against estimates being developed in other areas of the state, and they are in line with what is being estimated. These options include a high level of coordination between the basins.

Sonoma Valley Management & Staffing 3/17/2015 Sonoma Valley Management & Staffing No new staff during first year Valley of the Moon Water District will serve as interim administrator until GSA Board determines management structure Other entities will provide in-kind services for: Technical services Monitoring Fiscal services Outreach Staff from all entities will serve as sounding board for contracts and other issues Staff subcommittee worked for several months to develop an estimated range of costs for start-up period (between formation of GSA and creation of GSP, when fees could possibly be assessed). This chart shows estimated first year costs – July 2017-June 30, 2018and most significantly, development of groundwater sustainability plan. We checked these numbers against estimates being developed in other areas of the state, and they are in line with what is being estimated. These options include a high level of coordination between the basins, and the lower numbers assume that we will delay GSP tasks until year 2.

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

What’s Next 3/17/2015 Outreach on SMA Fall 2015 Basin boundaries (req'd by DWR) Dec 2015 Outreach on GSAs options Fall 2016 Finalize GSAs Structure April/May 2017 Public hearings May/June 2017 Deadline: GSA Formation June 30, 2017 April/May: Councils/Boards consider adoption of legal agreement May/June: GSA holds public hearing to form June: State notified of formation

Sonoma Valley Boards & Council Hearing Dates 3/17/2015 GSA-ELIGIBLE ENTITY DATE FOR CONSIDERATION OF LEGAL AGREEMENT City of Sonoma May 1 Valley of the Moon Water District May 2 County of Sonoma April 25 Sonoma County Water Agency Sonoma Resource Conservation District April 27 North Bay Water District TBD

Go online and join email list to receive monthly updates 3/17/2015 Resources & Email List www.sonomacountygroundwater.org Go online and join email list to receive monthly updates

Domestic Wells and SGMA 3/17/2015 Domestic Wells and SGMA Referred to as “de minimis” users in SGMA Use 2 acre-feet per year or less for domestic purposes De minimis users are subject to SGMA, depending on local needs GSAs will decide how de minimis users are incorporated GSAs can decide to exclude or include GSAs can decide on fees GSAs cannot require metering May be subject to reporting and fees to state if intervention occurs Domestic wells can also be regulated by authorities (counties and cities, etc.) outside the scope of SGMA