City Council Agenda Report
TO: Mayor Clauzel and Members of the City Council
FROM: Fernando Ulloa, Interim City Manager
BY: Mike Willett, Public Works Director
MEETING DATE: November 19, 2024
ITEM NO: 9.1
SUBJECT: Approve Resolution No. 2024-62 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Patterson, Adopting the Delta Mendota 2024 (Single) Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Motion to Approve Resolution No. 2024-62 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Patterson, Adopting the Delta Mendota 2024 (Single) Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
BACKGROUND
In August 2014, the California Legislature passed, and in September 2014 the Governor signed, legislation creating the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) “to provide local groundwater sustainability agencies with the authority and technical and financial assistance necessary to sustainably manage groundwater” (Wat. Code, § 10720, (d)). SGMA requires sustainable management through the development of groundwater sustainability plans (“GSP”), which can be a single plan developed by one or more groundwater sustainability agencies (“GSAs”) or multiple coordinated plans within a basin or subbasin (Wat. Code, § 10727). SGMA requires a GSP to be developed and implemented to manage groundwater in all basins designated by the Department of Water Resources (“DWR”) as medium or high priority, including the Delta-Mendota Subbasin (basin number 5-22.07).
On January 21, 2022, DWR completed its review of all the GSPs in the Delta-Mendota Subbasin and released a letter determining that the GSPs for the Delta-Mendota Subbasin as a whole were “Incomplete” and identified deficiencies and corrective actions for the GSAs in the DeltaMendota Subbasin to take. Amended or modified GSPs addressing the corrective actions from each GSP Group had to be submitted to DWR by July 20, 2022. However, in its March 2, 2023 Determination Letter, DWR deemed the Revised 2022 GSP “Inadequate.” The main concern of DWR was that the six GSPs were not truly coordinated and using the same data and methodologies.
ANALYSIS
In response to the Inadequate Determination Letter, the Delta-Mendota Subbasin GSAs, through the Coordination Committee, hired EKI to help prepare one GSP. The Subbasin GSAs have revised the Sustainable Management Criteria (SMCs) and Undesirable Results (URs) definitions to be the same throughout the Subbasin and agreed to set water level minimum thresholds at 2015 water levels. Among other items in the GSP, the monitoring network, modeling and coordination efforts were updated to be consistent amongst the GSAs. Representatives of the Subbasin GSAs met with DWR and SWRCB staff on several occasions to get clarification on what was needed to have an approved GSP. Several GSAs also participated in hosting tours for SWRCB Board members and staff so that they could see the “boots on the ground” issues in the Subbasin. Additionally, the Subbasin adopted a Domestic Well Mitigation Policy and Application that will be adopted as part of the 2024 GSP.
The 2024 GSP was jointly prepared by all 23 GSAs and the following seven GSA Groups, which are comprised of all 23 GSAs: the Aliso Water District GSA Group; the Farmers Water District GSA Group; the Fresno County Management Areas A and B (FCMA) GSA Group; the Grassland GSA Group; the Northern Delta-Mendota GSA Group; the Central Delta-Mendota GSA Group; and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors (SJREC) GSA Group. In June 2024, the Coordination Committee posted a draft of the 2024 GSP on the Subbasin’s website for public comment and held public workshops regarding the revisions to the GSP. After considering public comments and upon further discussion, on July 22, 2024, the Coordination Committee unanimously recommended that all GSAs in the Delta-Mendota Subbasin adopt the 2024 GSP.
The City of Patterson GSA is now holding a public hearing to consider adoption of a resolution to adopt the 2024 GSP for the Delta-Mendota Subbasin and authorize submitting it to the SWRCB and posting it on the Subbasin’s website. The entire 1,800-page document can be viewed on the city’s website: https://www.pattersonca.gov/2007/New-Single-GSP. An executive summary is attached to this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no new fiscal impact on the development of a single GSP. All SGMA-related costs are anticipated and included in the current FY 24/25 budget.