Agenda Item: 4
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: September 12, 2023
SUBJECT: SANTA CLARITA VALLEY GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
AGENCY MEMBERSHIP FUNDING
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Darin Seegmiller
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council appropriate $20,000 annually from the Stormwater Utility fund balance to expenditure account 3567200-510102 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 through Fiscal Year 2026-27 to pay for Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency membership dues.
Appropriations commencing in Fiscal Year 2024-25 are contingent upon appropriation of funds by the City Council during the annual budget process.
BACKGROUND
The Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SCV-GSA) was formed pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014 to be a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the Santa Clara River Valley East Subbasin (Basin). The SGMA is a comprehensive bill signed into law by the state with the following goals:
1. Set minimum standards for sustainable groundwater management.
2. Provide local agencies tools necessary to manage groundwater sustainability.
3. Increase groundwater storage.
4. Provide the opportunity for local control.
5. Prevent deterioration of water quality.
6. Preserve existing water rights.
Local agencies were required to establish a GSA in groundwater basins as defined by the Department of Water Resources. At the May 9, 2017, City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form the SCV-GSA. Members include the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water), the City of Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County Waterworks District Number 36, and the County of Los Angeles. Members are all local public agencies with water supply, water management,
and/or land use responsibilities in at least some portion of the Basin.
The members of the SCV-GSA determined that the sustainable management of the Basin may be best achieved through a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA). At the August 28, 2018, City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution to approve the JPA, which effectively superseded and terminated the previously executed MOU. The agreement provides the power to each member to study, plan, develop, finance, acquire, construct, maintain, repair, manage, operate, control, and govern water supply projects and exercise groundwater management authority within the Basin to enforce implementation and compliance with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), adopted by the SCV-GSA on January 3, 2022.
The SCV-GSA is governed by a board of directors under the JPA. The board consists of seven directors: four directors from SCV Water and one director each from the City of Santa Clarita, County of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County Waterworks District Number 36. Mayor Jason Gibbs is the currently appointed City of Santa Clarita representative to the SCV-GSA. Directors are appointed to serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed for multiple terms.
In order to fund the SCV-GSA and develop the GSP, members were required to contribute a non-reimbursable amount of $20,000 each fiscal year for the first five years. After the fifth year, the board would consider the appropriate level of annual payments to operate the SCV-GSA and implement and enforce the GSP. At the October 3, 2022, SCV-GSA regular Board meeting, the member agency’s yearly contribution was reevaluated, and the board reached a consensus to remain at $20,000 for the next five fiscal years. This item requests funding from the Stormwater Utility Fund for the remaining four years, as many stormwater treatment projects have the dual benefit of recharging groundwater within the Basin.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, this item would appropriate an additional $20,000 each fiscal year from the Stormwater Utility fund balance to expenditure account 3567200-510102 for FY 2023-24 through FY 2026-27 for a total amount not to exceed $80,000.
ATTACHMENTS
SCV-GSA Member Agency Annual Contributions Letter October 2022 SCV-GSA Budget FY 2023-24
SCV-GSA Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)