Frequently Asked Questions:
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in Solano County
Last updated on May 18, 2016. For more information go to http://scwa2.com/sgma, or contact Brooking
Gatewood, Ag Innovations at [email protected], (707) 823-6111 x140.
Groundwater in the Solano Subbasin
What percent of groundwater is pumped for agricultural uses?
Wedon’tknowexactlywhatpercentageoftotalgroundwateruseisforagriculture.Unlikemunicipalitiesand
wateragenciesthatarerequiredtoroutinelyreporttheirwaterusetostateagencies,independentlyowned
wells,includingthoseownedbyfarmers,arenotrequiredtoreporthowmuchwatertheydraw.Outsideof
pumpingfiguresfromtheSolanoIrrigationDistrictandmunicipalities,thereisnospecificinformationonthis.Itis
estimatedbylocalUCCooperativeExtensionandConservationDistrictspecialiststhatagriculturemayuseupto
90%ofgroundwaterpumpedinSolanoCounty.Wearehopingthatfuturegroundwaterstudieswillhelpclarify
theamountofgroundwaterusedbyvarioussectorsincludingagriculture.
How much groundwater is in the Solano Subbasin?
Wedon’tknowbecauseourtoolboxisnotcomplete.WhilegroundwaterlevelsthroughouttheSolanoSubbasin
havebeenmonitoredovertime,thetotalquantityofgroundwaterwithinthesubbasinhasnotbeendetermined.
SinceimplementationoftheSolanoProject,whichbroughtwaterfromLakeBerryessa,wehaven’thada
documentedgroundwaterissue.Thus,whiletheSolanoCountyWaterAgencyhastrackedgroundwaterdatafor
mostofthewesterlyportionofthesubbasin,untiltheSGMAlegislationwaspassed,wedidn’thaveaspecific
reasontospendthetimeormoneytoanalyzethetotalamountofwateravailable.Wewillnowdedicatemore
resourcestogroundwatermonitoringanddevelopingmodelsandawaterbudget,sowe’llhavemore
informationinafewyears.Throughfuturestudies,groundwatermonitoring,andmodeling,wehopefullywill
haveabetterunderstandingoftheextentofgroundwaterresourcesinthesubbasin.
What are the names of the different aquifer layers, and what are their depths?
Anaquiferisundergroundwaterinrockorsedimentthatissufficientlyporousandpermeabletostore,transmit,
andyieldsignificantoreconomicquantitiesofgroundwatertowellsandsprings.WithinSolanoCounty,thereare
twomajoraquifersintheSolanoSubbasin,thePutahFanandtheTehamaFormation.ThePutahFanisashallow
andnon-uniformaquifer,comingnearthesurfacebytheEnglishHillsandgoingdowntoamaximumdepthof
about400ftintheeasternportionoftheCounty.ThevastmajorityofgroundwaterusersinSolanoCountyutilize
thePutahFan.UnderlyingthePutahFanisthemuchdeeperTehamaFormation.TheTehamaFormationalso
surfacesneartheEnglishHills,butisgenerallyfoundaround1,000-1,500feetbelowthesurface.Theagencies
drawinggroundwaterfromtheTehamaFormationincludetheCitiesofDixonandVacaville,andRuralNorth
VacavilleWaterDistrict.
Source:USGS
How do the groundwater levels vary year to year?
Groundwaterlevelsvaryseasonallybasedonlocation.Basedonwaterlevelmonitoringconductedbyvarious
agenciesthroughtheCaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources(DWR),typicalwaterlevelsintheDeltaarea
rangefrom2feetbelowgroundsurface(bgs)to20feetbgs;whereaswaterlevelsintheEnglishHillsrange
seasonallyfrom60toover120feetbgs.InformationregardingwaterlevelscanbeviewedonDWR’s
GroundwaterInformationCenterwebsite:https://gis.water.ca.gov/app/gicima/
Why are there different groundwater conditions in different parts of the Solano Subbasin?
Thereareavarietyofsurface(e.g.,landuseassociateddemands,surfacewaterimports)andsubsurface(e.g.,
geology)conditionsthatinfluencegroundwaterconditionsthroughoutthesubbasin.Drillingforwaterinanyone
ofthetwoaquifersinthesubbasinisdependentonthelocalconditionsimpactingthatwell.Forexample,inone
locationadeepwellmaynotyieldwaterbecauseanundergroundclaydepositexistsratherthanthesandsand
gravelsthatproducegroundwater,whilenotfarfromthatlocationtheconditionscouldbedifferent.Also,there
areseveralregionswithinthesubbasinthatimportsurfacewatereitherfromLakeBerryessaortheSacramento
River.Whiletheseregionsmayusesomegroundwater,theymainlyrelyonthesesurfacewaterimportsfor
irrigation,thustheymayhaveanetpositiveimpactonthegroundwaterinthatpartofthesubbasinby
rechargingmoregroundwaterthantheytakeout.Intheareasofthesubbasinthatrelyheavilyongroundwater
(noimportedsurfacewater),twofactorshavehighlightedconcernsaboutgroundwatersupplies:thedrought
andthesubbasin’sabilitytorespondtoit,andasignificantincreaseinplantingsofpermanentcrops(i.e.,tree
andvinecrops).Ingeneral,permanentcropsrequiremorewaterthanrowcropsonaperacrebasis.Whenthere
isanabundanceofpermanentcropsincloseproximity,thereisgreaterpressureontheaquifercausedby
increasedpumping,andittakeslongerforthesepartsofthesubbasintorebound.Inotherpartsofthesubbasin,
differentcroporlivestockproductionsystemsrequirelesswater,solessgroundwaterispumped.
Is aquifer level synonymous with water table?
Itcouldbe.Thetoplevelofgroundwaterinanaquiferthatisnotsurroundedorconfinedbynon-porousmaterial
isthewatertable;assuchthewatertablecanseasonallyriseandfallbasedontheamountofrainthatoccurs.It
istypicallyhigherinearlyspringandlowerinlatesummer.Agroundwaterlevelwithinanaquiferthatisconfined
orsurroundedbynon-porousmaterialsisnotthesameasthewatertable.Changesinwaterlevelsinthese
confinedaquifersmaybeduetogroundwaterpumping.Moreinformationregardingaquifersandgroundwater
canbefoundontheUSGSwebsite:http://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwaquifer.html
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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What is a “water budget”?
A“waterbudget”istheaccountingofthetotalgroundwaterandsurfacewaterenteringandleavingabasin,
includingthechangesintheamountofwaterstored.Basiccomponentsofwaterbudgetsareprecipitation,
evapotranspiration(acombinationofevaporationfromthesoilandtranspirationbyplants),surfacewater(such
asstreamsandlakes)andgroundwaterflow(aquifers)intoandoutofthewatershed,changeinsurfacewater
andgroundwaterstorage,aswellashumanwithdrawalsandinterbasintransfers.
What is the ratio of lost water to retained water for most agricultural purposes?
Aratiooflost-versus-retainedwatervariesdependingonfactorsincludinglanduse,croptype,andirrigation
practice.TheCaliforniaWaterPlanUpdate2013datasummary(from1998-2010),waterbalances,presentsthe
breakdownofthewaterusebysectors(urban,agricultural,andenvironmental)byhydrologicregionand
planningareaandcanbeviewedinVolume1,Chapter3oftheWaterPlanUpdate(forinstance,seeFigure3-10
and3-11):http://www.water.ca.gov/waterplan/docs/cwpu2013/Final/04_Vol1_Ch03_Ca_Water_Today.pdf
Atoolusedtoevaluatesoil/waterbalanceistheCal-SIMETAW(CaliforniaSimulationof
EvapotranspirationofAppliedWater)developedbytheCaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources(DWR).This
toolcanbeusedtoestimatewaterusebyagriculture.
Is groundwater quality currently being monitored?
Largedomesticwatersystems,suchasthoseformunicipalities,arerequiredbystatelawtomonitorthequality
ofthewatertheysupplytothepublic.Smallwatersystems,suchasschools,mobilehomeparksandfood
facilitiesthatusegroundwaterwellstosupplytheirdrinkingwaterarealsorequiredbythestatetomonitor
waterquality.Otherstateprogramsrequiregroundwaterqualitymonitoringforlocationsnearleaking
undergroundfueltanks.AstatewidedatabasethroughStateWaterResourcesControlBoardGroundwater
AmbientMonitoringandAssessmentProgram(GAMA)programintegratesanddisplaysgroundwaterinformation
frommultiplesourcesforpublicreview.TheGAMAdatabasecanbeaccessedatthefollowingwebsite:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/
Since there is a link between groundwater and surface water, how will that interconnection be managed?
Will a GSA be involved in surface water in the future?
Itistooearlytosay.Understandingthepotentialinterconnectionbetweensurfaceandgroundwaterwillbe
neededaspartofthegroundwatersustainabilityplanning.
Priority status for the Solano Subbasin
Why is the Solano Subbasin a medium priority basin? How is the priority level determined, and what does
it mean?
TheDepartmentofWaterResources(DWR)isrequiredtoprioritizeCaliforniagroundwaterbasinstohelp
identify,evaluate,anddeterminetheneedforadditionalgroundwaterlevelmonitoring.Prioritizationprovidesa
statewiderankingofgroundwaterbasinimportancethatincorporatesgroundwaterrelianceandfocuseson
basinsproducinggreaterthan90%ofCalifornia'sannualgroundwater.Itisnotnecessarilysynonymouswitha
basinbeingingoodorbadshape.
DWRcurrentlyuses8criteriatorankbasinsandsubbasinsashigh,medium,low,andverylowpriority
including:currentandprojectedpopulation,numberofwellsandrelianceongroundwater,amountofirrigated
farmland,andimpacttogroundwater(overdraft,subsidence,salineintrusion).Thesecriteriaareassignedavalue
from0to5,weightedandscoredforeachbasinorsubbasin.TheSolanoSubbasinhasascoreof15.5usingthis
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
3
method.Abasinorsubbasinisconsideredtobemediumpriorityifithasascorebetween13.43and21.08.The
SolanoSubbasinwasrankedmediumpriorityprimarilyduetotheamountofirrigatedlands,thedensityofwells,
andtheanticipatedpopulationgrowthrelyingongroundwater.Noimpactstogroundwaterresourceswere
identifiedbyDWR.
AsummaryoftheDWRrankingfortheSolanoSubbasinispresentedbelow:
Criteria
Unitofmeasure
Populationoverlyingthesubbasin
Populationgrowth
Publicsupplywells
Totalwells
Irrigatedlands
RelianceonGroundwater
Otherimpacts,includingoverdraft,
subsidence,andsalineintrusion
Otherinformationonwaterquality
Personspersquaremile
Percent
#ofwellspersquaremile
#ofwellspersquaremile
Acrespersquaremile
Basedongroundwateruse(acre-foot/acre)
SolanoSubbasin
rankingandscore
1
3
2
3
5
1.5
0
0
Totalscore: 15.5
Formoreinformationontheprioritizationprocess,youcanrefertoaDWRfactsheetat:
http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/casgem/basin_prioritization.cfm.ForinformationspecifictotheSolano
Subbasinranking,youcanrefertoDataRankingComponentTableat:
http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/casgem/pdfs/basin_prioritization/NCRO%2068.pdf.
Why are we subject to SGMA if groundwater monitoring data shows that we are in pretty good shape?
ItistruethatgroundwaterconditionsintheSolanoSubbasinappearstable.Monitoringshowsseasonalchanges
fromspringtofallduringtheheightofagriculturalproduction,andthentheaquiferisreplenished(i.e.,
groundwaterelevationsgobackupfromdirectpercolationofrainfallandreturnflowsofappliedwaterby
agriculturalandmunicipalusers)fromfalltospring,whentheagriculturalseasondiesdown.Theseseasonal
changesandoverallstabilityofgroundwaterconditionshavebeenobservedanddocumentedforthelast50plus
yearssincetheSolanoProjectstarteddeliveringsurfacewater.
TheSolanoSubbasinstillfitsthecriteriaofamediumprioritybasin,primarilybecauseofsubstantial
irrigatedagriculture,alargenumberofwells,andalargeprojectedgrowthinpopulation.Itistherefore
imperativethatgroundwateruseremainssustainableintothefuture,inordertosupportthehealthandvibrancy
oftheregion’scommunities,farms,andenvironment.Also,thereisanecdotalevidenceoflocalizedissueswith
groundwaterinsomepartsofthesubbasin,includingloweredgroundwaterlevels,decreasedflowratesandhigh
saltlevels.WelloperatorsintheWintersandNortonarea,andincentralSolanoCountysharedthese
observationsatthepublicworkshopsheldinFebruarythroughMarchinVacaville,RioVistaandDavis.SGMAwill
requireustomorefullyunderstandthegroundwaterconditionswithinthesubbasin,andadaptmanagement
approachesaccordingly.Finally,whilepastmeasurementsdonotshowunsustainablegroundwateruse,future
growthandtherecentincreaseinperennialcrops(e.g.,nutsorchards,winegrapes)thatrequiremorewater
couldimpactthegroundwatersuppliesinthesubbasin.
Aren’t there other groundwater basins in Solano County, and are they subject to SGMA?
Thereareatotalof4groundwatersubbasinsunderlyingSolanoCounty.TheYoloSubbasin,ofwhichasmall
portionextendsintothenortheasternportionofSolanoCountyalongthesouthforkofPutahCreek,is
designatedhighpriorityandthereforeissubjecttoSGMA.ThetwoothergroundwaterbasinsinSolanoCounty-
theSuisun-FairfieldValleyBasinandtheNapa-SonomaLowlandsSubbasin-aredesignatedasverylowpriority,
soarenotsubjecttoSGMA.
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
4
Domestic wells
Will historical pumping have an impact on how much people are allowed to pump in the future?
Itistooearlytotellwhat,ifany,pumpingrestrictionswilloccurintheSolanoSubbasin.IftheGSAcanshowthat
thesubbasinisbeingmanagedinasustainablemanner,thenchangestocurrentpumpingregimesshouldbe
fairlylimited.Ifproblemareasareidentifiedwithinthesubbasin,theymaybemanageddifferentlythantherest
ofthesubbasin(seequestiononManagementAreasbelow).
Will domestic wells be regulated differently by SGMA?
Wellspumpinglessthan2acre-feetperyear(1,785gallonsperday)fordomesticuseareconsideredtobe“de
minimus,”andareexemptfromSGMArequirements.Thisincludesexemptionfromanymeteringorreporting
requirements,andfees.Mostprivate,non-agriculturalwellswillfallintothis“deminimus”category.
Can I drill my well deeper or put in a new well?
InSolanoCounty,apermitisrequiredtoconstruct,repairordestroyawatersupply,monitoringorcathodic
protectionwellorsoilboring.Wellpermitapplicationsandrequirementscanbeobtainedbycontactingthe
SolanoCountyDepartmentofResourceManagement,EnvironmentalHealthDivisionat707-784-6765,or
RMHelp@solanocounty.com.YoucanalsovisittheDepartmentofResourceManagement’swebpageformore
informationaboutEnvironmentalHealthanditswellprogram:
http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rm/environmental_health/technical/default.asp
Are you going to put meters on wells in Solano County?
AtthisearlystageofSGMAimplementationwedon’tknowwhattoolswillbeusedlocallytomonitorandensure
sustainablegroundwateruse.SGMAprovidesanarrayofregulatoryandnonregulatorytools-mostlyoptional-
fromwhichGroundwaterSustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)canchoosetoachieveandmonitorgroundwater
sustainability.ThelocalGSAs,onceformed,willhavetodecidewhichtoolstheywilluse,andwellmeteringcould
beonesuchtool.EachGSAwillhavetodevelopaplantocollectsufficientdataongroundwaterconditionsin
ordertodemonstrateprogresstowardachievingtheirmeasurableobjectives,butthisdoesn’tnecessarilymean
thatallwellsmustbemetered.SGMArequiresthatpublicstakeholdersbeengagedinthedevelopmentand
implementationoftheGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan,whichwillallowadditionalopportunityforinterested
stakeholderstoprovideinputonthisissue.
Will the deep wells managed by the cities or SID, or those being put in by farmers, take water away from
my shallower domestic well?
Overthelongterm,implementationofSGMAisintendedtomakeSolanoCounty’sgroundwaterusers,from
domestictoagriculturalusers,moreresilienttofuturedroughtsandtohelpensureadequatewatersuppliesare
availableforallusers.ThebasicpremisebehindtheActistoempowerlocalagencieswithacquiringthedata
aboutgroundwateruseandpairitwiththeauthoritiesandtoolsthatareneededtomanagegroundwater
sustainably.Mostdomesticwellsareshallowerthanwellsusedbycitiesandwaterdistricts.Waterlevelsin
shallowdomesticwellsmaybeimpactedifanagency’swellistooclosetoadomesticwell.However,thereare
otheraspectsthatmayinfluencewaterlevelsbetweenwells,including:wellconstruction,whichaquiferseach
wellisdrawingfrom,soiltypes,pumpingrates,anddistancesfromsurfacewatersourcesandotherwells.
Questionsaboutalocalagency’swellshouldbeaddressedtothewellowneroragency.
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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Stakeholder participation in SGMA implementation
How can landowners, farmers, and other stakeholders participate?
Therearemanywaysforthepublictogetinvolved.Anemaillist-servandinformationalwebsiteprovides
informationregardingtheSolanoSubbasinandtheSGMAprocess,includingopportunitiesforpublic
participationandupcomingworkshopsandevents.Thiswebsitecanbeaccessedat:http://scwa2.com/sgma.
Interestedstakeholderscanalsoparticipatethroughtheirrepresentativesatlocalagencies,including:Resource
ConservationDistricts,ReclamationDistricts,SID,cities,FarmBureau,SolanoCountyWaterAgency,Solano
County,andtheSolanoCountyAgriculturalAdvisoryCommittee.
Thepublicengagementprocesshasincluded3workshopsheldinVacaville,RioVista,andDavisinearly2016
thatdrewabout145participants.Also,presentationshavebeenmadebyfacilitatorsfromAgInnovationsat
meetingsoftheSolanoCountyFarmBureau,SolanoResourceConservationDistrict,SolanoCountyAgricultural
AdvisoryCommittee,NorthDeltaWaterAgency,ReclamationDistrict2068,andtheSolanoCountyWater
Agency.OnThursday,May26,ninelocalorganizationsconcernedaboutthelingeringdroughtwillconvene
SolanoCounty’sfarmersandrancherstodevelopaunifiedmessageonSGMA,andexplorehowGroundwater
SustainabilityAgencies(GSAs)shouldbestructuredtobestrepresentagriculture’sinterests.Therewillbe
additionalopportunitiesforpublicparticipationin2016.
Where can I sign up to be on the email list to receive updates on SGMA implementation in the Solano
Subbasin?
Signupfortheemaillistonthewebat:http://scwa2.com/sgma.Thiswebsitealsocontainslocalinformation,
downloadablefactsheets,andlinkstostatewideandotherresources.
How can I share my private well data with local public agencies?
ThoseinterestedinsharingmonitoringdatawithlocalpublicagencieswereinvitedtocontactChrisLeeatthe
SolanoCountyWaterAgency([email protected],707-451-6090).Theagencieswelcomesuchdataasitcanhelp
fillingapsintheexistingmonitoringnetwork.
GSA governance and representation
How will members of the GSA be chosen? What if municipalities are favored over agriculture?
AgInnovationsisfacilitatingmeetingswithstafffromlocalGSA-eligibleagenciesandrepresentativesfromthe
agriculturalcommunity,includingtheSolanoCountyFarmBureau,SolanoCountyAgriculturalAdvisory
Committee,andtheDixonandSolanoResourceConservationDistricts,todeveloprecommendationsforwhat
theGSA(s)willlooklike.AGSA-eligibleagencyisanylocalpublicagencythathaswatersupply,water
management,orlanduseresponsibilitieswithintheSolanoSubbasin.Awatercorporationregulatedbythe
CaliforniaPublicUtilitiesCommissionoramutualwatercompanymayparticipateinaGSAthrougha
memorandumofagreementorotherlegalagreement.AtthisearlystageintheSGMAimplementationprocess,
wearetryingtodevelopmodelsoftheGSAstructurethatwillrepresentallinterestsandgroundwaterusersso
thatsustainabilitycanbemaintainedoverthelongterm.
Who is on the Solano County Water Agency (SCWA) board, and will SGMA implementation be a
countywide process or focus just on agencies and stakeholders based in the Solano Subbasin based?
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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TheSCWABoardconsistsof15members:7mayors(citiesofBenicia,Dixon,Fairfield,RioVista,SuisunCity,
Vacaville,andVallejo),5CountySupervisors,and3BoardmembersormanagersfromIrrigationDistricts(Maine
PrairieWaterDistrict,ReclamationDistrict2068,SolanoIrrigationDistrict).Anumberofthoseagenciesorlocal
governmentsdonotoverlietheSolanoSubbasin.Theconsensusamongstakeholdersandlocalpublicagenciesis
thattheSGMAimplementationprocessshouldincludeagenciesandstakeholderrepresentativesthatarewithin
theSolanoSubbasin.
AtthedirectionoftheSCWABoard,theGSAStaffAdvisoryGroup(GSAG)wasformedtodevelop
recommendationsforthegovernancestructureforoneormoreGSAsfortheSolanoSubbasintofulfillSGMA
requirements.TheGSAGisstructuredasaninvitation-based,adhocAdvisoryGroupofstaffrepresentativesfrom
GSA-eligibleagenciesoftheSolanoSubbasin,asdefinedbystate-administeredmaps,aswellasrepresentatives
fromalimitednumberofstakeholdergroups.AllrecommendationsdevelopedbytheGSAGwillbereviewedand
vettedbymemberorganizations’boardsandconstituencies.TheGSAGisnottheGSAfortheSolanoSubbasin.
Theagencieswillseekcontinuousinputfromandcoordinatewithotheragenciesandpublicstakeholders.
There appears to be a lack of representation from agriculture in the GSA formation process, what are you
doing about that?
LocalpublicagenciesinSolanoCountyareworkingwithstakeholdersonaproactiveapproachforSGMA
implementationthatincludesincorporatingagriculturalinterestsaspartoftheGSAformationprocess.Aspartof
theplanningprocess,representativesfromagenciesandinterestedstakeholderswithintheSolanoSubbasin
haveinitiatedaGSAStaffAdvisoryGroup(GSAG)thatincludesrepresentativesfromtheSolanoCountyFarm
Bureau,SolanoCountyAgriculturalAdvisoryCommittee,andtheDixonandSolanoResourceConservation
DistrictsalongwithlocalGSA-eligibleagencies.TheGSAGwillseekcontinuousinputfromandcoordinatewith
theagriculturalcommunityandotherpublicstakeholdersmovingforwardtoensureadequaterepresentation
fromallinterestsaspartoftheGSAformation.
Can a new agency be formed to become the GSA?
Onlyanexistinglocalpublicagencythathaswatersupply,watermanagement,orlanduseresponsibilitiesinthe
SolanoSubbasincandecidetobecomeaGSAinthatsubbasin.AsinglelocalagencycandecidetobecomeaGSA,
oracombinationoflocalagenciescandecidetoformaGSAbyusingeitherajointpowersauthority(JPA),a
memorandumofagreement(MOA),orotherlegalagreement.AlocalagencythatsubmitsaGSAformation
noticetoDWRwillnotbecomeanexclusiveGSAfortheportionofabasinwithinitsserviceareauntilthe
conditionsoftheWaterCodearemet.Itisconceivablethatanewlocalpublicagencyhavingwatersupply,water
management,orlanduseresponsibilitiescouldbeformed,andthatthisagencycoulddecidetoformaGSA.Ifan
areaoverthesubbasinisnotwithinthemanagementareaofaGSA,theCountywillbepresumedtobetheGSA
forthatareaunlessitoptsout.TheCountyisrequiredtonotifyDWRwhetheritwillorwillnotbetheGSAforthe
area.
What is the legislative timeline for SGMA implementation?
SGMArequiresmedium-andhigh-prioritygroundwaterbasinsinthestatetobemanagedbylocalagenciesthat
haveformedaGroundwaterSustainabilityAgency(GSA)byJune30,2017.Onceformed,aGSAmustdevelopand
implementaGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan(GSP)byJanuary31,2022toguidethesustainablemanagementof
itsgroundwaterbasin.TheGSAhas20yearsfollowingthisdatetoachieveitssustainabilitygoals.Thedetailed
timelineisavailablehere.
What will the GSA governance structure look like?
SGMAleavesgreatlatitudeforlocaldecision-making.Primaryresponsibilityforgroundwatergovernancelies
withGSAs,butSGMAdoesnotspecifythedetailsoftheinstitutionaldesignofGSAs,norwhatspecific
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
7
governanceactionsmustbetakentoachievesustainablegroundwatermanagement.Instead,thelegislation
providesanarrayofregulatoryandnonregulatory(optional)toolsfromwhichGSAscanchoose.Thosetools,in
additiontoexistingauthoritiesalreadyavailabletolocalagencies,willprovidethebasisforgroundwater
governanceineachbasin.
Can multiple GSAs be established with only one GSP?
Yes,multipleGSAscanformandworktogetherthroughcoordinationagreementstodevelopasinglesubbasinwideGSP.GSAsmustcreatea“coordinationagreement”specifyingtheirrolesandresponsibilities,andoutlining
proceduresforthetimelyexchangeofdataandtheresolutionofconflicts.MultipleGSAscouldalsodevelop
multipleGSPsthatcovertheentiresubbasin.IfmultipleGSPsaredeveloped,thoseplansmustutilizethe“same
dataandmethodologies”toestablishcriteriaforoverallmanagementoftheentiresubbasin.Inthissituation,a
singleentitymustserveinacoordinatingroleandsynthesizedataaboutbasinconditionsfromallGSPsintoa
singlereportforsubmissiontoDWR.
What exactly are these possible authorities and tools in the GSP regulations?
TheSGMAgivesGSAsnumerousnewtoolsandauthoritiestomanagethegroundwaterandimplementthe
objectivesoftheGSP.Theseincludetheauthoritytoconductinvestigations,determinethesustainableyieldofa
groundwaterbasin,measureandlimitextraction,imposefeesforgroundwatermanagement,andenforcethe
termsofaGSP.TheseauthoritiescanbeimplementedbyoneormultipleGSAs.TheauthoritiesthateachGSA
assumeswillbeoneofthekeydecisionsinformingaGSA.Chapter5ofSGMAdescribesthepowersand
authoritiesingreaterdetail.
Can a local agency form a GSA for a portion of a basin located outside its service area boundaries?
No.AlthoughalocalagencymaymakethedecisiontobecomeaGSAforanentirebasin,thatagencycannotbe
the“exclusive”GSAforanyportionofthebasinbeyonditsserviceareaboundaries.Becauseserviceareaisnot
definedinSGMA,DWRwillrelyuponalocalagencytodefineitsserviceareainitsGSAformationnotice.
How will the GSA(s) fund SGMA implementation activities? Will fee structuring have to be uniform across
the subbasin?
AGSAwillneedtodetermineamethodtoadequatelyfunditsSGMAimplementationactivities.SGMAprovides
GSAswithanumberofoptionsforfundingimplementationactivities,includingregulatoryfees,property-related
feesorassessments,localtaxes,localgeneralobligationbonds,contributionsfrommemberagenciesandstate
grants.SGMAspecificallyauthorizesGSAstoimposetwotypesoffees—regulatoryfeesandproperty-related
fees—viaordinanceorresolution.Feestructuresmaynotbeuniformacrossthesubbasin,buttheGSA(s)will
makethosedecisions.BecausetheGSA(s)havenotyetbeenformed,wearenotsurewhetherfeeswillbe
charged,orwhatthefeestructurewillbe.AnyfeesproposedtobeestablishedbyaGSAwillrequireapublic
processbeforeimplementation.
What is the extent of the authority that can be given to a management area?
AGSAistheagencythatisresponsibleforcompliancewithSGMAinanentirebasinorsubbasin.Foroneormore
areaswithintheSolanoSubbasin,theGSA(s)mayidentifydifferentminimumthresholds,measurableobjectives,
monitoring,orprojectsandmanagementactionsbasedondifferencesinwaterusesector,watersourcetype,
geology,aquifercharacteristics,orotherfactors.EachGSAmaydefineoneormoremanagementareaswithin
theSolanoSubbasiniftheGSAhasdeterminedthatcreationofmanagementareaswillfacilitateimplementation
oftheGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan(GSP).Forexample,if80%ofthepumpingoccursinonly20%ofthebasin,
thenthedensityandfrequencyofmonitoringcouldbedifferent(likelygreater)inthat20%ofthebasin,and
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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managementactionsmightbespecifictothat20%ofthebasin.Or,theportionsofthebasinwherethemajority
ofthepumpingisoccurring(wherepeoplerelyupongroundwaterexclusively)couldhavedifferentminimum
thresholds,measurableobjectives,andpotentialactionsifconditionsbegintoreachsignificantandunreasonable
levels.AGSA,throughaGSP,candelegateimplementationactivitiestoamanagementarea,butamanagement
areaisnotnecessarilyintendedtobeaseparateareaforgovernancepurposes.Ultimately,thesustainabilitygoal
fortheentirebasinmustbeachieved,andactionsinonemanagementareacannotcauseundesirableresultsin
anotherpartofthebasin.Formoreinformation,seethelatestversionoftheGroundwaterSustainabilityPlan
EmergencyRegulationsonDWR’swebsite:http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/sgm/gsp.cfm.
How is authority delegated between the GSA and management areas? Can management areas use the
authority of the GSA through a JPA with GSA?
AmanagementareadoesnothavethesameauthorityastheGSA,whichisultimatelyresponsibleforSGMA
compliance.AuthoritytoimplementSGMA-relatedactivitiescanbedelegatedbytheGSAthroughtheGSPtoa
managementarea,buttheGSAisultimatelyresponsibleforensuringbasin/subbasincomplianceand
sustainability.Ifmanagementareasareestablished,thequantityanddensityofmonitoringsitesinthoseareas
arerequiredtobesufficienttoevaluateconditionsofthesubbasinsettingandsustainablemanagementcriteria
specifictothatarea.
Could a management area align exactly with a GSA-eligible agency’s service area, such that, for instance,
Reclamation District 2068's service area is considered a management area within the locally developed
GSP?
AGSAcanonlycreateamanagementareathatcoincideswithalocalagency’sserviceareaifthatdecisionis
basedondifferencesinwaterusesector,watersourcetype,geology,aquifercharacteristics,orotherfactors.
TheGSAwouldneedtoexplainthereasonsforcreatingthatmanagementareaanddescribeanydifferencesin
themonitoringnetwork,thresholds,objectives,orotherelementsofgroundwatermanagement.
What happens when one management area isn’t managing groundwater sustainably to the detriment of
the greater subbasin, and some level of GSP enforcement needs to occur within that management area?
TheGSA(s)intheSolanoSubbasinmustultimatelyensurethattheentiresubbasinismanagedsustainably.DWR
willreviewinitialGSPs,annualreports,and5-yearupdatestoensurethatthesubbasinisontracktowards
achievingitssustainabilitygoalandthebasin’sinterimmilestonesaremet.WaterCodeSection10735.2(e)
specifiesthattheStateWaterBoard“shallexcludefromprobationarystatusanyportionofabasinforwhicha
groundwatersustainabilityagencydemonstratescompliancewiththesustainabilitygoal.”See:
http://www.water.ca.gov/cagroundwater/legislation.cfm.
What’s going on in neighboring counties?
What are the other counties that are going through the same process doing? How are we coordinating with
those counties?
YoloCountyandSacramentoCountyaregoingthroughthesameGSAformationprocess.SCWA,SolanoCounty,
andotheragenciesinSolanoCountyarecooperatingwiththelocalpublicagenciesinbothYoloandSacramento
Counties.YoloCountyagencieshavesubmittedaboundarymodificationrequestthroughtheDepartmentof
WaterResources(DWR).TheYolosubbasinboundarymodificationapplicationcanbeviewedatthefollowing
DWRwebsite:http://sgma.water.ca.gov/basinmod/basinrequest/preview/55.
If the Yolo Basin boundary is modified, would it still respect geological boundaries? Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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Basinscanbedividedintosubbasinsbasedonscientific(geologicandhydro-geologic)orjurisdictionalconditions.
TheSolanoSubbasinandtheYoloSubbasinwereidentifiedbytheCaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources
(DWR)inBulletin118aspartofthelargerSacramentoValleybasinandarethereforegenerallyhydrogeologicallyconnected.Theexistingboundarylineispredominantlyestablishedtoallowforbettermanagement
ofthesubbasinandSCWAandYoloagenciesarealreadymanagingthelocationsintheirrespectivejurisdictions
withintheexistingboundariesoftheSolanoSubbasin.IftheYoloSubbasinboundaryischanged,coordinating
agreementswillbeestablishedtoensureeffectiveandefficientlong-termmanagementthroughouttheplanning
process.InformationregardingthegroundwaterbasinsandBulletin118canbefoundontheDWRwebsite:
http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/bulletin118/index.cfm.
Disclaimer: This working document is a product of Ag Innovations staff with input from Solano County’s local
public agencies and is intended exclusively for educational purposes and should not be construed as legal
advice or a binding statement of the views of the local agencies involved in its drafting. This working document
will be periodically updated to stay current with the emerging SGMA regulations and the changing realities in
the Solano Subbasin. For further clarification of the SGMA regulations we recommend that you contact the
California Department of Water Resources or the State Water Resources Control Board.
Frequently Asked Questions: SGMA in Solano County
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