Title
Body
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Directors, Lake County Watershed Protection District
FROM: Scott De Leon, Water Resources Director
DATE: October 22, 2019
SUBJECT: Adopt Resolution authorizing the Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency to file a grant application under the 2019 Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Planning Round 3 for the development of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Big Valley Groundwater Basin.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff is requesting the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District (District), acting as the Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) authorizes District staff to file a grant application through the California Natural Resources Agency Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) 2019 Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Planning Round 3 for funds for the development of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Big Valley Groundwater Basin (5-015). This item is not anticipated to be controversial; therefore we are requesting this item to be placed on the consent agenda.
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, adopted by the state of California in 2014, requires local agencies with medium or high priority basins to; 1) form a GSA and 2) develop and implement a GSP by January 31, 2022. In August 2019, the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District elected to form the Big Valley GSA per Water Code, section 10720.
Through Proposition 1 and Proposition 68, approved by voters in 2014 and 2018 respectively, the California Legislature appropriated $240 million to DWR’s 2019 Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Round 3. Of this, $50 million is for projects that develop and implement groundwater plans and projects in accordance with groundwater planning requirements established under Water Code 79775.
Staff recommends that the Board of Directors of the Watershed Protection District, acting as the Big Valley GSA, approve the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program proposal for the planning and development of the Big Valley GSP for a grant amount not to exceed $2 million.
FISCAL IMPACT: _X_ None __Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
Estimated Cost: None
Amount Budgeted: None
Additional Requested: None
Annual Cost (if planned for future years): None
FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative): None
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable): None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Resolution authorizing the Big Valley GSA to file grant application for funds for the development of the Big Valley GSP through DWR’s 2019 Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Planning Round 3.