***Water Year 2022/2023 Annual Data Memoranda Available***

Memoranda documenting data collected during water year 2022/2023 from UVRGA’s monitoring programs are now available via the following links:

Groundwater Level Monitoring

Camino Cielo Streamflow Monitoring

Visual Streamflow Monitoring of Ventura River

Riparian Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Monitoring

Aquatic Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Monitoring

 

***The Aquatic GDE Field Trip was held on Nov. 30***

Click here for the field trip handouts

 

***GSP Approved by Department of Water Resources***

The UVRGA Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was approved by the Department of Water Resources on April 27, 2023.  Click here to see the DWR approval letter.

 

***FINAL Second Annual Report Available***

Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) are required to submit annual reports to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) by April 1 of each year following adoption of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). The draft second annual report includes data collected during water year 2022.  The UVRGA Board of Directors approved the annual report for submittal to DWR during its March 9, 2023 meeting.  Click here to see the final annual report.

 

 

Well Registration, Metering, and Extraction Reporting Ordinance (Ordinance No.1), Adopted July 2022

Modified via Ordinance No. 2, Adopted March 2023

Modified via Ordinance No. 3, Adopted July 2023

As of July 1, 2023 all non-exempt wells are required to have a calibrated flowmeter installed.  Proof of calibration must be submitted to UVRGA via email to bbondy@uvrgroundwater.org.  Proof of calibration must be less than 3 years old for wells extracting >100 acre-feet per year and less than 5 years old for wells extracting <1 per year.  Flowmeters must be read and photographed quarterly on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.  Flowmeter totalizer values and photographs must be submitted to UVRGA via email to bbondy@uvrgroundwater.org

Please note: UVRGA will not be responsible for submitting your annual reporting statements to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB); individual landowners will continue to be responsible for annual extraction reporting to SWRCB.

Background:

Historically, the groundwater extraction fee methodology relied on estimates of pumping to determine your total fee amount. UVRGA received input from stakeholders stating a desire to be charged based on actual groundwater use, not estimates. The UVRGA Board considered that input and agreed. The UVRGA Board has determined that actual groundwater use should be determined using flowmeters and adopted an ordinance on July 14, 2022 setting forth appropriate well registration, metering, and extraction reporting requirements. The ordinance can be viewed here. The ordinance includes requirements for registering your well with UVRGA, requirements for the installation and periodic calibration of a flowmeter on your well discharge line, and requirements for reporting extractions to UVRGA on a quarterly basis.

The proposed ordinance includes the following primary requirements:

1. Fill out a form provided by UVRGA to register your well(s).

2. Install a flowmeter on your well(s) by June 30, 2023.

3. Provide proof of flowmeter calibration that is less than 3 years old by June 30, 2023 (Note: UVRGA will provide a list of approved calibration vendors)

4. Take and submit a digital photograph of your flowmeter totalizer March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year.

5. Complete Quarterly Groundwater Extraction Statements provided by UVRGA and submit together with the totalizer photos to UVRGA each quarter. (Note: quarterly reporting of groundwater extractions is necessary to accomplish both water year extraction reporting to the State and to assess semi-annual groundwater extractions fees. which will be billed semi-annually for the January-June and July-December periods.

Questions?  E-mail to bbondy@uvrgroundwater.org

Aquatic GDE Monitoring Plans Approved 

Workplans were prepared and approved by the UVRGA Board of Directors on August 11, 2022 for monitoring of the Confluence Aquatic GDE Area and Foster Park Aquatic GDE Area.  In accordance with the adopted Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), the purpose of the Confluence Aquatic GDE monitoring program is to provide data that can inform whether sustainable management criteria (SMC) for the Depletion of Interconnected Surface Water sustainability indicator are warranted for the Confluence Aquatic Habitat Area. The purpose of the Foster Park Aquatic GDE monitoring program is to provide data to facilitate UVRGA’s ongoing evaluation of SMC developed in the GSP for the Depletion of Interconnected Surface Waters sustainability indicator in the Foster Park Aquatic Habitat Area, as required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). 

The approved workplans are available here:

Confluence Aquatic GDE Monitoring Plan

Foster Park Aquatic GDE Monitoring Plan

Click Here to View the Response To Comments Table

Comments on the draft workplans are available here:

Board Member Comments:

City of Ventura

Bruce Kuebler

Mary Bergen

Public Comments:

California Department of Fish and Wildlife 

NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service – Confluence 

NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service – Foster Park

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy

 

***Final Annual Report Available***

Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) are required to submit annual reports to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) by April 1 of each year following adoption of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). The Upper Ventura River Valley Basin GSP reported data through the water year 2019; therefore, the first annual report includes data collected during water years 2020 and 2021.  The UVRGA Board of Directors approved the annual report for submittal to DWR during its March 24, 2022 meeting.  Click here to see the final annual report.

 

***GSP Adopted by UVRGA Board of Directors***

The Upper Ventura River Valley GSP was adopted January 6, 2022 and was submitted to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) on January 24, 2022 for assessment. DWR will be accepting public comments on the GSP through April 16, 2022. For more information or to submit comments, please visit the DWR SGMA Portal.

The GSP is available for download as a single PDF file from the DWR SGMA Portal or as separate files below:

 

UVRGA Adopted GSP – Text  

UVRGA Adopted GSP – Figures

UVRGA Adopted GSP – Tables 

UVRGA Adopted GSP – Appendix A – G 

UVRGA Adopted GSP – Appendix H – T 

 

 

***GSP Scheduled for Adoption January 6, 2022***

The GSP Development team has carefully reviewed comments received as part of the GSP Public Hearing held on December 9, 2021.  Please see links below for comments received and comment responses.  A link to a redline version of the GSP text is provided below to show changes made as a result of comments received and further review of the GSP by the GSP Development Team. The UVRGA Board of Directors will consider adopting the GSP during its special meeting on January 6, 2022.  Thank you very much for your continued interest!

National Marine Fisheries Service Comment Letter dated December 8, 2021

Updated DRAFT GSP Comment Response Table (DRAFT GSP Appendix G)

DRAFT GSP Text Redline

 

***GSP Public Hearing December 9, 2021, 12:30 p.m.***

Click here to view the public notice

Tentative Final GSP 

The GSP Development team and Board of Directors has carefully reviewed comments received during the draft GSP public comment period.  Responses to comments have been developed and the draft GSP was updated based on the comments.  The Tentative Final GSP is available via the links provided below. The UVRGA Board of Directors will hold a public hearing prior to receive and consider further comments prior to adopting the Tentative Final GSP.  The date and time for the GSP Public Hearing is December 9, 2021, 12:30 p.m. (please see link above for public hearing notice).    Thank you very much for your continued interest!

UVRGA Tentative Final GSP – Text  

UVRGA Tentative Final GSP – Figures

UVRGA Tentative Final GSP – Tables 

UVRGA Tentative Final GSP – Appendix A – H 

UVRGA Tentative Final GSP – Appendix I – T 

 

 

 

GSP Comment Responses

and

GSP Edits Made Pursuant to Comments  

The GSP Development team has carefully reviewed all comments received during the draft GSP public comment period.  A detailed comment response table has been prepared and the draft GSP has been updated based on the comments.  The comment responses and redline edits are provided via the links below.  The UVRGA Board of Directors will hold a public hearing prior to adopting the GSP to receive and consider further comments prior to adopting the GSP.   Thank you very much for your continued interest!

UVRGA Draft GSP – Text Redline Edits 

UVRGA Draft GSP  – Figures (only new figures or figures with substantial changes)

UVRGA Draft GSP  – Tables (only new tables or tables with substantial changes)

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendix G GSP Comments and Responses

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendix I Time Series Plots of Groundwater Quality

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendix O Riparian Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Assessment – Redline

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendix P Riparian Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Assessment – Redline

 

 

Draft GSP 

***Public Comment Period is Closed***

The draft GSP is available via the links below.  UVRGA accepted comments on draft GSP between August 10 and October 8, 2021. Thank you to those of you who commented on the GSP  UVRGA will be preparing a final GSP for adoption no later than January 31, 2022.  Thank you very much for your continued interest!

UVRGA Draft GSP – Text 

UVRGA Draft GSP  – Figures

UVRGA Draft GSP  – Tables

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendices A-I

UVRGA  Draft GSP – Appendices J-T

The final draft GSP will include substantial revisions to the degraded water quality sustainable management criteria.  For more information, please review:

Draft GSP Comments (listed in order received)

Edward Johnson, Member of Public  9-4-21

Bert Rapp, Ventura River Water District 9-24-21

California Department of Fish & Wildlife 10-5-21

NGO Consortium 10-8-21

County of Ventura 10-8-21

Surfrider 10-8-21

City of Ventura 10-8-21

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper 10-8-21

Casitas Municipal Water District 10-14-21

 

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Overview


In September of 2014, the California Legislature enacted comprehensive legislation aimed at strengthening local control and management of groundwater basins throughout the state. Known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the legislation provides a framework for sustainable management of groundwater supplies by local authorities, with a limited role for state intervention when necessary to protect the resource.

For the first time in California, groundwater will have to be managed to protect the long-term reliability of the resource.

SGMA technically applies to all 515 groundwater basins and subbasins in California, but it is only the 127 high- and medium-priority basins that are required to develop groundwater sustainability plans. The Upper Ventura River Groundwater Basin has been ranked a medium-priority basin.

Key Implementation Dates

SGMA lays out a process and a timeline for local authorities to achieve sustainable management of groundwater basins.

  • June 30, 2017: Local groundwater sustainability agencies formed.
  • January 31, 2020: Groundwater sustainability plans adopted for critically overdrafted basins.
  • January 31, 2022: Groundwater sustainability plans adopted for high- and medium-priority basins not currently in overdraft. (The Upper Ventura River Basin is a medium-priority basin.)
  • 20 years after adoption: All high- and medium-priority groundwater basins must fully implement their sustainability plans and achieve the sustainability goal.

GSP Planning Schedule

GSP Sustainability Goal-Adopted 8/13/2020

GSP Template

Tools and Authorities

SGMA provides local GSAs with the tools and authority to:

  • Require registration of groundwater wells
  • Manage extractions
  • Assess fees to implement groundwater management plans
  • Request revisions of basin boundaries

Creation of Groundwater Sustainability Plans

Groundwater sustainability plans must outline measurable objectives and interim milestones to achieve the sustainability goal for the basin within a 20-year time frame. Plans need to include a physical description of the basin, including groundwater levels, groundwater quality, subsidence, and groundwater-surface water interaction; data on historical and projected water demands and supplies; and monitoring and management provisions.

In addition, plans must consider:

• Integration with local county and city general plans;

• Whether or not the hydrologic connection between adjacent basins affects the ability of those basins to reach sustainable          groundwater management; and

• The interests of all beneficial uses and users of groundwater, including overlying property owners, municipal well owners, public water systems, local land use agencies, environmental users, surface water users, the federal government, Native American tribes in California, disadvantaged communities, and listed monitoring entities.

Definition of Sustainability

“Sustainability” in SGMA is defined as:

The management and use of groundwater in a manner that can be maintained during the planning and implementation horizon without causing undesirable results.

“Undesirable results” is defined as:

One or more of the following effects caused by groundwater conditions occurring throughout the basin:

  1. Chronic lowering of groundwater levels indicating a significant and unreasonable depletion of supply if continued over the planning and implementation horizon. Overdraft during a period of drought is not sufficient to establish a chronic lowering of groundwater levels if extractions and recharge are managed as necessary to ensure that reductions in groundwater levels or storage during a period of drought are offset by increases in groundwater levels or storage during other periods.
  2. Significant and unreasonable reduction of groundwater storage.
  3. Significant and unreasonable seawater intrusion.
  4. Significant and unreasonable degraded water quality, including the migration of contaminant plumes that impair water supplies.
  5. Significant and unreasonable land subsidence that substantially interferes with surface land uses.
  6. Depletions of interconnected surface water that have significant and unreasonable adverse impacts on beneficial uses of the surface water.

Final Data Quality Control Review Procedure Adopted 9-13-18

UVRGA Monitoring Protocols – Adopted 9-13-18

“The groundwa
Final Data Quality Control Review Procedure Adopted 9-13-18ter sustainability agency shall consider the interests of all beneficial uses and users of groundwater, as well as those responsible for implementing groundwater sustainability plans.”
Section 10723.2 of SGMA

More SGMA Information

California’s SGMA Website
Assoc. of Calif. Water Agencies Info:
Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions 
Deadlines
Brochure
Summary of the Act
SGMA Handbook (Water Education Foundation)
Stakeholder Meeting Presentation
SGMA Definitions

 

“The groundwater sustainability agency shall consider the interests of all beneficial uses and users of groundwater, as well as those responsible for implementing groundwater sustainability plans.”

Section 10723.2 of SGMA

 

 

GSP Comment/Question Form

 

Verification