HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - July 20, 2022 H-06CITY OF
o i
CALIFORNIA
AGENDA ITEM H, -b
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
AGENDA TITLE: Adopt Resolution to Adopt Amended Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin
Groundwater Sustainability Plan
MEETING DATE: July 20, 2022
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt Resolution to Adopt Amended Eastern San Joaquin
Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On August 29, 2014, the California Legislature passed comprehensive
groundwater legislation enacting the "Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act" (SGMA). Governor Brown signed the legislation on
September 16, 2014 and it became effective on January 1, 2015.
SGMA requires the formation of groundwater sustainability agencies (GSA's) and the development and
implementation of one or more groundwater sustainability plans (GSP's) for each groundwater basin
categorized by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) as high- or medium -priority.
The Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority (Authority) is a collaboration of agencies (including Lodi)
within the county working to prepare a GSP in accordance with the SGMA legislation. The Authority
submitted a GSP in January of 2020 to DWR, and has since received feedback from DWR which identified
two potential deficiencies in the plan. The deficiencies must be addressed by amending the GSP and the
amended GSP must be adopted by each GSA prior to resubmitting to DWR. A subcommittee made up of
various Authority members along with Woodard & Curran, Inc., the consultant originally hired by the
Authority to prepare the GSP, prepared responses to the potential deficiencies noted below. While the
responses reflected below are highly summarized, the responses reflecting all of the support data and
analysis are included in four, technically robust memorandums that will serve as appendices to the
amended GSP.
Potential Deficiency No.1 cites the GSP lacks sufficient justification for identifying that undesirable results for
chronic lowering of groundwater levels, subsidence, and depletion of interconnected surface waters can
only occur in consecutive non -dry water year types. Deficiency No. 1 also cites the GSP lacks sufficient
explanation for its chronic lowering of groundwater level minimum thresholds and undesirable results. In
response to this comment, the GSP is amended to remove the water year type from the minimum threshold.
Additionally, technical hydrogeological data has been provided to support the minimum threshold definitions
used in the GSP. This detailed information is outlined in three technical memorandums that will be made
part of the amended GSP.
APPROVED: Steve SChWabauer
Stephen Schwabauer, City Manager
\\cvcfilv02\pubwks$\WP\COUNCIL\2022\CC GSP Amendment 1 doc 7/7/2022
Adopt Resolution to Adopt Amended Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
July 20, 2022
Page 2
Potential Deficiency No. 2 cites the GSP does not provide enough information to support the use of the
chronic lowering of groundwater level sustainable management criteria and representative monitoring
network as a proxy for land subsidence. In response to this comment, the GSP is amended to include
subsidence data from publicly available monitoring sources, and this data will be updated and reviewed in
the preparation of each annual report. An additional technical memorandum was prepared to more
thoroughly document the correlation between chronic lowering of groundwater levels and subsidence.
Additionally, this memorandum outlined the types of critical infrastructure which would be most impacted by
subsidence, as requested.
At the June 21, 2022 Shirtsleeve Meeting, Staff presented Council and the public with an update on the
GSP status, the potential deficiencies identified in the DWR comments that were received on the original
submitted GSP, and information reflecting the proposed responses to addressing those deficiencies as part
of the GSP amendment. Staff recommends Council adopt a resolution to adopt the Amended Eastern San
Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
The amended GSP is available for review on the City's website at
htt s://www.lodi. ov/DocumentCenterNiew/3014/ESJ-GSP-Final-Draft. SGMA legislation requires GSP
adoption by all involved GSA's prior to the amended GSP submittal date of July 27, 2022.
There are no forecasted changes to our water operations as a result of adopting the amended GSP,
largely because the City has made substantial investments to reduce groundwater pumping to a
sustainable level. Staff recommends adopting the amended GSP as presented, as failure to adopt the
amended GSP could result in state intervention.
FISCAL IMPACT: Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable.
CT—wj�
Charles E. Swimley, Jr.
Public Works Director
CES/CES/cd
\\cvcfilv02\pubwks$\WP\COUNCIL\2022\CC GSP Amendment 1.doc 7/7/2022
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-186
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING
THE AMENDED EASTERN SAN JOAQUIN GROUNDWATER
BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
WHEREAS, on August 29, 2014, the California Legislature passed comprehensive
groundwater legislation enacting the "Sustainable Groundwater Management Act" (SGMA).
Governor Brown signed the legislation on September 16, 2014 and it became effective on
January 1, 2015; and
WHEREAS, SGMA requires the formation of groundwater sustainability agencies
(GSA's) and the development and implementation of one or more groundwater sustainability
plans (GSP's) for each groundwater basin categorized by the California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) as high- or medium -priority; and
WHEREAS, at the June 21, 2022 Shirtsleeve Meeting, staff presented Council and the
public with an update on the GSP status, the potential deficiencies identified in the DWR
comments that were received on the original submitted GSP, and information reflecting the
proposed responses to addressing those deficiencies as part of the GSP amendment; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends adopting the Amended Eastern San Joaquin
Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council does hereby adopt
the Amended Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
Dated: July 20, 2022
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2022-186 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held July 20, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Khan, Kuehne, Nakanishi, and Mayor Chandler
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Hothi
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
OLIVIA NASHED
City Clerk
2022-186
The City of Lodi
Public Work
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act &
Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Authority
GSP Adoption
July 20, 2022
Outline
• Background
• Timeline
• Deficiencies and Responses
Background
• The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)
became effective on January 1, 2015.
• SGMA requires the establishment of Groundwater
Sustainability Agencies (GSA) and the development and
implementation of one or more Groundwater
Sustainability Plans (GSP).
• Basins must demonstrate groundwater sustainability by
2040.
• Failure of local agencies to comply with SGMA would
result in State intervention and adjudication.
Timeline
• The GSP was submitted in January 2020 to the
Department of Water Resources (DWR).
• On November 18th, 2021, the Eastern San Joaquin
Subbasin received a letter from DWR stating that there
were deficiencies in the submitted plan which required
attention.
• The response to these DWR comments has been
prepared by Woodard -Curran, the consultant retained by
the subbasin for technical assistance throughout the
GSP development process.
Ir
Potential Deficiencies and Resnonses
,F
• Potential Deficiency 1: "The GSP lacks sufficient justification
for identifying that undesirable results for chronic lowering of
groundwater levels, subsidence, and depletion of
interconnected surface waters can only occur in consecutive
non -dry water year types. The GSP also lacks sufficient
explanation for its chronic lowering of groundwater levels
minimum thresholds and undesirable results."
• Response to comment: The GSP was amended to remove
the water year type from the minimum threshold. Additionally,
technical hydrogeologic data has been provided to support
the minimum threshold definitions used in the GSP.
.Oi
1NL
a Potential Deficiencies and Responses
• Potential Deficiency 2: "The GSP does not provide enough
information to support the use of the chronic lowering of
groundwater level sustainable management criteria and
representative monitoring network as a proxy for land
subsidence."
• Response to comment: The GSP was amended to include
subsidence data from publicly available monitoring sources, and
this data will be updated and reviewed in the preparation of each
annual report. A technical memorandum was prepared to more
thoroughly document the correlation between chronic lowering
of groundwater levels and subsidence. Additionally, this
memorandum outlines the types of critical infrastructure which
would be most impacted by subsidence, as requested.
1 L
Dilpa'stic