Report Prepared by: Leah Brown, Water Conservation Specialist, Public Works
Title
SUBJECT: Set a Public Hearing to Consider the Formation of the Merced Irrigation-Urban Groundwater Sustainability Agency
REPORT IN BRIEF
Request setting a Public Hearing to consider the formation of the Merced Irrigation-Urban Groundwater Sustainability Agency on May 1, 2017.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion setting the Public Hearing to consider the formation of the Merced Irrigation-Urban Groundwater Sustainability Agency on May 1, 2017.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt as recommended by staff; or,
2. Modify the action; or,
3. Continue action until a future City Council meeting, specifying date; or
4. Deny the action.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Article II, Section 200, and Article IV, Section 405 of the Merced Municipal Code (MMCC), and Article XIII of the California State Constitution in accordance with the MMCC, Title 15.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2016-17 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed in September of 2014 and became law on January 1, 2015. SGMA requires all high and medium priority groundwater basins to be managed by one or more groundwater sustainability agencies (GSA). These GSAs will have the authority, and obligation, to develop one or more groundwater sustainability plans (GSP) that develops solutions for the long-term sustainable management of local groundwater resources. The GSP(s) needs to be adopted by either January 31, 2020 or January 31, 2022, depending on whether or not the particular subbasin is in a condition of critical overdraft.
Each groundwater subbasin must have all of its geographic area covered by one or more GSA(s) by June 30, 2017. The Merced Groundwater Subbasin is considered to be a critically over drafted basin, therefore the GSP(s) deadline is January 31, 2020.
The City of Merced has been working with other local public agencies for the past two years to develop the Merced Irrigation-Urban Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MIUGSA). The Merced Groundwater Subbasin is expected to be managed by three GSAs, namely a Merced County GSA, Turner Island GSA and the proposed MIUGSA. Collectively, the goal is to develop a single GSP to coordinate the management of groundwater resources for the basin as a whole. The signatory agencies to the three GSAs have, so far, committed to develop a single GSP for the entire subbasin.
The public agencies to be included in the MIUGSA are:
City of Atwater
City of Livingston
City of Merced
Le Grand Community Services District
Merced Irrigation District
Planada Community Services District
Winton Water and Sanitary District
The boundary of the MIUGSA is generally the footprint of the MID boundary. This area lies south of the Merced River and generally north of the Chowchilla River.
The process to achieve the MIUGSA is:
• Each Agency sets a Public Hearing and publishes a notice of a Public Hearing per SGMA requirements
• Each Agency holds a Public Hearing per SGMA requirements
• Each Agency authorized execution of the MOU
• Merced Irrigation District compiles the fully-executed MOU and all required documentation per SGMA to file for a single GSA e.g. the MIUGSA, anticipated by the end of May 2017.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
No appropriation of funds is needed.
ATTACHMENTS
None at this time.