Sonoma County GSA: Groundwater basin re-prioritization and Implications

Read this as good news. High priority basins mean closer watch on over pumping our aquifers. The watershed starts on the hillsides amnd not just basins!~

As reported to yesterday, the Department of Water Resources, DWR, just released the draft prioritization of groundwater basins as required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, SGMA.

THE SANTA ROSA PLAIN BASIN status has been re-prioritized from a MEDIUM PRIORITY basin of concern to a HIGH PRIORITY basin of concern now requiring preparation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA).

The NAPA SUB BASIN has been similarly re-prioritized.  

As reported, the WILSON GROVE, ALEXANDER VALLEY and DRY CREEK VALLEY have been added to Sonoma County’s MEDIUM PRIORITY basins.  

Again, all these re-prioritized basins NOW REQUIRE preparation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA).

The North Coast Stream Flow Coalition (through the Institute for Conservation Advocacy Research and Education, ICARE) along with its collaborative partners (Clean Water Action (Jennifer Clary), Union of Concerned Scientists and Nature Conservancy) have been working diligently on this issue since 2015 by working closely with DWR, making comments on the regs and BMPs, and providing factual information about undesirable results, such as land subsidence, surface water depletion, salt water intrusion, decline in water quality, wells going dry etc.