WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is looking for volunteers to be part of a newly conceived committee focused on groundwater sustainability in the Pajaro Valley.
The 17-member Sustainable Groundwater Committee which will meet up to 10 times through fall 2021, will focus on updating PV Water’s Basin Management Plan (BMP). It will also help the Pajaro Valley stay compliant with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a 2014 package of three laws that aims to gain statewide groundwater sustainability by 2042.
SGMA requires that Groundwater Sustainability Agencies such as PV Water prepare an update to their Groundwater Sustainability Plans every five years.
The PVWMA Board of Directors on Wednesday voted unanimously to create the committee.
The committee will evaluate technical information presented by staff and consultants, related to the existing and projected conditions of the groundwater basin. It will also consider Sustainable Management Criteria that would avoid significant and unreasonable impacts to the groundwater basin, and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
The result of this effort will be documented in a report named Basin Management Plan: Groundwater Sustainability Update 2022.
“By forming this committee, the PV Water Board reaffirms its commitment to engage stakeholders and community members in the continuing effort toward achieving groundwater sustainability,” said PVWMA General Manager Brian Lockwood.
Funding for this project comes in large part from a $500,000 Proposition 68 Grant issued by the Department of Water Resources.
The members will be filled by appointments and by application. The appointed seats will include members from neighboring counties, farm bureaus, water districts, PV Water Board Members and the City of Watsonville.
Rural residential well owners, mutual water companies, disadvantaged communities, environmental and agricultural interests will be selected by application.
PV Water strongly encourages public involvement. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meetings will take place via teleconference. For information, visit www.pvwater.org/sustainable-gw-committee or contact PV Water at 722-9292. Applications are due by Sept. 25.
