GSAs’ Stats Remain Consistent—DWR Releases Second Round of GSP Assessments

Last week, on Nov. 18, 2021, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released assessments of eight additional Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), adding to the four assessments released as reported in our June 4, 2021, alert titled “GSAs Shooting 50% on GSPs—DWR Releases First GSP Assessment Results for High Priority Basins.” Of the eight additional GSP assessments, four were approved and four were found to require additional information. To date, DWR has not concluded that any GSP is inadequate.

DWR approved GSPs for the Oxnard Subbasin, the Pleasant Valley Basin, the North Yuba Subbasin and the South Yuba Subbasin. These four plans were approved with recommended corrective actions the GSAs will need to address in their five-year update in January 2025.

DWR also notified GSAs in the Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin, the Chowchilla Subbasin, the Merced Subbasin and the Westside Subbasin that their GSPs must correct deficiencies prior to approval of the plans. DWR requested consultation meetings to discuss actions and time necessary to improve the plans.

Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin:

• “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.”

• “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.”

Merced Subbasin:

• “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 does not provide sufficient information to support the selection of chronic lowering of groundwater levels sustainable management criteria.”

• “The GSP does not provide sufficient information to support the selection of land subsidence sustainable management criteria.”

Chowchilla:

• “The GSP does not provide sufficient information to support the selection of the chronic lowering of groundwater levels sustainable management criteria.”

• “The GSP does not provide sufficient information to support the selection of land subsidence sustainable management criteria.”

• The GSP does not provide sufficient information to support the determination that interconnected surface water or undesirable results related to depletions of interconnected surface water are not present and are not likely to occur in the Subbasin.”

Westside:

• “The GSP does not provide sufficient information to support the selection of land subsidence sustainable management criteria.”

• “The GSP does not provide adequate information to support the selection of chronic lowering of groundwater level sustainable management criteria.”

• “The GSP does not provide adequate information to support the selection of degraded water quality sustainable management criteria.”

Released Assessments

All assessments are publicly available for review on DWR’s SGMA Portal.

Approved

• 180/400 Foot Aquifer Subbasin in Salinas Valley (June 3, 2021)
• Santa Cruz Mid-County Basin (June 3, 2021)
• Oxnard Subbasin (Nov. 18, 2021)
• Pleasant Valley Basin (Nov. 18, 2021)
• North Yuba Subbasin (Nov. 18, 2021)
• South Yuba Subbasin (Nov. 18, 2021)

Incomplete and Require Consultation

• Cuyama Valley Basin (assessment released June 3, 2021)
• Paso Robles Area Subbasin (assessment released June 3, 2021)
• Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin (assessment released Nov. 18, 2021)
• Chowchilla Subbasin (assessment released Nov. 18, 2021)
• Merced Subbasin (assessment released Nov. 18, 2021)
• Westside Subbasin (assessment released Nov. 18, 2021)

Inadequate

• None

Brownstein will continue to monitor developments.