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Salinas Valley GSA staff review annual report progress, projects and demand‑management outreach; minutes approved
Summary
Staff reviewed the GSA's annual implementation progress and proposed work plan priorities (data expansion, outreach, multi‑benefit stream channel work, Arundo removal, demand‑management assessment, and reservoir modeling). The committee approved minutes from the Nov. 13, 2024 meeting and requested continued outreach to small water users.
Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency staff on Thursday presented a status update on Water‑Year 2024 implementation work, several ongoing project streams and a proposed work plan for fiscal 2026. Committee members and members of the public discussed outreach to small users, demand‑management planning and technical studies the GSA is funding or expects to publish this year.
Emily, a GSA staff member who led the presentation, summarized progress across four categories: general administration, data expansion and SGMA compliance, outreach and interested‑party engagement, and projects and management actions. "We are continuing to work on data management, the web map and the hydrologic conceptual models," Emily said, noting the U.S. Geological Survey groundwater model and updated HCMs are expected soon.
Why it matters: the updates outline near‑term technical and outreach steps that will feed the GSA’s March board discussion on the work plan and budget. Several projects highlighted include the multi‑benefit stream channel improvement program (hydraulic modeling and floodplain recharge evaluation), Arundo donax removal and estimates of associated water savings, and demand‑management assessment and stakeholder workshops supported by ERA Economics and grant funding.
Staff said an updated HEC‑RAS hydraulic model run by Flow West, using 2023 topography and 2024 hydrology, will include specific runs expected by the end of February and staff hopes to present results by the committee’s April meeting. The GSA also told the committee the MLRP (Multi‑Benefit Land Repurposing Program) grant technical services are focused on the 184100, East Side and Langley subbasins but that UC Davis technical support will be available valley‑wide for projects such as stream channel maintenance and floodplain recharge evaluation.
On demand management, staff recapped five community workshops and stakeholder interviews completed valley‑wide and said the work continues in the more critically overdrafted subbasins (184100 and East Side). Emily said the agency plans a high‑level conversation in April with the Forebay and Upper Valley subbasins about "planning for uncertainty" — how to consider demand‑management options in scenarios such as multiple dry years.
Public commenters urged clearer public education and scientific outreach. Bill Light, a Monterey County resident, called for a broad, objective meeting with scientists to explain valley hydrology and how reductions in one place affect other areas. "If there's more science that can be added... I think you have open ears down here," Light said. Several committee members emphasized the need for targeted outreach to small water systems and non‑de minimis users (systems with 5–14 connections) that may not yet be reporting extraction data to the state.
Committee business: the committee moved to approve minutes from the Nov. 13, 2024 meeting. Committee Member Rice moved; Committee Member Moss seconded. "All those in favor, signify by saying aye," the chair said; the minutes were approved.
Staff reported continuing work on a public website of Central Coast agricultural BMPs (hosted by UC Cooperative Extension), ongoing data expansion to enroll large agricultural users and smaller systems in the groundwater extraction reporting program, and planned aquifer tests where owners volunteer wells for short pumping tests to inform model parameters. The GSA noted outreach challenges in the Upper Valley, where staff are still identifying and contacting many private well owners for monitoring and well registration.
Ending: Staff asked the committee for recommendations to include in the fiscal‑year 2026 work plan (administration, data expansion, projects and management actions) and said the GSA board will consider the work plan and budget at its March meeting. The committee scheduled its next meeting for April 28 and staff said it will notify members by email of related scheduling or coordination items.
