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GSA begins first periodic evaluation of its Groundwater Sustainability Plan; draft report expected before January 2027 deadline
Summary
Staff reviewed the scope of the five-year periodic evaluation of the GSP (submitted in 2022) with technical and administrative components, outlining key indicators (water levels, seawater intrusion, quality, subsidence), potential use of updated USGS model outputs, outreach to groundwater users for the water-budget comparison, and a timeline that targets a draft prior to the fourth-quarter meeting and a final by January 2027.
Staff presented the approach and timeline for the GSAs first periodic evaluation of its Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), which the agency submitted to the Department of Water Resources in 2022 and must evaluate on a five-year schedule.
Why it matters: the periodic evaluation is a required check that asks whether new data, projects or administrative changes since the GSP was submitted would change how the basin is managed. The evaluation ties observed conditions back to the plans sustainable management criteria.
The presenter said, "The first periodic evaluation is due to DWR in January 2027," and described the evaluations two main components: (1) technical analysis of new data relative to sustainable management criteria (groundwater-levels, groundwater storage, seawater intrusion, groundwater quality and land subsidence), and (2) administrative review of authorities, outreach and coordination efforts since the GSP was submitted.
Staff emphasized the evaluation is focused on what is new since the GSP rather than rehashing the entire plan. The hydrogeologic conceptual model will be reviewed to summarize any new data or analyses; staff said there has not been a large amount of new data to alter the conceptual model but that all new groundwater and quality data will be incorporated.
The presenter explained the water-budget review process and said staff will reach out to groundwater users in the subbasin to obtain projected groundwater needs for comparison against the GSPs projection. On the question of land-use changes, a board member asked whether converting single-family to multi-family housing would require reporting to DWR; the presenter answered that typical densification of that sort would not alone trigger a DWR notification but that a significant conversion of land use across a substantial portion of the basin could.
On modeling, staff said the GSP used an earlier USGS model and that USGS has produced at least one update; staff also noted the agency has an internal staff member who authored USGS documentation and can help rapidly assess whether the newer USGS outputs would require remodelling. Staff said the draft periodic-evaluation report might be available before the fourth-quarter meeting and that the final report must be accepted by the board by January 2027.
Next steps: the board will receive additional sessions on projects, the monitoring network and sustainable management criteria; staff will circulate the draft periodic evaluation for review and comment prior to finalizing the submission to DWR.
