North San Benito Groundwater Sustainability Plan

The North San Benito Groundwater Basin (Basin) is the plan area for this Groundwater Sustainability
Plan (GSP), developed consistent with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This
basin was formed in 2019 by consolidating the Bolsa, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista Subbasins of the
Gilroy-Hollister Basin and the Tres Pinos Valley Basin. Including about 200 square miles, the Basin is
predominantly in San Benito County with small areas in Santa Clara County. The Basin
shares a boundary along the Pajaro River with the Llagas Subbasin in Santa Clara County.

This GSP applies best available information to describe the plan area, groundwater resources, and
associated surface water resources. Analysis of the groundwater basin condition, made with reference
to sustainability indicators defined in SGMA, indicates that the North San Benito Basin has been
managed sustainably, given availability of imported Central Valley Project (CVP) water.

Projections have been made into the future (simulated with the numerical groundwater flow model) of
existing conditions, climate change, and reasonably anticipated growth. These projections indicate that
the Basin can continue to be sustainable, assuming reasonable availability of CVP water, with
implementation of projects and management actions to avoid undesirable results. These projects and
management actions do not include any long-term planned reductions in groundwater pumping.