Better late than never: a synthesis of strategic land retirement and restoration in California

Ecological Society of America (Wiley) | August 10th, 2018

Strategic retirement and restoration of agricultural lands is a critical conservation opportunity globally. The objective of this synthesis was to examine whether ecolog

Strategic retirement and restoration of agricultural lands is a critical conservation opportunity globally. The objective of this synthesis was to examine whether ecological habitat assessments, endangered species historical occurrence data, and restoration research can be used to develop evidence-based strategy for retiring and restoring agricultural lands. The San Joaquin Desert (SJD) of California is a prominent example because it experienced an extensive conversion to agriculture. Now, new groundwater regulations will lead to retirement on large areas of agricultural lands over the next 20 years. This presents an opportunity to not only restore some of these lands but also explore the challenges associated with balancing direct human needs with other ecosystem-level functions. California is thus an ideal case study for globally rethinking context-specific, single-case study solutions. We used a systematic review and synthesis to address the following three main questions for habitat recovery of endangered species in the SJD. (1) What are the habitat requirements for key endangered animal species in the region? (2) Is there historical evidence to support an assessment of suitable habitats for these species? (3) What restoration techniques apply to these species? Using the Web of Science and other resources, we reviewed over 1000 independent studies on this topic, refined the evidence, and selected a total of 266 relevant publications. Habitat requirements for each species were described, but there was a critical need to examine quantitative thresholds for these factors to better evaluate habitat suitability of retired lands. There was sufficient evidence of historical vegetation to model suitable habitats and design the physical restoration of retired lands. Direct interventions associated with restoration strategies have been infrequently tested. Sparse and diverse evidence associated with direct experimental manipulations is not uncommon in applied ecology, and synthesis is an excellent tool for highlighting these gaps for future research to examine. This review suggests that retired agricultural land is a viable asset for threatened and endangered species, but to effectively advance restoration research and management, direct tests of restoration techniques and an assessment of relative costs for interventions are needed for a given region.

Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Lassen and Modoc Counties Groundwater Sustainability Agencies | December 8th, 2021

The Big Valley Groundwater Basin (BVGB, Basin, or Big Valley) lies on the border of Modoc and Lassen counties in one of the most remote and untouched areas of California.

The Big Valley Groundwater Basin (BVGB, Basin, or Big Valley) lies on the border of Modoc and Lassen counties in one of the most remote and untouched areas of California. The sparsely populated Big Valley has a rich biodiversity of wildlife and native species who live, feed and raise young on the irrigated lands throughout the Basin. The snow-fed high desert streams entering the Basin have seasonal hydrographs with natural periods of reduced flows or complete cessation of flows late in the summer season. The Pit River is the largest stream and is so named because of the practice, employed by the Achumawi and other Native American bands that are now part of the Pit River Tribe, of digging pits in the river channel when it went dry to expose water and trap game that came to water at the river. Farming and ranching in Big Valley date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when families immigrated to Big Valley and made use of the existing water resources. A large amount of the land in the Basin is still owned and farmed by the families who homesteaded here. Historically, agriculture was complemented by a robust timber industry as a key component of the economy for Big Valley, which supported four lumber mills. Due to regulations and policies imposed by state and federal governments, the timber industry has been diminished over time and subsequently caused a great economic hardship to the Big Valley communities. Stakeholders realize that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) will unfortunately cause a similar decline to agriculture. The change in land management has transformed once thriving communities in the Basin to “disadvantaged” and “severely disadvantaged” communities. Viable agriculture is of paramount importance to the residents of Big Valley because it supports the local economy and unique character of the community. As required by SGMA, stakeholders have developed a sustainability goal: The sustainability goal for the Big Valley Groundwater Basin is to maintain a locally governed, economically feasible, sustainable groundwater basin and surrounding watershed for existing and future legal beneficial uses with a concentration on agriculture. Sustainable management will be conducted in context with the unique culture of the basin, character of the community, quality of life of the Big Valley residents, and the vested right of agricultural pursuits through the continued use of groundwater and surface water. Lassen and Modoc counties are fulfilling their unfunded, mandated roles as Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to develop this Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) after exhausting its administrative challenges to the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR’s) determination that Big Valley qualifies as a medium-priority basin. Both counties are disadvantaged, have declining populations, and have no ability to cover the costs of GSP development and implementation.

Borrego Water District v. All Persons Who Claim a Right to Extract Groundwater in the Borrego Valley Groundwater Subbasin No. 7-024-01

Superior Court of California, County of Orange | April 8th, 2021

Bringing Water and Land Use Together

Local Government Commission | April 11th, 2019

In 2005, the California Legislature passed new laws that enable communities to join together to adopt Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) policies and practices.

In 2005, the California Legislature passed new laws that enable communities to join together to adopt Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) policies and practices. This comprehensive planning approach considers water resources in the context of an interconnected watershed with a network of regional governance, rather than as a combination of fragmented parts. Unfortunately, the IRWM program is dominated by the water sector and in most regions has not pursued alignment with land use. Similarly, the Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) mandated through SB 375 establish a framework for aligning land use practices (predominantly housing and transportation) across jurisdictions within a larger geographic region. Yet very few SCSs have taken water resources into account. While water management and land-use planning remain highly fragmented across the state, we are making progress toward a more integrated approach, especially when setting new state-level policies, regulations and guidance. The 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is a leap forward in this direction. For the first time, local land use agencies have an opportunity to be full partners with water agencies in shaping groundwater governance. It is too soon to determine how well these two sectors are integrating under SGMA, but early results are promising.

Buena Vista Groundwater Sustainability Agency Amended Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Buena Vista Groundwater Sustainability Agency (BVGSA) | July 27th, 2022

The revised and resubmitted information presented in this amended GSP has been prepared in response to DWR’s Incomplete Determination of the 2020 Groundwater Sustainabi

The revised and resubmitted information presented in this amended GSP has been prepared in response to DWR’s Incomplete Determination of the 2020 Groundwater Sustainability Plans Submitted for the San Joaquin Valley - Kern County Subbasin. This GSP, including all modifications, has been adopted by the Board of the BVGSA and will be implemented accordingly. All changes included in this version of the amended GSP are redlined. This version is accompanied by a clean version of the GSP where all redlined edits and additions have been accepted. Due to size, this file has been divided. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Bulletin 118 - California's Groundwater Update 2013

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | April 15th, 2015

California’s Groundwater Update 2013 compiles and analyzes readily available groundwater information to characterize California’s groundwater basins, aquifers, and we

California’s Groundwater Update 2013 compiles and analyzes readily available groundwater information to characterize California’s groundwater basins, aquifers, and well infrastructure. It also presents data and analysis related to groundwater monitoring efforts, aquifer conditions in response to extraction, groundwater management practices, and conjunctive management programs. It expands and enhances baseline groundwater information on a regional scale, identifies challenges associated with sustainable groundwater management, and helps guide implementation of diverse resource management strategies. The set of data, information, and analysis developed can help local and regional groundwater managers, as well as individual well owners, better understand California’s hidden and commonly misunderstood resource. This Bulletin has been uploaded in the following separate files reflecting hydrologic regions and appendices. Chapter One / Introduction  Chapter Two / State-wide Update  Chapter Three / North Coast Chapter Four / San Francisco Bay Chapter Five / Central Coast Chapter Six / South Coast  Chapter Seven / Sacramento River Chapter Eight / San Joaquin River Chapter Nine / Tulare Lake Chapter Ten / North Lahontan Chapter Eleven / South Lahontan Chapter Twelve / Colorado River Appendix A: Methods and Assumptions Appendix B: CASGEM Basin Prioritization Appendix C: Groundwater Use Data 2010-2015 Appendix D: Conjunctive Management Survey Appendix E: Change in Groundwater in Storage Appendix F: Subsidence

Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater (1975)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | September 1st, 1975

Water has long been a key factor in California's social and economic development.  The water has come about equally from groundwater (water stored underground in permeab

Water has long been a key factor in California's social and economic development.  The water has come about equally from groundwater (water stored underground in permeable rock or soil formations) and from surface water.  Although many reports describing the statewide surface resource have been published, very few reports have been devoted to a statewide groundwater appraisal. This report provides a summary of the vast amount of information available on individual groundwater basins.  It also describes past, present, and possible future management of the groundwater resource.

Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater (1980)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | January 1st, 1980

Ground water management is a major issue in California.  The Governor's Commission to Review California Water Rights Law, in its December 1978 report, recommends a new g

Ground water management is a major issue in California.  The Governor's Commission to Review California Water Rights Law, in its December 1978 report, recommends a new ground water management law for California. During the 1978 and 1979 sessions of the California Legislature, similar bills were introduced but to date the only related legislation enacted was S8 1505 (Nejed1y, 1978) which directed the Department to identify the ground water basins of the State, including those subject to critical conditions of overdraft. Basins are to be identified on the basis of geological and hydrological conditions and consideration of political boundary lines whenever practical. The ground water basin boundaries in this report can provide a basis for ground water management, should the Legislature enact such a program. New ground water management legislation is needed. While some local agencies are managing ground water effectively with the limited powers available to them, increased authority would permit more extensive local development and implementation of plans for management of the storage space in the underlying ground water basin, ground water extraction, and artificial recharge. Ground water management is an institutional and a political process. The ground water basin boundaries identified in this report respond in large part to the views of agencies expressed in the workshops and public hearings. Three hundred fifty seven ground water basins are identified in this report as shown in Bulletin 118, California's Groundwater, 1975. Thirty-seven basin boundaries differ from those in Bulletin 118 (1975). Of these, twenty-two were in accord with local agency comments, and three were selected from among conflicting local comments. Pursuant to Section 10004 of the California Water Code, this report is submitted to the Legislature and shall become part of the California Water Plan.

Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater (2003)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | October 1st, 2003

Despite California?s heavy reliance on groundwater, basic information for many of the groundwater basins is lacking. Particular essential data necessary to provide for bo

Despite California?s heavy reliance on groundwater, basic information for many of the groundwater basins is lacking. Particular essential data necessary to provide for both the protection and optimal use of this resource is not available. To this end, the California Legislature mandated in the Budget Act of 1999 that DWR prepare:  " ...the statewide update of the inventory of groundwater basins contained in Bulletin 118-80, which includes, but is not limited to, the following: the review and summary of boundaries and hydrographic features, hydrogeologic units, yield data, water budgets, well production characteristics, and water quality and active monitoring data; development of a water budget for each groundwater basin; development of a format and procedures for publication of water budgets on the Internet; development of the model groundwater management ordinance; and development of guidelines for evaluating local groundwater management plans. This report is organized into the following topics: Groundwater is one of California?s most important natural resources, and our reliance on it has continued to grow (Chapter 1). Groundwater has a complex legal and institutional framework in California that has shaped the groundwater management system in place today (Chapter 2). Groundwater management occurs primarily at the local water agency level, but may also be instituted at the local government level. At the request of the Legislature, DWR has developed some recommendations for a model groundwater management ordinance and components for inclusion in a groundwater management plan (Chapter 3). Groundwater has had a flurry of activity in the Legislature and at the ballot box in recent years that will affect the way groundwater is managed in California (Chapter 4). Groundwater programs with a variety of objectives exist in many State and federal agencies (Chapter 5). Groundwater concepts and definitions should be made available to a wide audience (Chapter 6). Groundwater basins with a wide range of characteristics and concerns exist in each of California?s 10 hydrologic regions (Chapter 7).

Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater (Interim Update 2016)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | December 22nd, 2016

A new era for California’s groundwater began in September 2014 with the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA established a path for the su

A new era for California’s groundwater began in September 2014 with the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA established a path for the sustainable management of groundwater through the formation of locally organized groundwater sustainability agencies and locally developed groundwater sustainability plans. The purpose of this interim update is to provide up-to-date information on groundwater basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft, groundwater basin boundaries, and basin prioritization. That information is essential to the successful implementation of SGMA, including the timely formation of groundwater sustainability agencies and the development of groundwater sustainability plans.