Modesto Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (Revised)

Publisher not available | July 12th, 2024

Submitted to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in January 2022, the first version of this GSP was reviewed by DWR in January 2024 and determined to be incomplete (D

Submitted to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in January 2022, the first version of this GSP was reviewed by DWR in January 2024 and determined to be incomplete (DWR, 2024). Two deficiencies were identified by DWR. The first of these involves provision of sufficient information (namely, analysis of potential impacts on wells) to support the selection of sustainable management criteria for chronic lowering of groundwater levels. The second involves provision of sufficient details on the projects and management actions to mitigate overdraft in the Subbasin and provide a feasible path to achieve sustainability. Corrective actions, including a resolution approved by both GSAs to arrest groundwater level declines by 2027 and raise groundwater levels after 2027, are incorporated into this revised July 16, 2024, GSP for resubmittal to DWR. This GSP is a revised version and does not represent a GSP update, which is slated for 2027. Due to size, this file has been divided. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Monitoring Well Destruction, Replacement, and New Installations at Various Locations Soquel, Capitola, and Aptos, CA

Soquel Creek Water District | June 14th, 2012

A total of six new monitoring wells and seven replacement monitoring wells were drilled and constructed, and 13 monitoring well destroyed between February 7 and April 26,

A total of six new monitoring wells and seven replacement monitoring wells were drilled and constructed, and 13 monitoring well destroyed between February 7 and April 26, 2012 for the Soquel Creek Water District (District). This work took place at six different locations in the Soquel-Aptos area. The work was accomplished in order to meet the basin management objectives of the Soquel-Aptos Groundwater Management Plan (Soquel Creek Water District and Central Water District, 2007) and recommendations made in the Water Year 2010 Annual Report and Review (HydroMetrics WRI, 2011). A summary of the work performed and monitoring well construction details at each of the six locations are provided below. 

Mono Basin Runoff Year 2025-26 Annual Operations Plan

Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) | May 16th, 2025

The purpose of the AOP is to describe how operations will commence for the current year-type to accomplish exports and stream releases in accordance with the Licenses. Th

The purpose of the AOP is to describe how operations will commence for the current year-type to accomplish exports and stream releases in accordance with the Licenses. The AOP provides specific information about the flow schedule, export, and facility operations for the year ahead. The AOP also evaluates the prior year’s plan and compares it to actual runoff and operations.

Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MGBGSA) | May 19th, 2023

Moving Forward Effort: Phase 1 Report

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | May 1st, 2015

In 2012, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in partnership with the seven Colorado River Basin States (Basin States) and in collaboration with a wide spectrum of

In 2012, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in partnership with the seven Colorado River Basin States (Basin States) and in collaboration with a wide spectrum of Colorado River Basin (Basin) stakeholders, published the most comprehensive study of future Basin supply and demand ever undertaken. The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study (Basin Study) confirmed that, in the absence of timely action, there are likely to be significant shortfalls between projected water supplies and demands in coming decades. The Basin Study also confirmed that a wide range of solutions are needed to mitigate and adapt to such shortfalls, which are likely to affect each sector (agricultural, municipal, energy, and environmental, for example) dependent on the Colorado River and its tributaries. In response to the findings of the Basin Study, in May 2013, Reclamation and the Basin States, in collaboration with the Ten Tribes Partnership and conservation organizations, initiated the Moving Forward effort to build on future considerations and next steps identified in the Basin Study. The Moving Forward effort builds upon and enhances the broad, inclusive stakeholder process demonstrated in the Basin Study with an ultimate goal of identifying actionable steps to address projected water supply and demand imbalances that have broad-based support and provide a wide-range of benefits. The Moving Forward effort is being conducted in a phased approach. Phase 1, which was funded by Reclamation and the Basin States, began with the formation of a Coordination Team and three multi-stakeholder workgroups that focus on water conservation, reuse, and environmental and recreational flows. The Phase 1 Report documents the activities and outcomes of the workgroups during this phase. Commenting on the information provided in the Phase 1 Report is encouraged. Written comments should be submitted within 90 days following the release of this report. The comments will be summarized and posted to the Moving Forward website and will be considered in future Moving Forward phases. Instructions for submitting comments are provided at [this link].

Multi-sensor remote sensing captures geometry and slow-to-fast sliding transition of the 2017 Mud Creek landslide

Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | August 14th, 2025

Click here for the USGS California Science Center page about the Mud Creek landslide

Click here for the USGS California Science Center page about the Mud Creek landslide

Multiobjective Water Resource Planning

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | January 1st, 1977

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Water Resources Monograph Series, Volume 4. This volume, the fourth in the American Geophysical Union's Wate

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Water Resources Monograph Series, Volume 4. This volume, the fourth in the American Geophysical Union's Water Resources Monograph Series, is an exposition of multiobjective water resource planning. The multiobjective approach is, I believe, an approach that will enable water resource planners to improve substantially the social value of the projects that they build or, in the case of management plans, implement. As a not unwelcome side effect the multiobjective approach should provide a more satisfying professional life to planners and engineers. It requires more effort in the early stages of planning than simpler criteria such as the traditional benefit-cost analysis that it replaces, but at the same time, multiobjective analysis frees the planner from the burden of designing projects that are not fully representative of the social, economic, environmental, and other objectives that govern public investment in water resources.

Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Update for the Orange County Water District Including a Feasibility Analysis of the Potential Consolidation of Orange County Water District and Municipal Water District of Orange County

Local Agency Formation Commission of Orange County | November 15th, 2024

Municipal Stormwater Management Spending in California: Data Extraction, Compilation, and Analysis

Environmental Management (Springer) | March 23rd, 2022

Communities in the U.S. fund stormwater management programs to reduce flooding and improve and protect water quality. Few studies have attempted to quantify municipal sto

Communities in the U.S. fund stormwater management programs to reduce flooding and improve and protect water quality. Few studies have attempted to quantify municipal storwmater management expenditures. This task is important given efforts to meet increasing water quality standards and develop new revenue sources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in municipal stormwater management expenditures across the state of California. The study identified and compiled publicly-available data on reported stormwater expenditures (spending) and budgets for local governments in California. Data were extracted from annual reports for over 160 public agencies. A standardized rubric of activities was developed and used to create a first-of-its-kind database of municipal stormwater budgets and expenditures. The results indicated that there is over $700 million in annual municipal stormwater spending, but this total does not represent all spending due to gaps in publicly-available data. Counties and flood control districts often have the largest total expenditures in a region, but in aggregate cities reported more spending statewide. Available data are not sufficient to adequately evaluate whether current spending meets regulatory requirements. Additionally, publicly-available data are inconsistent across geographic regions regulated by different agencies. The analysis offers a template for improved cost reporting of stormwater programs in U.S. municipalities, which can help answer key questions such as the sufficiency of current funding. Future research can use the method to evaluate spending in other states and regions, evaluate trends over time to improve outcomes, and refine the spending categories based on examples from other states. Click here for related post at UC Davis site California WaterBlog

Natural Resources Policy: Management, Institutions, and Issues

Congressional Research Service (CRS) | January 17th, 2007

Natural resources management remains a significant issue for the federal government. Growing demands on the nation’s resources and interest in their protection and allo

Natural resources management remains a significant issue for the federal government. Growing demands on the nation’s resources and interest in their protection and allocation among multiple uses have increased the complexity of management. The federal role in defining policy and institutional context shapes the combination of supported uses and protection measures. Certain themes are common to federal resource issues. Many conflicts center on balancing traditional versus alternative uses and protection programs, managing to produce national or local benefits, and supporting current or future resource consumption. Other challenges involve the effect of federal resource management on private lands, fees for using federal resources, and financing of management efforts. Interagency conflicts and overlaps and the coordination of federal, state, and local efforts also are common implementation problems. For many reasons, Congress often confronts resource issues based on the natural resource in question—lands and related resources, oceans and coasts, species and ecosystems, or water. Federal land issues include land ownership and management, prioritization of uses, designation of special areas, and fee collection and disbursement. Energy production and recreation on federal lands remain controversial. Indian land issues include energy rights-of-way across tribal lands and treaty rights. Ocean topics encompass broad policy questions, such as whether to respond to recommendations by two commissions for more coordinated ocean policies and institutions. More specific multi-use management challenges range from fisheries, marine mammal, and coastal zone management, to adherence to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Species management and ecosystem protection topics include federal protection and habitat designations for threatened and endangered species, prevention and response to invasive species, protection of international species, wetlands protection, and large-scale ecosystem restoration. Increased competition for water has fostered interest in the federal role in water resources, particularly in relation to water supply in western states and multi-use river management. Other water topics are dam and levee safety and security, and transboundary water resources management. Natural resource science and management contributes to understanding and mitigating the nation’s natural hazard risks. Science also is instrumental in defining the uncertainty and potential extent and impact of climate change and weather on resource conditions. Often natural resource management is intertwined with other topics of broad public concern, such as environmental protection, energy, and agricultural policy. The 110th Congress may pursue natural resources topics in the context of these other policy areas as well as through authorizations, appropriations, and oversight related to specific natural resources issues.