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Map ViewerAlameda County Water District - 2-009.04 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - EAST BAY PLAIN, 2-009.01 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - NILES CONE
Alameda County Water District - 2-009.04 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - EAST BAY PLAIN, 2-009.01 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - NILES CONE
A. Applicant Information
Requesting Agency Information
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| Agency Name: | Alameda County Water District | ||
| Address: | 43885 South Grimmer Boulevard | ||
| City: | Fremont | Zip: | 94538 |
| Work Phone: | (510) 668-4200 | Cell Phone: | |
| Email: | michelle.myers@acwd.com | Fax: | |
| Revision Request Manager Information
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|---|---|---|---|
| Person Name: | Michelle Walden | ||
| Address: | 43885 South Grimmer Boulevard | ||
| City: | Fremont | Zip: | 94538 |
| Work Phone: | 510-668-4454 | Cell Phone: | |
| Email: | michelle.walden@acwd.com | Fax: | |
B. Description of Proposed Boundary Modification
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Request to correct the boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin (Niles Cone Subbasin 2-09.01).
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- Jurisdiction Internal
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- 2-009.04 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - EAST BAY PLAIN
- 2-009.01 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - NILES CONE
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No name changes proposed. Continue to reference it as the Niles Cone Subbasin 2-09.01.
C. Initial Notification and Combination of Requests
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Yes
Local Agency Potential Basin(s)/Subbasin(s) Alameda County Water District 2-009.01 SANTA CLARA VALLEY - NILES CONE -
No
D. Required Documents for All Modifications
The basin boundary modification request is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because the requested modification of Niles Cone Groundwater Basin is not a project under CEQA, and, even assuming that the basin boundary modification request constitutes a project, it is exempt because it only corrects a boundary mapping error, continues existing uses which do not result in a change in management of groundwater resources or a physical change in the boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, and there is no possibility that the basin boundary modification request will have a significant effect on the environment. (Pub. Res. Code §21065, 14 CCR §§ 15060(c)(2), 15061(b)(3), 15378(a), 15378(b)(5)); the basin boundary modification request is also categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15307 of the CEQA Guidelines as an action taken by a regulatory agency as authorized by state law to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for the protection of the environment; and the basin boundary modification request is also categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15308 of the CEQA Guidelines as an action taken by a regulatory agency as authorized by state law to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment.
F. Notice and Consultation
City of Fremont, City of Newark, City of Union City, City of Hayward, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), and Alameda County Public Works Agency (ACPWA)
Alameda County Water District (ACWD) has worked on water and groundwater related issues within the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin for over a century. In addition, ACWD participates in a number of regional and state level water and groundwater related organizations. As a result, ACWD is very familiar and has working relationships with all of the local agencies and public water systems in the affected basins.
Between February 18 and 29, 2016, Alameda County Water District (ACWD) notified all affected agencies and affected systems, as well as several other local agencies that may be interested in the basin boundary modification request, about ACWD's decision to explore a basin boundary modification by sending each agency a letter with a copy of Resolution No. 16-010 (a resolution adopted by ACWD's Board of Directors making a decision to explore a basin boundary modification to correct the northern boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin), and, prior to sending the letters, ACWD either spoke to or left a voicemail message with a representative at each agency. Resolution No. 16-010 explains ACWD's groundwater management efforts and authority and the errors of the graphical representation of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin in the Bulletin 118 (2003). In addition, Resolution No. 16-010 authorized staff to take all actions to explore the groundwater basin boundary modification to correct the northern boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin. See attached letters from ACWD to various agencies.
On February 26, 2016, ACWD met with the City of Hayward to discuss the request. See the attached follow up e-mail dated 2/29/16 from ACWD to the City of Hayward.
The resolution formally initiating the basin boundary modification request (Resolution No. 16-020) was adopted by the Board of Directors on March 10, 2016, after ACWD reached out to the various agencies (see Part D2).
The Alameda County Water District (ACWD) is governed by a five-member Board of Directors that typically conducts Board meetings on the second Thursday of each month, usually at 6:00 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and notices of the meetings are sent electronically seven days in advance to the local newspaper, The Argus, and posted on the bulletin board in front of ACWD?s headquarter building. Subsequently, copies of the meeting agenda are sent electronically 72 hours in advance to parties (such as the cities or local residents) that have signed up on "notify me" through ACWD's website, The Argus, the Tri-City Voice (a weekly free community newspaper). In addition, the agenda is posted on the bulletin board in front of ACWD's headquarter building and on ACWD's web site at http://www.acwd.org. Upon request, hard copies are mailed to interested local residents. The meetings are also advertised up to three times per calendar year in the ACWD Aqueduct newsletter that is sent directly to all physical addresses in Fremont, Newark, and Union City.
In addition, there are five committee meetings that are open to the public and held in the Administration Conference Room at ACWD's headquarter building. Agendas and minutes are posted on ACWD's website.
Please see the attached summaries of the Board Meetings and Committee Meetings at which the proposed boundary modification was discussed or considered.
As of March 29, 2016, Alameda County Water District (ACWD) has received four letters. Three of which are letters of support (from the Cities of Fremont, Newark, and Union City). The fourth letter from East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) states "short of any impacts to EBMUD, they plan to not take a position either for or against the proposed change." See attached letters.
G. General Existing Groundwater Management
All requests for jurisdictional modification pursuant to Section 342.4 MUST include responses to the following questions.
The proposed boundary modification will not negatively impact any of the above mentioned programs. Alameda County Water District (ACWD) already manages and has jurisdictional authority over the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin which is carried out through numerous programs and coordination efforts identified in Parts G1, G2, and G3 of this request. This includes the areas that would be affected by the proposed boundary modification request. ACWD expects that these programs will be strengthened with the correction since ACWD is identified as an exclusive agency in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Since ACWD manages the entire Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, correcting the graphical representation in Bulletin 118 will make it easier for adjacent agencies to comply with SGMA. For example, because of the graphical error in Bulletin 118 (2003), ACWD had to claim a part of East Bay Plain (Subbasin 2-9.04) in order to become the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program (CASGEM) monitoring entity for the entire Niles Cone Groundwater Basin.
H. Local Support
All requests for boundary modification must include the following:
Between February 18 and 29, 2016, Alameda County Water District (ACWD) notified all affected agencies and affected systems, as well as several other local agencies that may be interested in the basin boundary modification request, about ACWD's decision to explore a basin boundary modification by sending each agency a letter with a copy of Resolution No. 16-010 (a resolution adopted by ACWD's Board of Directors making a decision to explore a basin boundary modification to correct the northern boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin), and, prior to sending the letters, ACWD either spoke to or left a voicemail message with a representative at each agency. Resolution No. 16-010 explains ACWD's groundwater management efforts and authority and the errors of the graphical representation of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin in the Bulletin 118 (2003). In addition, Resolution No. 16-010 authorized staff to take all actions to explore the groundwater basin boundary modification to correct the northern boundary of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin. See attached correspondence from ACWD to various agencies.
On February 26, 2016, ACWD met with the City of Hayward to discuss the request. See the attached follow up e-mail dated 2/29/16 from ACWD to the City of Hayward.
The resolution formally initiating the basin boundary modification request (Resolution No. 16-020) was adopted by the Board of Directors on March 10, 2016, after ACWD reached out to the various agencies (see Part D2).
Information was also provided on ACWD's website (see attached).
Letters of support were received during the Initial Notification phase from the following Affected Agencies: City of Fremont, City of Newark, and the City of Union City. There is no known opposition to the proposal.
Please see ACWD's response to the City of Hayward's comments that were provided in the public comment section below.
I. Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model
Requests for boundary modification, must include a document or text to a clearly defined hydrogeologic conceptual model demonstrating each of the following:
L. Technical Studies for All Jurisdictional Modifications
Requests for a jurisdictional boundary must attach or provide a URL or upload a file for the following:
Alameda County Water District (ACWD) has a long history of working cooperatively with other agencies, organizations, and individuals in the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin and in adjacent groundwater basins (see attached summary coordination). ACWD will continue its coordination with other subbasins and affected agencies in the development and implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act activities and responsibilities. In addition, ACWD
has the following processes in place to inform groundwater users, stakeholders, and the general public about Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) related activities:
Board of Directors Meetings:
ACWD is governed by a five-member Board of Directors that typically conducts Board meetings on the second Thursday of each month, usually at 6:00 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and notices of the meetings are sent electronically seven days in advance to the local newspaper, The Argus, and posted on the bulletin board in front of ACWD's headquarter building. Subsequently, copies of the meeting agenda are sent electronically 72 hours in advance to parties (such as the cities or local residents) that have signed up on "notify me" through ACWD's website, The Argus, the Tri-City Voice (a weekly free community newspaper). In addition, the agenda is posted on the bulletin board in front of ACWD's headquarter building and on ACWD's web site at http://www.acwd.org. Upon request, hard copies are mailed to interested local residents. The meetings are also advertised up to three times per calendar year in the ACWD Aqueduct newsletter that is sent directly to all physical addresses in Fremont, Newark, and Union City.
Website:
ACWD will continue to provide updated information on ACWD's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act page.
