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Map ViewerPlacer County - 5-021.61 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SOUTH YUBA, 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN
Placer County - 5-021.61 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SOUTH YUBA, 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN
A. Applicant Information
Requesting Agency Information
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| Agency Name: | Placer County | ||
| Address: | 11476 C Avenue | ||
| City: | Auburn | Zip: | 95603 |
| Work Phone: | (530) 886-4965 | Cell Phone: | |
| Email: | chanson@placer.ca.gov | Fax: | |
| Revision Request Manager Information
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| Person Name: | Christina Hanson | ||
| Address: | 11476 C Avenue | ||
| City: | Auburn | Zip: | 95603 |
| Work Phone: | 530-886-4965 | Cell Phone: | |
| Email: | chanson@placer.ca.gov | Fax: | |
B. Description of Proposed Boundary Modification
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Request to adjust the subbasin boundary to align with the Yuba / Placer county line.
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- Jurisdiction Internal
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The North American Groundwater Subbasin and the adjoining South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin are aligned along the Bear River. A portion of the South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin (about 2 square miles) extends south into Placer County. However, the Yuba County Water Agency's proposed Groundwater Sustainability Agency boundary only extends to the County line, leaving that portion of the South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin, located in Placer County, unmanaged. This request proposes to adjust the shared boundary between the North American Groundwater Subbasin and South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin slightly to the north, to align the Subbasin boundary with the Yuba / Placer county line. This minor change to align the Subbasin boundaries with the County boundaries will allow for more efficient and sustainable groundwater management and eliminate the need for formation of additional GSAs.
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- 5-021.61 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SOUTH YUBA
- 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN
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N/A
C. Initial Notification and Combination of Requests
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Yes
Local Agency Potential Basin(s)/Subbasin(s) Placer County 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN , 5-021.61 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SOUTH YUBA Yuba County Water Agency 5-021.61 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SOUTH YUBA , 5-021.60 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH YUBA , 5-021.69 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - WYANDOTTE CREEK , 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN , 5-021.62 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SUTTER Sutter County 5-021.62 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - SUTTER , 5-021.64 SACRAMENTO VALLEY - NORTH AMERICAN -
No
D. Required Documents for All Modifications
This action is exempt from further CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15307 which pertains to actions taken by regulatory agencies where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of natural resources.
E. General Information
The North American Groundwater Subbasin (NA Subbasin) is part of the Sacramento Valley Groundwater Basin as defined in the Department of Water Resources's (DWR's) Bulletin 118. The NA Subbasin (No. 5-21.64) has an area of about 548 square miles and is bounded by rivers on three sides with the Bear River to the north, Feather and Sacramento rivers to the west, and American River to the south, as shown on Figure 1. The eastern boundary of the Subbasin is described as, the edge of the alluvial basin, where little or no groundwater flows into or out of the groundwater basin from the rock of the Sierra Nevada (DWR Bulletin 118). The thickness of the alluvial deposits range from a few hundred feet near the foothills to over 2,000 feet at the western edges of the NA Subbasin.
The South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin (SY Subbasin) is also part of the Sacramento Valley Groundwater Basin and has similar geography to the NA Subbasin, being bounded by rivers on three sides and on the east by the Sierra Nevada. The basin is bounded by the Yuba River on the north, the Feather River to the west, and the Bear River on the south, which is coterminous with the NA Subbasin's northern boundary, as shown on Figure 1, attached.
Placer County, within the Sacramento Valley Groundwater Basin, overlies 200 square miles of the NA Subbasin and a small, 2-square mile portion of the SY Subbasin. The NA Subbasin is also overlain by Sacramento and Sutter counties as shown on Figure 1. The SY Subbasin is overlain entirely by Yuba County except for the small portion in Placer County and two similarly small portions in Sutter County.
This proposed Basin Boundary Modification is to align the northern boundary of the NA Subbasin with the Placer/Yuba County line instead of the current location of the subbasin boundary on the current alignment of the Bear River. The Placer County line was originally defined based on the historic alignment of the Bear River. The course of the Bear River has migrated to the south due to plugging of the historic river channel with hydraulic mining debris from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The County line represents the historic river alignment. This basin boundary modification amounts to shifting the Subbasin boundary to the north and affects an area of about 2 square miles, moving this area from the SY Subbasin into the NA Subbasin.
F. Notice and Consultation
Placer County and the Yuba County Water Agency. The modification would eliminate the need for the County to form an additional GSA and for Yuba County Water Agency to manage groundwater in Placer County, where it does not have jurisdiction and which is outside of its GSA. The modification would also simplify management of the basin overseen by the future GSA which could include the City of Roseville, City of Lincoln, and local water providers (Placer County Water Agency, Cal American Water, and South Sutter Water District, as a portion of their jurisdiction is in Placer County).
The County identified applicable neighboring cities and counties, established GSAs, and local public water systems that could potentially be affected by the boundary modification.
The County discussed the proposed basin boundary modification on several occasions with the City of Roseville, City of Lincoln, and local water providers (Placer County Water Agency, Cal American Water, and South Sutter Water District, as a portion of their jurisdiction is in Placer County) at regularly scheduled monthly GSA formation meetings. Sample meeting agendas are attached. The County also met separately with the Yuba County Water Agency, because the agency has a service area and water source in a portion of the South Yuba Groundwater Subbasin. Meeting agenda attached. A letter of support from the Yuba County Water Agency is attached. All agencies were supportive of the proposed modification. These agencies were also notified by email prior to submitting both the Initial Notification and the formal Request.
The Placer County Board of Supervisors adopted a formal resolution on March 8, 2016 which authorized the submittal of the Request. The Board agenda can be found at http://www.placer.ca.gov/bos/agenda. The signed resolution is attached. Placer County also posted a public notice regarding the Initial Notification on February 3, 2016. The notice can be found at: http://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/environmental-engineering.
The Yuba County Water Agency provided the County with a letter of support (attached) on March 21, 2016.
G. General Existing Groundwater Management
All requests for jurisdictional modification pursuant to Section 342.4 MUST include responses to the following questions.
Currently, groundwater in the North American Subbasin is being managed by the Sacramento Groundwater Authority (SGA), Sutter County, South Sutter Water District, Placer County, and the Western Placer County Groundwater Management Partners (City of Roseville, City of Lincoln, Placer County Water Agency, California American Water). These entities have a history of coordinated data collection and groundwater management efforts for over 20 years. SGA has submitted a notice to California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the Sacramento County portion of the North American Subbasin.
The South Yuba Subbasin is managed by Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) in coordination with various water districts and reclamation districts. YCWA has submitted a notice to DWR to become the groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) for the South Yuba Subbasin, but excluded the Placer County portion as YCWA does not have jurisdiction over that land.
Under the proposed modified boundary, the hatched area indicated on the map would be contained within the North American Subbasin. The area would be managed by Placer County who has land use authority over that area and for purposes of SGMA would coordinate and participate with other North American Subbasin entities in GSA and GSP activities.
The proposed subbasin boundary modification would reduce and simplify groundwater management activities for both Yuba County Water Agency and Placer County by better aligning the subbasin boundary with current land use and jurisdiction authorities.
Prior to the 1980s, the North American Subbasin experienced a reduction in groundwater storage but is currently being managed sustainably. Groundwater levels started declining in the early 1940s and continued through 1980. Since 1980, the groundwater levels have remained relatively constant; see attached Long Term Hydrograph from a monitoring well in the southwest portion of western Placer County (well location reflected on Figure 1). The current condition of the Subbasin is a substantial improvement over the situation in the mid-1990s when the depth to groundwater at the center of the depression was about twenty feet deeper than it is now. This improvement resulted largely from implementation of local groundwater management, especially conjunctive use operations. At this time, the groundwater depression is being managed to serve the groundwater cleanup effort associated with groundwater contamination at the former McClellan AFB (SGA, 2014).
The 1970s and 1980s were a period of significant growth for the greater Sacramento region resulting in increasing water demands on the region's surface water and groundwater resources. Groundwater levels in much of the region were declining steadily, and as a result, Sacramento County was identified by the DWR as being in a state of groundwater overdraft (DWR, 1980). Local leaders concluded that a process was needed to ensure that water resources were managed sustainably as the region developed. That process became known as the Water Forum.
Representatives of water suppliers, local governments, citizens groups, environmental organizations, and business began the Water Forum in 1993 with a goal of developing a plan to ensure reliable long-term water supplies while protecting the Lower American River. Forty diverse stakeholder groups signed the Water Forum Agreement (WFA) in April 2000 (Water Education Foundation, 2002). The Water Forum effort continues today with a majority of the signatory stakeholder groups working to meet the WFAs objectives more than 14 years after its execution.
SGA and its members are committed to the regional objectives established by the historic Sacramento Water Forum Agreement of April 2000. Since SGAs formation in 1998, it has taken many steps to preserve the valuable groundwater resources. The regional groundwater management and integrated water management programs are managed by the Regional Water Authority (RWA).
Groundwater management in the Sutter Placer County portions of the North American Subbasin has occurred prior to, and concurrent with, SGA's efforts. South Sutter Water District (SSWD), manages surface water supplies to 66,000 acres within both Sutter and Western Placer counties. They were organized to supply water to reverse a significant groundwater level decline. They constructed Camp Far West Reservoir in 1963 to store surface water and provide supplemental water to agriculture. Surface water has reduced the demand on groundwater by about 30 percent and groundwater levels have stabilized or recovered. In 2009, the SSWD developed a Groundwater Management Plan.
Four water agencies within Western Placer County, which includes the City of Roseville, City of Lincoln, Placer County Water Agency and California American Water, voluntarily organized, developed, and funded the Western Placer County Groundwater Management Plan in 2007 and continue to implement the plan. Placer County has been participating in the groundwater management of Western Placer County with the Partners as a non-signatory contributor for the last two years. Some of the Partner agencies participate in SGA and RWA to actively manage the regional groundwater conditions. The WPC Partner agencies and Placer County are coordinating efforts and are in planning stages to develop a GSA.
The basin boundary modification would not have any significant impact to state programs due to its small area. Specifically:
- The California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) - Placer County is the designated Monitoring Entity for this portion of the North American Subbasin. It would expand their area slightly.
- Groundwater Management Plans developed pursuant to AB 3030 - No effect. This portion of the North American Subbasin was not included in the WPCGMP as the County was not a participant in its original development. Similarly, the proposed modification area was not included in the Yuba County Water Agency GMP.
- Groundwater Sustainability Plans developed pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act - The proposed subbasin boundary modifications would result in better alignment with current land use and jurisdiction authorities for both Yuba County Water Agency and Placer County.
- Any applicable state or regional board plans, and other water management and land use programs - The change would not move any land outside of the jurisdiction area of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board or the Basin Plan area.
H. Local Support
All requests for boundary modification must include the following:
As discussed in Section F.3. the proposed modification was discussed with affected agencies at monthly GSA formation meetings and other occasions (see meeting agendas uploaded in Section F.3.). In addition, on January 29, 2016, an email was submitted to affected agencies providing advance notice of the Initial Notification and soliciting comments. On February 3, 2016, a public notice regarding the Initial Notification was posted on the County's website: http://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/environmental-engineering. On March 17, 2016, notification emails were submitted to affected agencies prior to submittal of the Request.
Yuba County Water Agency submitted a letter of support on March 21, 2016. The letter detailing their support is attached.
N/A - no opposition to this Request has been presented.
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:
Not required for internal boundary modifications. The proposed minor modification would improve sustainable groundwater management, as discussed above.
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:
Placer County has been participating in the groundwater management of Western Placer County with the Western Placer County Groundwater Management Partners for the last two years. Some of the Partner agencies participate in SGA and RWA to actively manage the regional groundwater conditions. The Western Placer County Groundwater Management Partner agencies and Placer County are coordinating efforts and are in planning stages to develop a GSA.
