ME? YES GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR JOINT
INFORMATIONAL HEARING. WE'RE
GOING TO GET STARTED IN A FEW
MINUTES. I DO WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE WHO WAS HERE EARLY. AND
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARRIVED RIGHT
ON TIME. WE ARE RUNNING A LITTLE
BIT BEHIND BECAUSE WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR OTHER MEMBERS
WHO ARE ON THEIR WAY EITHER WERE
STUCK IN TRAFFIC, BUT ARE MAKING
THEIR WAY, WHICH I THINK THEY
SHOULD BE ARRIVING IN THE NEXT
FEW MINUTES, CAN JOIN US HERE ON
THE DAIS, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE WILL
START IN A FEW MINUTES, I
PROMISE.
GOOD MORNING. WE WILL ASK FOLKS
TO DO OUR FIRST PANELIST IF YOU
GUYS CAN START, TAKING A SEAT SO
THAT WE CAN GET STARTED IN ABOUT
TWO MINUTES.
SO RIGHT NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN,
WE WANT TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO
WITH THE PANELISTS SO THAT WE
DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS AT THE
END. SO IF WE CAN JUST HAVE ALL
THE PANELISTS COME TO THE FRONT
AND WE WILL BE TAKING A QUICK
PICTURE. AS WELL.
SO THAT TWO OF THEM. WILL GO ON.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND
WELCOME, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS
IMPORTANT JOINT INFORMATIONAL
HEARING ON GROUNDWATER RECHARGE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ASSEMBLYWOMAN
AND CHAIRWOMAN PAPIN, HER STAFF,
ALONG WITH THE ASSEMBLY
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
ALL THEIR WORK PUTTING TODAY'S
HEARING TOGETHER, I ALSO WANT TO
THANK OUR STAFF WHO IS IN THE
BACK, WHO HAS COME EARLY TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL THE TECHNOLOGY
WORKS AND THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY
PUBLICLY HOLD THIS HEARING AND
BE ABLE TO TELEVISE IT. I ALSO
WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS AND
THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR BEING
HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE ISSUES IN
THE STATE. BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET
ME JUST QUICKLY ADDRESS SOME
LOGISTICAL ITEMS FOR THIS
HEARING. ANY MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO SUBMIT
WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE AG
COMMITTEE THROUGH EMAIL. THERE'S
AN EMAIL, AGRI DOT COMMITTEE AT
ASSEMBLY DOT CA.GOV. THE EMAIL
ADDRESS CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR
WEBSITE, WHICH IS AT HTTP HTTPS.
COLON FORWARD SLASH FORWARD
SLASH AGRI DOT ASSEMBLY DOT C
DOT GOV. AGAIN WELCOME EVERYONE.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WHILE THE
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE DOES NOT
HAVE DIRECT JURISDICTION OVER
WATER ISSUES, NEVERTHELESS, THE
ISSUES OF THE AG COMMITTEE DOES
COVER AND ARE INTERLINKED WITH
WATER AVAILABILITY, SUPPLY AND
RELIABILITY. OUR CENTRAL VALLEY
IS OFTEN REFERRED AS THE
BREADBASKET OF THE WORLD, AND
FOR GOOD REASON, ESPECIALLY THE
FOLKS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM KNOW
THAT, CALIFORNIA'S AGRICULTURAL
ECONOMY IS THE LEADING
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER IN THE
UNITED STATES, PROVIDING OVER A
THIRD OF THE COUNTRY'S
VEGETABLES AND TWO THIRDS OF ITS
FRUITS AND NUTS. OUR STATE'S
UNIQUE CLIMATE ALLOWS FOR
DIVERSE CROP PRODUCTION, OVER
400 DIFFERENT COMMODITIES. IN
FACT, MY DISTRICT ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT 27 IS HOME TO SOME OF
THE MOST PRODUCTIVE LANDS IN THE
STATE. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
OUR AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY
CONTRIBUTES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO THE STATE ECONOMY, AND IS KEY
IN MAINTAINING CALIFORNIA'S
POSITION AS THE FIFTH LARGEST
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR AGRICULTURAL
ECONOMY EMPLOYS HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF WORKERS,
PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS.
FAMILIES LIKE THE ONE I GREW UP
IN RELY ON AGRICULTURE FOR THEIR
LIVELIHOODS. WHILE AGRICULTURE
PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN FEEDING THE
NATION, DRIVING OUR STATE'S
ECONOMY, AND PROVIDING JOBS, IT
ALSO RELIES AND IS DEPENDENT ON
HAVING WATER. WATER IS
INDISPENSABLE FOR AGRICULTURAL
ECONOMY. IT IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF
OUR REGION'S ECONOMY, BUT IT'S
ITS SCARCITY AND MANAGEMENT ARE
INCREASINGLY CRITICAL ISSUES
THAT AFFECT FRUIT PRODUCTION,
THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
AS THE CHAIR OF THE AGRICULTURE
COMMITTEE, I'VE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH
GROWERS, TOUR DOZENS OF FARMS
AND HEAR FROM WATER DISTRICTS
AND COUNTLESS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVED IN POWERING OUR
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. THE ONE
CONSISTENT THEME I HEAR OVER AND
OVER AGAIN IS WATER. WE NEED
WATER. EFFECTIVE WATER SUPPLY,
RELIABILITY AND MANAGEMENT IS
ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE AGRICULTURE
CAN MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE FOOD
DEMANDS IN BOTH A CHANGING
CLIMATE AND PROJECTED WATER
SHORTAGES. I LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING A PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION
ON THE STATE OF OUR GROUNDWATER
POLICIES, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING
SIGMA, ITS BENEFITS, CHALLENGES
AND OPPORTUNITIES. THERE IS
GROWING INTEREST IN HOW THE
STATE CAN HELP OR EXPAND
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE PROJECTS.
THESE PROJECTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
WET YEARS TO REPLENISH
CALIFORNIA'S AQUIFERS IN YEARS
LIKE 2023 LAST YEAR, WHERE WE
HAD ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS AND
FLOODING, HAVING A BETTER PLAN
AND POLICIES TO MOVE WATER
EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY CAN
HELP MITIGATE FLOODING
DISASTERS. AND AT THE SAME TIME
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. WHILE
RECHARGE IS A USEFUL WAY TO PUT
SURFACE WATER BACK UNDERGROUND,
IT'S NOT THE SILVER BULLET FOR
CALIFORNIA'S WATER CHALLENGES. I
STILL BELIEVE WE NEED ABOVE
GROUND WATER STORAGE, BUT
HOPEFULLY GROUNDWATER RECHARGE
CAN BECOME A STRONGER TOOL TO
HELP ADDRESS THE WATER CRISIS IN
THE STATE. AFTER ALL, WE NEED
WATER FOR AG, BUT WE ALSO NEED
WATER FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE TO
BUILD HOMES, TODAY'S HEARINGS
WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT
THE PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION
OF OUR ASSEMBLY. WATER, PARKS
AND WILDLIFE COMMITTEE, WHICH
HAS PRIMARY JURISDICTION OVER
WATER ISSUES, AGAIN, I WANT TO
THANK MY COLLEAGUE AND THE
CHAIRWOMAN, PAPPIN, FOR HER
PARTNERSHIP IN HOLDING THIS
IMPORTANT JOINT HEARING ON WATER,
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE MADE THE
TRIP FROM THEIR DISTRICTS DOWN
IN THE SOUTH VALLEY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MATHIS, PREVIOUSLY ALSO
THE VICE CHAIR OF THE
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE, HIS
REMINDING US THAT HE'S DONE HIS
LAST FEW MONTHS OF THE JOB, BUT
HE'S STILL HERE, SO WE'RE
GRATEFUL FOR HIS PARTICIPATION.
AND ALSO, ASSEMBLYWOMAN SHABO,
WHO REPRESENTS, SOUTH, DISTRICT
IN THE SOUTH PART OF CALIFORNIA,
OUT BY SANTA CLARITA. SO WE WANT
TO THANK HER FOR MAKING THE TIME
AND OBVIOUSLY THE CHAIRWOMAN,
FOR AGREEING TO HAVE THIS JOINT
HEARING AND FOR TRAVELING FROM
THE BAY TO BE HERE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AND, CHAIRWOMAN, I'LL PASS
IT ON TO YOU. YES. OH, THERE WE
GO. I'VE NEVER NOT BEEN HEARD
WHETHER I NEED A MICROPHONE IS
QUESTIONABLE, WELL, I'M SO
DELIGHTED TO BE HERE, SO. WELL
PUT, ASSEMBLYMEMBER SORIA, THANK
YOU FOR CONVENING THIS, SPECIAL
HEARING, I, I COULDN'T AGREE
WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF RECHARGING
GROUNDWATER AND THE IMPORTANCE
THAT IT HAS ON AGRICULTURE, IT
IS WITH OUR INCREASING CLIMATE
IMPACTS AND THE SWINGS THAT WE
HAVE FROM ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS TO
DROUGHT, THE ABILITY TO HARNESS,
EXCESS WATER IS BECOMING MORE
AND MORE IMPORTANT. NOW, I COME
FROM SAN MATEO COUNTY, VERY
SUBURBAN AREA, BUT MY INTEREST
IS IN SERVING ON THE WATER
COMMITTEE AND BEING CHAIR OF THE
WATER COMMITTEE. IS KIND OF
TWOFOLD. NUMBER ONE, I COME OUT
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUCH LIKE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA AND,
INFRASTRUCTURE KIND OF MAKES MY
HEART GO PITTER PATTER. AND
WHERE I COME FROM, I HAPPEN TO
COME FROM THE MOST VULNERABLE
COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO SEA LEVEL RISE.
AND WE'RE RIGHT ALONG THE BAY,
RIGHT NEAR SAN FRANCISCO
AIRPORT. AND PART AND PARCEL OF
THAT IS A LOT OF BIOTECH THAT
KEEPS THE ECONOMY GOING, A LOT
OF TECH THAT KEEPS THE ECONOMY
GOING. THEY ARE ALL VERY
VULNERABLE TO SEA LEVEL RISE.
THEY GO UNDER. WE WILL GO UNDER
ECONOMICALLY. SO THAT WAS A
LARGE PART OF WHY I WANTED TO
SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE. AND I
ENJOY VERY MUCH BEING CHAIR. BUT
THAT'S JUST ONE DISTRICT,
CERTAINLY IN CALIFORNIA. SO I'M
HONORED TO BE HERE AND TALK
ABOUT THE ROLE THAT WATER AND
WATER CAPTURE IS GOING TO PLAY
AS IT RELATES TO AG, WHICH IS
ALSO SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR
ECONOMY IN THIS FIFTH LARGEST
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. SO GIVEN
THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING
IN THE LEGISLATURE ON THIS TOPIC
OF LATE, IT'S CLEAR WE DON'T
QUITE HAVE ALIGNMENT WITH ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT WE DO NEED TO
ACCOMPLISH AS THESE ATMOSPHERIC
RIVERS AND THE DROUGHT KEEP
COMING IN CYCLICAL FASHION TO
US, SO WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY
FRAMEWORK AND INCENTIVES TO MAKE
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE SORT OF
HAPPEN AT SCALE. SO I'M REALLY
HOPEFUL THAT IN HOLDING THIS
HEARING AND HEARING FROM
WITNESSES THAT ARE ON THE
GROUND, REALLY INVOLVED IN THESE
THINGS, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE UPON,
CAPTURING WATER, RECHARGING AND,
HOW WE CAN BE READY FOR DROUGHT
WHEN AND IF, I GUESS, WHEN IT
COMES THE NEXT TIME. SO I LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM ALL THE
WITNESSES. I WANT TO THANK YOU
IN ADVANCE FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO
ALSO MADE THE TREK, I COULDN'T
BE MORE DELIGHTED WITH YOUR
INTEREST IN BEING HERE. AND WITH
THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
EITHER ONE OF YOU. WE'LL LET
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SCHIAVO GO
FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS. WELL,
LOOK AT THAT. AND MADERA, WE GOT
ALL KINDS OF MERCED. WE HAVE ALL
KINDS OF MICROPHONES. WHERE AM I
TODAY? GOOD MORNING, I'M
ASSEMBLYWOMAN FOR DIABLO AND A
CALIFORNIA SUN. I LOVE THE
VALLEY AND SENATOR DAHLE AND.
WELL, I ALSO COME FROM A MORE
URBAN AREA. WE HAVE THE ONLY
EXISTING NATURAL RIVER LEFT IN
OUR LEGISLATURA RAIMES IN OUR
CITY. SO YES, YES. THANK YOU.
OKAY WELL, NOT WHEN YOU USE
THAT. OKAY YEAH. WE DO. SURE.
SORRY. SO I'M PILAR SCHIAVO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR THE SANTA
CLARITA VALLEY IN THE NORTH SAN
FERNANDO VALLEY, WHICH ALSO MORE
URBAN, BUT ALSO, WE HAVE THE,
YOU KNOW, THE LAST NATURAL
RIVER, THE SANTA CLARA RIVER,
RUNNING THROUGH OUR DISTRICT, A
CRITICAL RIVER AND RESOURCE FOR
OUR COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE
FOCUS A LOT, OBVIOUSLY, IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE
DON'T GET A LOT OF RAIN AND HAVE
A LOT OF RESOURCES OURSELVES ON
FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN DO EVEN
MORE TO RECHARGE AND CAPTURE,
AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR WONDERFUL
WATER TABLE IN THE SAN FERNANDO
AND SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, WHICH
WE'VE DONE A LOT TO CLEAN UP THE
WATER TABLE IN THE SAN FERNANDO
VALLEY, WHICH HAD BEEN
CONTAMINATED, STILL IS
CONTAMINATED, AND SO I WANT TO
THANK THE CHAIRS, THOUGH, FOR
THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I KNOW,
CHAIR PAPAN HAS TAKEN THE REINS
OF OUR WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
COMMITTEE, AND DONE A LOT OF
GREAT WORK THIS YEAR, AND I KNOW
CHAIR SORIA HAS JUST SINCE DAY
ONE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN
SACRAMENTO AND DONE SO MUCH
INCREDIBLE ADVOCACY FOR HER
COMMUNITY. BOTH IN THE AG SPACE
AND AROUND ALL OF THE RESOURCES
THAT ARE NEEDED HERE. AND SO
REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE HER
PARTNERSHIP ON SO MANY IMPORTANT
ISSUES AND HAVE BEEN SITTING
HERE WITH WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MATHIS. MY WHOLE TIME ON WATER,
PARKS AND WILDLIFE. SO THIS IS
PROBABLY OUR LAST COMMITTEE
HEARING. SO WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU
HERE. AND, AND HIS, YOU KNOW,
COMMITMENT DOESN'T STOP. SO
HAPPY TO BE HERE. I DON'T WANT
TO TAKE UP A LONG TIME FOR
COMMENTS, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM THE PANELISTS.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER DEVIN MATHIS, MY
DISTRICT WAS GROUND ZERO FOR THE
DROUGHTS, MY HOMETOWN
PORTERVILLE WAS THE CITY WITHOUT
WATER. THAT WAS OVER TEN YEARS
AGO. AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SIGMA TODAY AND TEN YEARS
OF SIGMA AND WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN
TO. WE'RE ALSO NEED TO REALLY
LOOK AT THE IMPACTS THAT WATER
HAS ON AGRICULTURE, ESPECIALLY
IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. 1 IN
4 JOBS IS AG, 1 IN 4. AND WHEN
YOU MULTIPLY THAT OUT TO THE
FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, HUSBAND AND
WIFE, 2.5 KIDS, YOU GOT TO
REMEMBER THAT PERSON THAT WORKS
IN THE FIELDS THAT WORKS IN AG
PRODUCTION. THEIR HUSBAND, THEIR
WIFE, THEIR SPOUSE WORKS IN TOWN
LAW ENFORCEMENT, TEACHER,
DRUGSTORE, WHATEVER WORKS IN
TOWN. SO WHEN WE LOSE
AGRICULTURAL JOBS, YOU'RE NOT
JUST LOSING THE JOB, YOU'RE
LOSING THE COMMUNITY. YOU'RE
LOSING THOSE ENTIRE FAMILIES. I
KNOW IN MY DISTRICT, JUST IN
TULARE COUNTY, IT'S LIKE 40,000
JOBS. AND THEN YOU MULTIPLY THAT
OUT. NOW YOU GOT 120,000 PEOPLE
DISPLACED WHEN YOU LOSE THOSE
JOBS. THAT'S BIGGER THAN THE
CITY WE'RE IN TODAY. THAT'S
MERCED WIPED OFF THE MAP. THAT'S
VISALIA WIPED OFF THE MAP. IF WE
LOSE JUST THE JOBS IN A SINGLE
COUNTY, WHERE DO THOSE PEOPLE
GO? AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO
WATER. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE
HAVE ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS THAT WE
KNOW ARE GOING TO HAPPEN. WE
HAVE THESE CYCLES. WE USED TO
CALL IT EL NINO, LA NINA. WE
KNOW WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP OUR
WATERSHED, AND WE TALK ABOUT
THAT WITH FOREST FIRE
MANAGEMENT, WITH GETTING THE
TREES OUT. WE TALK ABOUT THAT
WITH CLEANING UP THE WATERSHED.
WE GOT INTO THAT THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, TALKING ABOUT
REINTRODUCTION OF BEAVERS INTO
THE SIERRA NEVADAS. AND WE SAW
THAT HAPPEN WITH THE TULE RIVER
TRIBE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. BUT
WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE
WATERSHED. WE HAVE TO CAPTURE
THE WATER. TEN YEARS AGO, THERE
WAS A WATER BOND PASSED. IT'S
FLAT ANYMORE. AND SHASTA JUST
GOT REJECTED. WE HAVE TO CAPTURE
EVERY SINGLE DROP WE CAN. AND
THAT'S STILL NOT BEING DONE. AND
THEN WE GET INTO CONVEYANCE
PROBLEMS. WATER OUT THE DELTA.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET WATER SOUTH.
AND WE KNOW THIS. WE LOOK AT THE
MAPS. I MEAN, IT'S SACRAMENTO
VALLEY HAS A TON OF WATER. SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY DOESN'T. AND WE
HAVE TO GET WATER HERE THROUGH
IMPROVING OUR WATERSHED AND
THROUGH OUR CONVEYANCE SYSTEM.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT. WE'VE
BEEN FIXING THE CANALS,
FRIANT-KERN CANAL. WE'VE BEEN
FIXING THAT. BUT IT'S NOT DONE
YET. AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WE
NEED TO GET MORE WATER INTO THE
GROUND. WE NEED TO GET MORE
WATER INTO THE GROUND. BUT UNTIL
WE'RE CAPTURING IT AND MOVING IT
HERE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, IT'S.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
THE PANELISTS ON ON WHAT YOUR
PLANS ARE TO IMPROVE THAT,
BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM IN
THE SYSTEM IS WE HAVE WATER IN
THE NORTH AND WE DON'T HAVE
WATER IN THE CENTRAL PART, AND
THAT DOESN'T EVEN GET INTO THE
PROBLEM WITH COLORADO RIVER
WATER AND THE DEADPOOL SCENARIO
THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED. Tê AND
WHAT LÀ AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS
DOING, WHAT SCHIAVO'S DISTRICT
HAS TO WORRY ABOUT, WHAT ORANGE
COUNTY AND LA COUNTY HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT. AND I KNOW WE'RE
DOING TRADE OFFS THERE. WE'RE
DOING TRADE OFFS WITH ARIZONA
AND OTHER PARTNERS ON GETTING
WATER TO THE SOUTHERN PART OF
THE STATE. BUT HERE IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY, WE DON'T HAVE
THAT DENSE POPULATION. WE'RE NOT
METROPOLITAN. SO WE'RE NOT
LOOKED AT THE SAME WAY. BUT I
ENCOURAGE YOU ON THE STATE
REGULATION SIDE TO LOOK AT THE
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, NOT JUST AS
A PLACE WHERE, OH, THE FOOD IS
GROWN HERE, BUT THESE ARE LIVES.
THESE ARE FAMILIES. THERE'S A
CULTURE HERE, AND WE GROW THE
FOOD FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. THE
FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE
WORLD. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
SAYING YOU GO ANYWHERE ELSE IN
THE COUNTRY, EVEN UP IN CANADA.
AND THEY TALK ABOUT HOW
AGRICULTURE RUNS WALL STREET AG
IS THE NUMBER ONE GDP EVERYWHERE
ELSE EXCEPT FOR IN CALIFORNIA,
BECAUSE WE HAVE HOLLYWOOD,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TECH, WE HAVE
ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. EVEN
THOUGH CALIFORNIA AG IS NUMBER
ONE, WE PRODUCE MORE AGRICULTURE
HERE IN THIS VALLEY THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE PLANET, AND
WE TREAT IT LIKE A REDHEADED
STEPCHILD, AND WE TAKE IT FOR
GRANTED AND WE NEED TO STOP
DOING THAT. WE NEED TO START
FOCUSING ON GETTING THE WATER
RESOURCES HERE, WHERE THEY NEED
TO BE. YOU KNOW, THIS AREA WOULD
GROW. IT WOULD THRIVE IF WE
SIMPLY PUT OUR HEADS AROUND
GETTING THE WATER RESOURCES HERE
WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. ON
FOCUSING ON, WE CAN MEET THESE
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE GOALS. IF
THE WATER FLOW WAS SOUTH, WE
KNOW THAT THE DATA IS THERE. SO
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
THE PANELISTS ON HOW WE'RE GOING
TO DO THAT. AND I MIGHT BE
RETIRING HERE IN A FEW MONTHS.
YOU ALL KEEP DRAGGING ME BACK. I
KEEP SAYING, THIS IS MY LAST
HEARING, AND YET HERE WE ARE
AGAIN. IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE. SO
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO
ADVOCATE FOR THIS, WHETHER I'M
IN OFFICE OR NOT. AND WE NEED
TO. AND WE'VE BEEN SAYING IT
SINCE I WAS A KID, SO I'M TIRED
OF I WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY WE
HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. WE EVEN
HAVE THE WATER. IT'S JUST A
MATTER OF WILLPOWER FROM THE
STATE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL MY
COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR OPENING
REMARKS. WE WILL MOVE TO OUR
FIRST PANEL, WHICH WILL PROVIDE
AN OVERVIEW OF GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE, STATE AND LOCAL
PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS. I WOULD
FIRST LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR
FIRST PANELIST TO SPEAK,
PROFESSOR CIVIL ENGINEER FOR
CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING FROM UC MERCED,
JOSUE MEDELLIN ASWARA. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR SORIA, CHAIR
PAPAN AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
CHABOT AND MATHIS, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR OPENING
REMARKS AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU, AND, I'M A
FACULTY AT UC MERCED, AND I'VE
BEEN A MEMBER SINCE 2017, SO I'M
ADVANCING THE SLIDES HERE. IS IT
DOWN? DOWN? YEAH NO, NOT GOING.
OKAY NO. THERE YOU GO. OKAY SO,
I WILL START WITH THE
GROUNDWATER, AND I WILL BEGIN BY
SAYING THAT GROUNDWATER IS NO
OTHER THING THAN OTHER SURFACE
WATER. IT WAS ANCIENT WATER.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONES IN THE
ATMOSPHERE AND ENTERS THE
GROUND, AS RAIN OR SNOW TO FILL
THE UNDERGROUND PORES TO FORM
AQUIFERS DRIVEN BY SOIL
PROPERTIES AND DIFFERENCES IN
PRESSURE AND GRAVITY AND
PRESSURE. GROUNDWATER IN
AQUIFERS VARIES IN AGE AND CAN
GO FROM HOURS TO, HUNDREDS OF
YEARS. GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES ARE
BETWEEN 30 AND 60% OF
CALIFORNIA'S WATER NEEDS FOR
AGRICULTURE AND COMMUNITIES.
AMOUNTS TO 12 TO 23 MILLION ACRE
FOOT, DEPENDING ON THE SURFACE
WATER AVAILABILITY IN A SPECIFIC
YEAR. THE MAP ON THE RIGHT SHOWS
YOU THE BREAKDOWN BY A
HYDROLOGIC REGION OF HOW MUCH IS
FULFILLED BY GROUNDWATER.
ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A REMARK ON IS ALSO THE
LARGEST WATER STORAGE VOLUME
AVAILABLE TO US. WE CAN STORAGE
FROM 850 TO 1.3 THOUSAND.
MILLION MILLION ACRE FOOT IN,
COMPARED TO JUST 50 IN OUR
RESERVOIRS. AND ABOUT 15 IN THE
SNOWPACK, ACCORDING TO
INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF WATER RESOURCES BULLETIN 118.
IT IS ALSO A COMMON PROPERTY
RESOURCE, MEANING THAT IT'S
EXTREMELY HARD TO MANAGE AND
EXCLUDE USERS. BUT ONE USER'S
USE OF GROUNDWATER AFFECTS OTHER
USERS. SO THIS LEADS TO THE
TRAGEDY OF COMMONS IN AN
ECONOMIC SENSE. OKAY, TRYING TO
MOVE HERE. THANK YOU. SO, MAY
YOUR WATER, GROUNDWATER
CHALLENGES FOR US ARE OCCURRING.
WE HAVE A CHRONIC OVERDRAFT, 2
MILLION ACRE FOOT PER YEAR, AND
NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED BY 2040.
FOLLOWING THE SIGMA REGULATION.
SUBSIDENCE IS ALSO AS IT WAS
MENTIONED BY SOME OF OUR
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, IS AFFECTING
INFRASTRUCTURE, CONVEYANCE,
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS COSTLY
REPAIRS AND ALSO CREATES SOME
PROBLEMS FOR FLOOD MANAGEMENT,
DRY DOMESTIC WELLS IN PLACES
LIKE PORTERVILLE, AS IT WAS
MENTIONED, ARE AFFECTING MANY
OTHER POPULATIONS IN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY. ALSO, THE ISSUES WITH
SALINE INTRUSION AFFECTING WATER
QUALITY INCREASES THE TREATMENT
COST FOR COASTAL CITIES IS ALSO
A CURRENT PROBLEM, AND THERE'S
AN INCREASE IN HARDENED DEMAND
FROM, PERMANENT CROPS AND ALSO
FORAGE CROPS THAT SUPPORT
DOWNSTREAM SECTORS WHICH
CONSTITUTE A BIG PROPORTION OF
OUR AGRICULTURAL REVENUE IN THE
STATE. FUTURE CHALLENGES INCLUDE
WARMER TEMPERATURES. WE ARE
EXPECTING TO SEE A RISE IN
TEMPERATURE AND THEREFORE HIGHER
EVAPOTRANSPIRATION. DURING THE
LAST DROUGHT, WE ESTIMATE 2 TO 4
MORE INCHES OF WATER NEEDED TO
BE APPLIED IN CROPS TO FULFILL
THIS GAP IN, IN A HIGHER DEMAND
FROM THE SOIL MOISTURE DEFICIT
AND ALSO ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS
AND JUST HIGHER EVAPORATION INTO
THE ATMOSPHERE, WE WILL HAVE A
PRECIPITATION VOLATILITY, AS IT
WAS MENTIONED IN THE PAST
DECADE. WE SAW TWO MULTIYEAR
DROUGHTS AND TWO OF THEM WE HAVE
THIS CYCLIC CLIMATE EXTREMES.
FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SIGMA THAT
IS LIMITING PUMPING, TO REACH
BALANCE BY 2040. AND THE THREAT
OF SEA LEVEL RISE THAT WAS
MENTIONED BY CHAIR PAPIN AND
CHAIR SCHIAVO IS DEFINITELY A
PROBLEM THAT WILL REQUIRE HAVING
HIGHER OUTFLOWS AND DETER OR
KEEP AWAY SALINE INTRUSION INTO
OUR COASTAL AQUIFERS. NEXT, ONE
PLEASE, IF I CAN. OOPS. OKAY, SO
ANDY, OVERDRAFT WILL COME AT A
COST. SO THE MAP ON THE LEFT
SHOWS SOME, WORK. I QUOTED IN
THE PAST WITH THE PUBLIC POLICY
INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA OUT OF
OUR BULLETIN 18 ON THE HIGH
PRIORITY BASINS FOR THE
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
AND THE CHARTS ON THE RIGHT
SHOWS YOU A VARIETY OF OPTIONS,
TO ACHIEVE THIS, CLOSE THIS GAP
OF 2 MILLION ACRE FOOT BY YEAR,
2040, BY FOLLOWING A COMBINATION
OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND OPTIONS,
SUPPLY, AUGMENTATION OPTIONS
INCLUDE AQUIFER RECHARGE. ALSO
SURFACE WATER INCREASES AND THE
DEMAND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
INCLUDE, STRESS IRRIGATION AND
ALSO MARKETS AND LAND IDLING.
YOU CAN SEE THAT GROUNDWATER,
RECHARGE TOGETHER WITH SOME
WATER TRANSFER CAN HELP REDUCE
THIS GAP IN IN IN GROUNDWATER IN
GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT AND ALSO,
HELP REDUCE THE AGRICULTURAL
LOSSES AND THE EMPLOYMENT LOSSES
DEPENDING ON HOW WE DO THIS NEXT
ONE, PLEASE. DEMAND MANAGEMENT
AND SUPPLY AUGMENTATION OPTIONS
ARE PORTRAYED IN THIS, IN THIS
CHART, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE
LION'S SHARE IS ON THE TOP FOR
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE TO FULFILL
THE GAP. IT COMES AT VARIOUS
COST BRACKETS. THERE'S
DEFINITELY SOME RECHARGE THAT IS
MOSTLY THAN THAN OTHER, ALSO
THERE ARE SHOWN SOME OTHER
OPTIONS AT A HIGHER COST,
INCLUDING, THE SURFACE WATER,
INCREASE IN RESERVOIRS. NEXT ONE
PLEASE. YEAH. SO, AQUIFER
RECHARGE HAS BEEN, HAS OCCURRED
IN CALIFORNIA OVER SEVERAL
DECADES. SO THERE'S SEVERAL
METHODS IN WHICH THIS OCCURS, WE
I LISTED HERE A FEW FROM OUR
RECENT REPORT FROM A PUBLIC
POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA
ON A STATEMENT OF REPLENISHMENT.
SO ONE METHOD IS DIVERSIONS TO
RIVERBEDS. AND CANALS, THAT,
OCCURS IN AREAS IN WHICH THERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD WATER
THERE. AND USING, RIVERBEDS,
ALSO WE HAVE, FARMLAND IN AN
OPEN SPACE THAT IS BECOMING MORE
COMMON. WE HAVE SEEN SOME
EXAMPLES IN WHICH, FLOODING SOME
FIELDS HAS NOT AFFECTED YIELDS
SIGNIFICANTLY. AND SO THIS IS
EXPANDING IN RECHARGE, WHICH
CONSISTS OF ESSENTIALLY,
SWITCHING TO SURFACE WATER,
PARTICULARLY IN WET YEARS, USE
OF DEDICATED RECHARGE BASIN IS
THE METHOD THAT, ACHIEVES THE
MOST, RECHARGE, THE HIGHEST
RECHARGE RATE AND THE HIGHEST
VOLUME AND ALSO USE OF STORM
BASINS THAT IS IN CITIES IN
WHICH THESE STORM WATER CAPTURE
BASINS SERVE. ALSO, THE FUNCTION
OF, OF RECHARGING THE AQUIFERS.
WELL INJECTION THAT IS ALSO
CALLED AN AQUIFER STORAGE
RECOVERY SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES,
PRESSURIZING WATER TO GET INTO
THE AQUIFER. THAT CAN BE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ENERGY
INTENSIVE, BUT IS USED IN AREAS
IN WHICH THE SOIL CONDUCTIVITY
ON THE TOP LAYER IS RELATIVELY
LOW. ALSO WATER ON THEIR
CROPLAND. THAT'S AN EMERGING
METHOD IS NOT VERY COMMON IN THE
CONTRIBUTION IS RELATIVELY LOW.
OFFSITE RECHARGE IS ALSO AN
ALTERNATIVE FOR PLACES THAT DO
NOT HAVE THE LOCAL CONDITIONS TO
CONDUCT RECHARGE, IN AN ECONOMIC
COSTLY, IN A IN A COST EFFECTIVE
WAY. IT IS ESTIMATED BY SOME
RESEARCHERS AT UC DAVIS THAT 2.4
2.6 MILLION ACRE FOOT OF WATER
IS AVAILABLE IN YEARS, WITH A
HIGH MAGNITUDE FLOW. THOSE OCCUR
ABOUT 7 IN 10 YEARS IN THE
SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND, 4.7 IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. OUT OF
TEN YEARS, SOME MORE
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES PUT THAT,
FROM DWR INDICATE ABOUT 0.9
MILLION ACRE FOOT OF RECHARGE IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY. NEXT ONE
PLEASE. OKAY, SO MANAGED AQUIFER
RECHARGE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY, THERE'S SOME GOOD
REASONS HERE FOR, FOR HOPE. SO
BETWEEN 2017 AND 2023, THERE WAS
AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF
WATER RECHARGE TO 1.3 MILLION
ACRE FOOT, WE ALSO HAVE, THAT
ACCOUNTING AND CREDITING
SYSTEMS, LOCALLY HELP BOLSTER
THIS, RECHARGE ALONG WITH
EXECUTIVE ORDERS. YOU CAN SEE IN
THE CHART ON THE, ON THE BOTTOM,
WHERE ARE THE RELATIVELY,
CONTRIBUTION OF EACH METHOD TO
THE AQUIFER RECHARGE? ALSO, SOME
OF THE AREAS IN THE MAPS ON THE
TOP THAT ARE, AFFECTED OR BY
OVERDRAFT MORE, ARE ALSO HAVE
THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR RECHARGE
FOLLOWING THE UC DAVIS VÆ
SUITABILITY INDEX FOR RECHARGE.
SOME CHALLENGES REMAIN, OF
COURSE. SOMETIMES THERE'S NO,
INFRASTRUCTURE. SOME SYSTEMS ARE
NOT MEANT TO OR NOT. NOT
DESIGNED TO RUN ON, ON THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION. USUALLY THAT
THAT IS THAT CREATES SOME
CHALLENGES. COSTS CAN ALSO BE
SIGNIFICANT. ALSO, WE HAVE THE
RISK OF SATURATION AT THE TIME
IN WHICH WE CAN CONDUCT
RECHARGE. A LOT OF THE SOIL IS
SATURATED AND THAT CREATES SOME
FLOOD RISK IN SOME AREAS
PERMITTING AND DEFINITELY IS A
IS A FREQUENT, MENTIONED BARRIER
FOR RECHARGE. AND ALSO THE
RELIABILITY ON ACCOUNTING AND
CREDIT SYSTEMS FOR THE FOR THE
FARMING. SO, SOME PROMISING
SOLUTIONS ON THE RESEARCH SIDE.
SO ON THE LEFT WE SEE A MAP OF
FLOODING. THIS IS DONE IN
COLLABORATION WITH MY COLLEAGUE
PROFESSOR HESTER AT UC MERCED.
AND PROFESSOR DAHLKE AT UC
DAVIS. WE USE A SATELLITE,
INFORMATION FROM SENTINEL ONE.
SENTINEL TWO THAT CAN PENETRATE
THE CLOUD COVER AND DETECT
FLOODING IN THE SURFACE. SO THAT
ALLOWS US TO SEE THE POTENTIAL
OF, OF A RECHARGE BY JUST BY THE
NUMBER OF DAYS OF FLOODING AND,
AND, WELL, IDENTIFY THE ECONOMIC
DAMAGE TO, ON THE RIGHT WE SEE,
MAP ON DROUGHT. THAT'S THE AREA
EXTENT OF, AREAS AFFECTED BY
IDLING LAND. AND THAT CAN
PROVIDE US ALSO SOME INFORMATION
ON AREAS THAT ARE MORE
VULNERABLE TO, IDLE LAND AND
THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING
RECHARGE BASINS OR ARRANGE
TRANSFERS FROM OFF SITE,
RECHARGE OR OTHER, WATER
TRANSFERS. SO OTHER, OTHER
PROMISING SOLUTIONS. SO MARKETS
MEASUREMENT AND, AND, AND
MANAGEMENT, SO THERE'S A SAY
THAT WE CANNOT MANAGE WHAT WE
CANNOT MEASURE, RECENTLY, UC
MERCED AND UC SANTA CRUZ WERE
DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS. AND THE
MAP ON THE TOP SHOWS THE PLACE
IN WHICH WE WILL HAVE OUR
EXPERIMENTAL FARM WITH SOME
RENDERING ON THE BOTTOM. THIS IS
LED BY PROFESSORS BERES AND
CARMEN, AND THEY ARE LEADING
SOME RECHARGE EXPERIMENTS IN OUR
FARM. THE MAP ON THE RIGHT. THE
FIGURE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS YOU,
THE USE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC,
TRANSIENT ELECTROMAGNETIC
TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN PENETRATE
THE SOIL LAYERS AND CREATE A
HIGH RESOLUTION PROFILE OF SOIL
CONDUCTIVITY. SOIL CONDUCTIVITY
IS ONE KEY PARAMETER TO
DETERMINE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF
RECHARGE IN SEVERAL AREAS, AND
THIS WAS DONE IN COLLABORATION
WITH A STANFORD UNIVERSITY
PROFESSOR. KNIGHT, ALSO, THE,
THE FIGURE IN THE CENTER SHOWS
YOU THE CHANGE OVER TIME ON,
VEGETATION INDEXES THAT CAN
PROVIDE A PROXY FOR CROP
PRODUCTIVITY AND WATER USE,
HAVING ACCURATE WATER BALANCES
IS FUNDAMENTAL. SO, ANOTHER,
OPTION HERE FOR A RESEARCH IS,
THERE'S WE CANNOT ACHIEVE THE
2.2 MILLION ACRE FOOT OF DEFICIT,
BY JUST, RECHARGE WITH SOME LAND.
IDLING IS INEVITABLE. SO WE ARE
CREATING SOME TOOLS THAT OVERLAY
SUITABILITY OF RECHARGE, VALUE
OF AGRICULTURE AND EMPLOYMENT.
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MITIGATION,
POTENTIAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS,
RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION. WE
OVERLAY THOSE, SUITABILITY INTO
A WEB BASED TOOL FOR HARVEST
STAKEHOLDERS LOOK INTO OPTIONS
AS WE ARRANGE, AS WE PLAN FOR
ENDING OVERDRAFT AND ALSO
REPURPOSE SOME LAND IN A
COLLABORATIVE WAY. NEXT ONE, SO
SOME MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS AT THE
STATE LEVEL, WE HAVE, RULES AND
PERMITTING AND, AND TRANSFER. SO
THERE'S, RULES EXIST FOR A GOOD
REASON. AND WE HAVE TO BE TRUE
IN, IN, IN, SETTING THOSE, BY,
BY THE STATE AND THE AGENCIES AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL, ACCOUNTING AND
CREDITING SYSTEMS ARE HELPFUL
TO, TO JUST MOTIVATE, RECHARGE
BY FARMING AND OTHER ENTITIES,
ALSO, BOTH INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS ARE NEEDED AND, FUNDING
FOR THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS IS DEFINITELY, CRUCIAL.
SO FOR RECHARGE BASINS AND
TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS, AS THE ONES
I MENTIONED. SO GROUNDWATER,
RECHARGE REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST
PROMISING AND LESS COSTLY WAYS
OF SECURING, CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
PERMITTING RULES, ACCOUNTING AND
CREDITS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
MOTIVATING RECHARGE PROJECTS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, NEEDS SOME
SOLID FUNDING RESEARCH TOOLS CAN
FACILITATE THIS PLANNING FOR
RESEARCH PROJECTS THROUGH
MEASUREMENT, REPURPOSING MARKETS,
AND ACCOUNTING. AND WITH THAT, I
CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. PROFESSOR MEDINA
SUARA, FOR THAT PRESENTATION, WE
WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR NEXT TWO
PANELISTS. AND THEN AFTER THE
FIRST SET OF PANELISTS, WE WILL
OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS, FOR MY
COLLEAGUES AND HERE THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS, SO NEXT, I'D LIKE TO
INVITE, TIM GOODWIN. HE'S,
TECHNICAL AND POLICY ADVISOR TO
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT AND
A JAY GOYAL, MANAGER, DEPARTMENT
OF WATER RESOURCES, STATEWIDE
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTIGATIONS
BRANCH. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY. CHAIR. SORIA. CHAIR.
PAPAN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, I'M TIM
GODWIN. I SERVE AS AN ADVISOR TO
DEPUTY DIRECTOR PAUL GOSSELIN,
WHO OVERSEES THE SUSTAINABLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT
IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE
DEPARTMENT, I DON'T WANT TO TALK
A LOT ABOUT SIGMA. I THINK WE'RE
ALL AWARE SIGMA IS TEN YEARS OLD
AND A DAY NOW. SO, I THINK THE
SAYING GOES IS THIS IS THIS IS
THE END OF THE BEGINNING OF
SIGMA. NOW COMES THE HARD PART.
AND THIS IS ABOUT IMPLEMENTING,
IMPLEMENTING THESE PROJECTS AND
ACTIONS THAT THESE LOCAL
AGENCIES HAVE WORKED HARD TO
ESTABLISH AND DEFINE THEIR PLANS.
AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT ALL OF
THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
AGENCY OUT THERE, ONE, THEY ALL
FORMED ON TIME AND COMPLETELY
COVERING THE STATE WHERE
REQUIRED. AND THEN TWO, THEY
ESTABLISHED THE HARDEST PART
DEVELOPING A GROUNDWATER
SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT REALLY
MET THE CALL OF AVOIDING AND
ELIMINATING OVERDRAFT AND
ADDRESSING SUBSIDENCE
CONDITIONS. THOSE TWO FACTORS
ALONE WITHIN SIGMA, WE TALK
ABOUT THE UNDESIRABLE RESULTS.
THOSE TWO FACTORS ARE CALLED OUT
EXPLICITLY IN THE INTENT OF
SIGMA THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE SUBSIDENCE IS HAVING A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ABILITY TO
MOVE WATER AROUND THE STATE TO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S CHAVEZ POINT,
SO WE'RE WORKING HARD TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES. AND I KNOW THE
LOCAL AGENCIES ARE ANXIOUS TO
REALLY EFFECTUATE SOME OF THESE
RECHARGE PROJECTS. SO EVERY
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
OUT THERE IS CALLING IN SOME
CAPACITY FOR SOME RECHARGE
COMPONENT TO ADDRESS THEIR
OVERDRAFT OR FUTURE CONDITIONS
OF SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SUPPLY
AUGMENTATION SIDE TO REALLY HELP
US WEATHER THE EXTREME SWINGING
DOOR, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN OUR
FLOOD CONDITIONS AND OUR DROUGHT
CONDITIONS. SIGMA WAS BORN OUT
OF DROUGHT. WE SAW A LOT OF DRY
WELLS. WE SAW INCREASED
SUBSIDENCE. WE SAW A LOT OF
IMPACTED AGRICULTURE. OUR
RESERVOIRS WERE EMPTY AND WE
WERE FACING A THIRD YEAR IN THIS
LAST, MOST RECENT DROUGHT, WE
WERE LOOKING AT ANOTHER YEAR OF
DROUGHT AND REALLY STARTING TO
GET WORRIED. AND WE'LL START TO
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ACTIONS
WE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT HERE TO
SUPPORT THAT. INSTEAD, WE GOT A
FLOOD. WE GOT 23. WE SAW THE
RECURRENCE OF TULARE LAKE.
THAT'S THAT'S AMAZING. AND I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS REALLY
FOCUSED ON THIS AND FOUND WAYS
TO TRY AND REALLY EFFECTUATE
ACTIONS IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. SO WITH
GROUNDWATER, I MEAN, THE WHOLE
SYSTEM IS OUT OF SIGHT. IT'S
HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GRASP WHAT
THOSE CONDITIONS ARE, PROFESSOR
MEDELLIN POINTED OUT THAT OUR
GROUNDWATER SYSTEM IS THE
LARGEST STORAGE RESERVOIR AT OUR
DISPOSAL RIGHT NOW. IT'S UNDER
OUR FEET. THE PROBLEM IS, IT
TAKES TIME TO FILL IT. IT TAKES
SPACE TO FILL IT, AND IT TAKES
WATER TO FILL IT. AND WE'RE
GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON
THAT. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON
THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, SO
MUCH OF OUR, OUR EXTREMES HAVE
REALLY FED INTO OUR TRANSITION
TO OUR CHANGING CLIMATE AND
TRYING TO ADAPT. WE'VE DEVELOPED
THE ADMINISTRATION'S
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THROUGH A
SERIES OF ACTIONS, THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE WATER
RESILIENCY PORTFOLIO, THE
GOVERNOR'S WATER SUPPLY
STRATEGY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT, WHAT
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO NOW IS
MANY OF OUR OTHER PLANNING
PROJECTS. SO THE FLOOD
PROTECTION PLANS THAT ARE OUT
THERE, WE NEED TO START TO
CORRELATE MUCH MORE CLOSELY WITH
THOSE AGENCIES THAT ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING OUR
FLOOD WATERS TO CAPTURE AND WORK
WITH OUR WATER AGENCIES THAT ARE
LOOKING TO DISTRIBUTE THESE
WATERS, TO GET THOSE INTO
STORAGE, STORAGE, EITHER IN
SURFACE WATER RESERVOIRS THROUGH
REVISIONS AND OPERATIONS OR INTO
OUR GROUNDWATER SYSTEM THROUGH
RECHARGE PROJECTS. I THINK THE
WAS ALSO POINTED OUT EARLIER WAS
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SEVERAL
EXECUTIVE ORDERS FROM THE LAST
DROUGHT INTO THIS FLOOD SEASON
AND THE QUICK TRANSITION WE WENT
FROM TRYING TO BUFFER AGAINST
MORE DRY DOMESTIC WELLS, MORE
DRY PUBLIC SUPPLY WELLS, AND
MORE IMPACTS TO QUICKLY TRYING
TO CAPTURE AND STORE THOSE
WATERS. SO THE DEPARTMENT HAS
BEEN FOCUSED, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN
TWO TASKS UNDER SIGMA, ONE BEING
THAT OF REGULATOR AND REVIEW OF
THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
PLANS, BUT TWO IS ASSISTANCE.
AND WE'VE BEEN PUSHING VERY HARD
ON THAT FRONT. WE'VE BEEN
ADVANCING A LOT OF TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, BOTH WITHIN THE
SIGMA PROGRAM BUT ALSO ACROSS
THE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT
WATERSHED STUDIES, REALLY
LOOKING HIGHER INTO THE SYSTEM
OUTSIDE OF THE BASINS. WHERE IS
THE WATER COMING FROM? WHEN IS
IT COMING TO? WHAT VOLUMES ARE
WE SEEING MOVE THROUGH THESE
SYSTEMS? AND THEN WITHIN SIGMA,
WE'VE BEEN REALLY ADVANCING. HOW
DO WE CHARACTERIZE THESE
GROUNDWATER BASINS? WE KNOW IT'S
A RATE ISSUE. THE WATER COMES
FAST AND FURIOUS. GROUNDWATER
RECHARGES SLOW. IT'S SLOW
BECAUSE WHERE WE SEE THE WATER
IS IN OUR FLOODPLAINS, WHERE WE
HAVE FINE GRAINED SEDIMENTS THAT
THAT LIMIT THE ABILITY FOR THOSE
WATERS TO FLOW INTO THE
SUBSURFACE. WE'VE CONDUCTED A
STATEWIDE SURVEY USING AERIAL
ELECTROMAGNETIC GEOPHYSICS THAT
IS REALLY HELPING US TO LOOK
DEEP INTO THESE AQUIFERS, REALLY
FINDING THOSE THOSE PRIME
PATHWAYS FOR US TO PUT WATER AND
HAVE IT RECHARGE AT VERY HIGH
RATES. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND
FOCUS IN ON IDENTIFYING THOSE
KEY RECHARGE AREAS TO TAKE THE
BIG GULP WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE,
THE OTHER THINGS WE'VE BEEN
REALLY WORKING ON IS, IS REALLY
LOOKING AT THE PLANNING
ASSISTANCE AND REGULATORY
ASSISTANCE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING
WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE
BOARD, CDFW ALSO WORKING WITH
FEDERAL AGENCIES, TALKING ABOUT
HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE ON
RECHARGE PROJECTS AND REALLY GET
THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S GOING OUT
THERE, WE'RE TRYING TO STRETCH
AS FAR AS WE CAN TO IMPLEMENT AS
MUCH RECHARGE PROJECTS AS WE
CAN. THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, IN
PARTICULAR, CLEARED A PATHWAY
FOR US TO EXPEDITE AND SUSPEND
SEQUA UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES FOR CERTAIN
RECHARGE PROJECTS THAT TOOK ALL
OF THE GRANT DOLLARS THAT WERE
AWARDED TO THOSE AGENCIES AND
MADE THEM EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
WE ALSO TRIED TO FIND WAYS TO
HELP THESE THOSE AGENCIES
PREPARE THE LANDS TO BETTER
RECEIVE THOSE FLOOD WATERS, AS
WELL AS PROVIDING SOME SOME
TEMPORARY PUMPS AND ACTIONS TO
CAPTURE THOSE WATERS. SO I'LL
TOUCH ON LATER. BUT THE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE I THINK IS
PROFOUND. THE LEGISLATURE SAW
FIT TO PROVIDE MORE THAN $483
MILLION IN GRANTS ACROSS
MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES TO
SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY 390
RECHARGE SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN
THESE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
PLANS. THAT'S AMAZING. I MEAN,
THAT'S A THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.
AND, THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN
VARIOUS DEGREES OF, OF
IMPLEMENTATION. SO I'LL POINT
OUT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT
SIGMA BEING TEN YEARS OLD, BUT
THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
PLANS ARE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD.
THE FIRST GROUNDWATER
SUSTAINABILITY PLANS CAME IN IN
2020. THAT'S LOCALS ADOPTING
THEIR PLANS AND STARTING
IMPLEMENTATION IMMEDIATELY.
WHILE THE DEPARTMENT REVIEWED
AND OPINED ON ON WHAT THOSE WHAT
THOSE CONDITIONS WERE FOR. FOR
EACH OF THOSE PLANS, I'LL SAY
THIS, A MAJORITY OF THOSE PLANS
WERE APPROVED. THEY'RE MOVING
FORWARD ONLY SIX, SIX PLANS WERE
FOUND TO BE INADEQUATE. AND THEY
WERE DUE TO VERY SPECIFIC
REASONS FOR DEFINING HOW
SUSTAINABILITY WAS GOING TO BE
MEASURED. AND IMPLEMENTED IN
EACH OF THESE BASINS. THEY'RE
WORKING HARD ON RESOLVING THOSE
THOSE, THOSE DEFICIENCIES WITH
THE STATE BOARD PARTNERS. AND AS
HAS BEEN STATED IN A NUMBER OF
TIMES, THE INTENT IS TO GET THEM
BACK INTO LOCAL CONTROL AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. SO WE'RE WORKING ON
THOSE VERY COLLABORATIVELY. AND
I THINK WE SEE A LOT OF GOOD
SUCCESS. SO THE MAP ON THE RIGHT
REALLY ILLUSTRATES WHERE MANY OF
THOSE RECHARGE PROJECTS ARE. AND
YOU CAN SEE THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY IS A VERY DENSE CLUSTER
OF THOSE POINTS, REALLY RELYING
UPON RECHARGE TO PUT AS MUCH
WATER AND BALANCE THESE BASINS
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE VERSUS
THE ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS DEMAND
REDUCTION. THAT'S THAT'S
LIMITING PUMPING, THAT'S TAKING
LAND OUT OF PRODUCTION. AND WE
DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO FAIL
AGRICULTURE. AGRICULTURE IS
ESSENTIAL TO OUR STATE AND
SOMETHING WE NEED TO SUPPORT
SIGNIFICANTLY. SO WHAT WERE THE
SPECIFIC EFFORTS THAT WE DID,
LEADING INTO AND FROM OUR
DROUGHT AND INTO THE FLOOD
SEASON, SO LAND FLEX IS A
PROGRAM THAT EVOLVED DURING A
DROUGHT PERIOD. WE WERE TRYING
TO FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH LOCALS
ON THE GROUND AND IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH WESTERN UNITED DAIRIES, THE
ALMOND ALLIANCE, AS WELL AS
SELF-HELP ENTERPRISES AND
CALIFORNIA, FAMILY FARMS. SO
THIS EFFORT WAS REALLY INTENDED
TO SUPPORT LOCAL AGENCIES WHO
HAD A GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
PLAN AND HAD SPECIFIC
ALLOCATIONS, MANY OF WHICH WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE REDUCTION OF
PUMPING TO ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABILITY. THIS ALLOWED FOR
THEM TO EFFECTIVELY BE PAID FOR
MEETING, EXPEDITING THAT THAT
GOAL AND GETTING TO THOSE
ALLOCATION STANDARDS, BUT
HELPING THEM CLEAR THE LANDS,
PREPARE THE LANDS FOR, FOR
FALLOWING AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO NAVIGATE
THAT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WHOSE
DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES WERE
CURRENTLY BEING AFFECTED DUE TO
PUMPING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND
THAT OFFSET. HOW DO WE SUPPORT
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS,
TRANSITION TO A SUSTAINABLE
CONDITION AND REALLY HELPING THE
LOCAL LANDOWNERS TO TRANSITION
TO THIS NEW, NEW STATE? WE GOT
THESE PROJECTS STARTED AND IT
RAINED. IT RAINED HARD. WE
QUICKLY PIVOTED. OKAY, GREAT. WE
JUST FOLLOW THAT LAND. WHAT IF
WE CAN RECHARGE ON THAT LAND?
AND NOW YOU GET SOME OF THOSE
CREDITS YOU JUST SOLD BACK BY
RECHARGING ON YOUR PROPERTY. SO
WE REALLY TRIED TO OPEN DOORS
FOR COLLABORATION FROM THE
LANDOWNER WITH THE GSA'S AND THE
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
AGENCIES THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE
ARE ALL IN THE PROCESS OF
DEVELOPING ALLOCATION SCHEMES,
ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORKS AND
ABILITY TO TRADE. AND THAT'S
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON FROM THE WATER
RESILIENCY PORTFOLIO IS REALLY
STARTING TO TALK ABOUT SETTING
UP FRAMEWORKS AND GUIDANCE ON
HOW TO SUPPORT THE GSA'S IN
GROUNDWATER TRADING. SO AS THEY
DEVELOP CREDITS, HOW CAN YOU
MOVE THESE WATER AROUND, SAFELY
WITHOUT IMPACTING OTHER PARTIES?
SO THERE'S SOME ONGOING
DISCUSSIONS THERE. BUT AS WE
TRANSITION INTO A VERY WET
WINTER, A FLOOD WINTER, WE FOUND
OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EXPLORE,
WORKING WITH LOCAL AGENCIES WHO
HAD SHOVEL READY PROJECTS TO
CAPTURE AND STORE AND MOVE SOME
OF THESE FLOOD WATERS OFF THE
SYSTEM INTO AREAS WHERE THEY
COULD RECHARGE HIGHER IN THE
BASIN, RATHER THAN ALLOWING THAT
WATER TO FIND ITS WAY ALL THE
WAY TO THE TULARE LAKE BED. THAT
OPPORTUNITY WAS FANTASTIC. WE
WERE ABLE TO GET OUT SEVERAL,
TEMPORARY PUMPS TO AGENCIES. WE
WERE PREPARING LANDS WITH THEM.
WE WERE, WE CALLED IT THE RIP
AND CHIP PROGRAM. THAT'S THE
REMOVAL OF OLD ORCHARDS AS THEY
WERE TRANSITIONING LANDS INTO
DEDICATED RECHARGE BASINS. I
THINK IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO
REPORT BACK TO THE STATE BOARD
THE AMOUNT OF WATER DIVERTED AT
THE END OF THE YEAR. AND WE SAW
SOME PROFOUND, CAPTURE AND
OPPORTUNITIES THERE. SO FROM
THAT, I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO JUST
KIND OF THE HIGHER LEVEL
OBSERVATIONS AND THAT'S ONE THAT
WE NEED TO REALLY BE THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE COORDINATE OUR
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT, OUR
WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WITH
OUR FLOOD CONTROL AGENCIES.
THERE'S A CONNECTION THERE THAT
IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED, AND
WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD PROTECTION
BOARD AND AS WELL AS WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT WITH OUR DIVISION OF
FLOOD MANAGEMENT, TO FIND WAYS
TO CONNECT THESE DOTS, TO
IDENTIFY WHEN IS THE RIVER IN A
STAGE THAT IS ONE THREATENING TO
LIFE AND PROPERTY, AND A MEANS
FOR US TO DIVERT WATERS OFF OF
THE SYSTEM AND PUT THEM INTO A
PROPER LOCATIONS TO STORE AND
RECHARGE THE GROUNDWATER BASINS,
THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, I
THINK ARE GOING TO BE NORMAL IN
THE FUTURE. BUT WE NEED TO
NAVIGATE THIS TRANSITION TO THIS
ACTION. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST, TO
THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE DESCRIBING
HERE OR IS BEING DESCRIBED IN
THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
PLANS, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT
WATER QUALITY. WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO THE
FLOODING CONDITIONS THAT ARE
ALREADY OCCURRING. WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT DIVERTING OFF
THESE WATERS. SO IT'S A VERY
DELICATE BALANCE. IT'S GOING TO
TAKE SOME TIME TO WORK THROUGH
THOSE DETAILS. AND SO AS I
ALLUDED TO EARLIER, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD WITH
OUR SISTER AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES TO STREAMLINE
THESE PATHWAYS, WHERE WHERE DO
WE HAVE THOSE HURDLES AND WHAT
METHODS DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO
US TO SUPPORT LOCAL AGENCIES IN
GETTING OVER THEM QUICKLY AND
EFFICIENTLY AND STILL MEETING
THE MANDATES OF ALL OF OUR ALL
OF OUR ACTIONS, AND WE'VE BEEN
DOING THAT THROUGH LOOKING AT
SUPPORTING WATER. RIGHT
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE
DEPARTMENT'S BEEN SUPPORTING
LOCAL AGENCIES AND NAVIGATING
THESE WATERS WHILE STILL WORKING
WITH THE, WITH THE STATE BOARD.
AND IN COLLABORATION AND CLOSE
COMMUNICATION. SO WE'RE BEING
VERY EFFICIENT AT THE MATERIALS
THAT WE'RE HAVING TO COMPILE TO
SUBSTANTIATE THOSE PERMIT
PROCESSES, AND THEN THE, THE
TECHNICAL PART WHERE, WHERE CAN
WE GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR
BUCK IN RECHARGE? WHERE'S THE
FAST PATHS? WHERE CAN WE START
THINKING MORE REGIONALLY FROM
THESE FLOOD WATERS AND MANAGING
THE SYSTEM TO REALLY EXPAND AND
STORE MORE WATER IN THE
SUBSURFACE? I'M GOING TO STOP
HERE AND DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE
AJ TO REALLY DISCUSS HOW THESE
WATERS GET INTO THE GROUND AND
UTILIZED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TIME. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. CHAIR PAPAN, CHAIR SORIA
AND ASSEMBLYMAN MATHIS FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY. I MANAGE
THE FLOOD-MAR PROGRAM AT THE
DEPARTMENT, AND I'M GOING TO
GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE
THINGS WE ARE INVOLVED IN. SO AS
YOU ALL KNOW, FLOOD-MAR INVOLVES
USING HIGH FLOWS FROM RAINFALL
OR SNOW MELT FOR MANAGE AQUIFER
RECHARGE ON EGG LANDS OR WORKING
LANDSCAPES. AND IT COULD INCLUDE
ANY OF THE FEATURES ON THE RIGHT
RESERVOIR OPERATION COULD
INCLUDE FLOODING. BYPASSES COULD
INCLUDE SENDING WATER TO
RECHARGE BASINS OR AIRLINES, AND
SUCH. PRIMARILY, WE ARE INVOLVED
IN THREE AREAS. WE ARE
CONDUCTING WATERSHED SCALE
STUDIES, PROVIDING TECHNICAL
GUIDANCE TO LOCAL AGENCIES, AND
SUPPORTING PILOT PROJECTS AND
STUDIES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MID
ONE STATE IRRIGATION DISTRICT,
WE CONDUCTED A WATERSHED SCALE
RECONNAISSANCE STUDY. THIS WAS
MORE OF A PROOF OF CONCEPT STUDY
WHEREIN WE LOOKED AT HEADWATERS
TO GROUNDWATER. ALL THE WAY AND
MODELED IT USING NINE DIFFERENT
MODELS, STARTING WITH UPPER
WATERSHED RESERVOIR MODEL, THEN
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE EGG. HOW
AGRICULTURE PERFORMS, AND THEN
DEVELOPED A MODEL CALLED GRAD
FROM WITH HELP FROM SUSTAINABLE
CONSERVATION, WHICH INVOLVES
MODELING EACH PARCEL OF LAND
WITH CONVEYANCE THEIR SIZE, CROP
TYPE, SEASONAL SEASONALITY, AND
THEN PERMEABILITY AND SUCH. AND
THEN WHAT WE DID IS DID A VERY
EXTENSIVE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY
ANALYSIS, MODELING 100 YEARS OF
HYDROLOGY, VARYING TEMPERATURE
FROM 0 TO 4 DEGREES, CHANGING
PRECIPITATION FROM CURRENT TO
30%, INCREASE OR 30% REDUCED
REDUCTION. AND APPLIED GLOBAL
CLIMATE MODELS ON IT. AND THEN
WE LEARNED THAT ALL SECTORS
WATER SUPPLY, ECOSYSTEM AND
FLOOD ARE VERY VULNERABLE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE. JUST TO GIVE YOU
AN IDEA, THE FLOOD FLOWS IN
MERCED RIVER COULD PEAK ABOUT
6000 CFS AND AT 7300 CFS IS
GOING TO START FLOODING. WE
FOUND THAT IN 15 YEARS, BY 2040
IT'S NOT TOO FAR. THE FLOOD YEAR
FLOOD FLOWS COULD. THIS IS AGAIN
A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY. IF THE
FLOOD FLOWS COULD PEAK AT 16,000
CFS. IT'S AS YOU SAID, 7000 ARE
GOING TO START FLOODING AND WE
ARE SEEING FLOWS 16,000. AND IF
YOU GO 2070, IT'S LIKE MANY
TIMES HIGHER. SO THEN WE STARTED
APPLYING AND THE SAME THING WE
ARE SEEING FOR GROUNDWATER
CONDITION. GROUNDWATER CURRENTLY
IS DROPPING 50,000 ACRE FEET PER
YEAR BY 2040. IF WE CONTINUE
WITH THE SAME RATE OF DEMAND IS
GOING TO BE ABOUT 80,000 ACRE
FEET PER YEAR. DROP SO WITH
CLIMATE, WITH WITH FLOOD MÀ
STRATEGIES LIKE OPERATING RE
OPERATING THE RESERVOIR BASED ON
WEATHER INFORMATION FOR FIRO IS
CALLED FIRO AND MÀ MIXING MANAGE
AQUIFER RECHARGE WITH IT. WE
COULD REVERSE SOME OF THOSE.
SOME OF THE VULNERABILITIES WE
COULD BRING DOWN THE PEAK FROM
18,000 16,000 DOWN TO 8000. SAME
THING. THE GROUNDWATER
OVERDRAFT. WE COULD REDUCE IT TO
CURRENT LEVELS BY AGGRESSIVELY
OPERATING THE RESERVOIR SO SUCH
THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. AND IT'S
GOOD TO BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED WORK
TOWARDS IT. SO SEEING THE
RESULTS, THE INFORMATION THAT
CAME OUT FROM IT, LEGISLATURE
FUNDED US TO DO, TO LOOK AT ALL
THE WATERSHEDS IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN BASIN. SO CURRENTLY WE
ARE WORKING ON FIVE WATERSHED
STUDIES, AND THIS IS WITH EVEN
MORE ADVANCED WEATHER
INFORMATION. WE HAVE TEAMED WITH
WITH CORNELL UNIVERSITY. AND WE
ARE USING WEATHER GENERATOR TO
CREATE THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR
ANTICIPATED DURING CHANGING
CLIMATE CONDITIONS. AND SO WE
ARE DOING HEADWATERS TO
GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS OF
CALAVERAS STANISLAUS, AGAIN,
REDOING SOME OF THE MERCED AND
TUOLUMNE, CHOWCHILLA FRESNO
RIVER AND UPPER SAN JOAQUIN
RIVER. AND WE ARE WE ARE
DEVELOPING WE ARE WORKING WITH
WITH MORE THAN TWO DOZEN
AGENCIES. THESE ARE THE AGENCIES
WE ARE WORKING WITH. AND WE HAVE
PUT TOGETHER, A TOOL SETS
COVERING HEADWATERS TO
GROUNDWATER, MADE A WHOLE SINGLE
MODEL FOR THE WHOLE BASIN AND
THEN MADE THE GRAVERT
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE A TOOL FOR
ALL THE RECHARGE AREAS IN EACH
OF THE BASINS. AND THESE MODELS
WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE
AGENCIES, PARTNERING AGENCIES
WHEN WE ARE DONE. SO THEY CAN
USE THIS FOR AND DO WATERSHED
SCALE PLANNING WHENEVER THEY ARE
DOING PROJECTS. SO THESE THESE
STUDIES WILL BE COMPLETED NEXT
YEAR. NEXT JUNE, AND A LOT OF
INFORMATION WILL BE COMING OUT.
SO BY THE WAY, THE REPORTS FOR
THE MERCED STUDY ARE POSTED ON
DWR WEBSITE. AND I HAVE A ONE
PAGER OUT HERE AT THE AT THE
ENTRY AT THE DESK. SO FEEL FEEL
FREE TO TAKE IT. AND THEN
ANOTHER AREA, AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, WE ARE SUPPORTING LOCAL
AGENCIES WITH PLANNING AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND
FLOOD-MAR PROJECTS, AND WE
ASSISTED SEVERAL AGENCIES WITH
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS REQUIRED FOR
THE TEMPORARY WATER RIGHTS
APPLICATIONS. AND THEN WE ARE
TRYING TO EXPLORE NEW IDEAS LIKE
HOW TO OBTAIN BENEFITS MØT
BENEFITS FROM INUNDATING
FLOODPLAINS AND CREATE ECOSYSTEM
BENEFIT RECHARGE BENEFIT AT THE
SAME TIME. AND THEN WE ARE ALSO
PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND OUTREACH.
WE HAVE A WHITE PAPER ON OUR
WEBSITE GOES IN GREAT DEPTH
ABOUT WHAT IS FLOOD-MAR, HOW TO
DO IT, AND THEN WE ASSEMBLED A
RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ABOUT THREE, TWO YEARS AGO,
WHICH BROUGHT IN MORE THAN 300
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. AND
ACTUALLY JOSE AND TIM AND I
THINK ERIC ARE CHAIRS OF THREE,
THREE OF THE THEME AREAS OF THE,
OF THE OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEY
HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN, A
FLOOD-MAR RESEARCH AND DATA
DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH IS AGAIN
ON OUR WEBSITE, IDENTIFIES DATA
GAPS WHICH WILL AND FILLING
THOSE GAPS. AFTER FILLING IT, WE
CAN BASICALLY ALLOW US TO EXPAND
FLOOD-MAR AT A AT A GREATER
SCALE. AND THEN WE HAVE FORMED A
NETWORK WORKING WITH SEVERAL OF
OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. AND
UNDER THE NETWORK WE HOST A
MONTHLY WEBINAR ON DIFFERENT
TOPICS, AND THEN HAVE HELD
VARIOUS PUBLIC FORUMS, LISTENING
SESSIONS. AND THE NETWORK HAS A
WEBSITE, FLOOD-MAR .ORG. SO WITH
THIS I WILL STOP HERE AND HAND
IT OVER TO ERIC. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE UPDATE, THE
OVERVIEW AND POINTING TO THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST. NEXT
WE'RE GOING TO INVITE OUR NEXT
TWO PANELISTS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE WATER BOARD TO
SPEAK. WE HAVE ERIK EKDAHL,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF
WATER RIGHTS, CALIFORNIA STATE
WATER BOARD, AND THEN TINA
CANNON LEE, SUPERVISING
ATTORNEY, OFFICE OF CHIEF
COUNSEL FOR THE CALIFORNIA STATE
WATER BOARD. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US TODAY.
I'M ERIC EKDAHL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR THE DIVISION OF WATER
RIGHTS. I'M JOINED BY MY
COLLEAGUE TINA CANNON LEAHY AND
I'LL TRY AND TALK DIRECTLY INTO
THE MIC. I'M GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT
WATER RIGHTS AND HOW WATER
RIGHTS FACTORS INTO RECHARGE AND
HOW SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. AND
WATER RIGHTS IN CALIFORNIA, AS
I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE, ARE
PRETTY COMPLICATED. AND IT'S
TRUE FOR GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AS
WELL. SO LET'S STEP THROUGH, I
THOUGHT I'D START BY JUST
DEFINING SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF
RECHARGE, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT IN HOW WE LOOK AT THE
REST OF THE PRESENTATION AND HOW
WE THINK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS A
PERMIT, WHAT DOESN'T, AND WHAT
CAN BE DONE TO EXPEDITE SOME OF
THOSE DIFFERENT APPROACHES. THE
FIRST TYPE OF RECHARGE, WE JUST
KIND OF CALL NATURAL RECHARGE,
RIGHT? IT'S RAIN THAT FALLS ON
THE SURFACE OF THE LAND OR
RIVERS THAT KIND OF BREAK OVER
THEIR LEVEES AND GO INTO A
FLOODPLAIN, A PUDDLE ON A FARM
IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO
NATURAL RECHARGE. AND THERE'S
MILLIONS OF ACRE FEET IN AN
AVERAGE OR EVEN WET YEAR OF
NATURAL RECHARGE THAT OCCURS.
IT'S MEASURED IN GROUNDWATER
LEVELS AND HOW THOSE RISE OR
FALL, YOU DON'T NEED A WATER,
RIGHT? FOR NATURAL RECHARGE,
RIGHT? THAT'S NOT MANAGED. IT'S
NOT CONTROLLED. THERE'S ALSO
SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF REFER
TO AS INCIDENTAL RECHARGE. AND
THIS GETS TO SOME OF THE FLOOD
RELATED RECHARGE THAT WE SAW IN
2023. AND SOME OF THE SUBSEQUENT
TRAILER BILL LEGISLATION THAT
WAS IN SB ONE, TWO, TWO. IT'S
REALLY A BYPRODUCT OF ANOTHER
ACTIVITY. SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU
HAVE FLOOD AND IT GOES ONTO A
FLOODPLAIN, YOU'RE USUALLY
GETTING SOME AMOUNT OF RECHARGE
THAT GOES WITH IT, YOU CAN ALSO
HAVE WATER LOSS FROM THE BOTTOM
OF A CANAL. THE KEY HERE IS THAT
IT'S INCIDENTAL. IT'S NOT
MANAGED. IT'S NOT CONTROLLED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT OCCURS AS A
BYPRODUCT OF ANOTHER ACTION. AND
IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCES, IN MOST
CIRCUMSTANCES HERE, IT DOES NOT
REQUIRE A WATER. RIGHT. THEN WE
GET TO SOMETHING CALLED MANAGED
RECHARGE. AND YOU HEARD THE TERM
MÀ MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE
EARLIER. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S DONE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN
ACTION, RIGHT? IT'S DONE WITH
INTENTIONALITY. AND YOU'RE
DRIVING WATER TO A RECHARGE
BASIN TO DRIVE IT UNDERGROUND.
YOU COULD BE DOING ACTIVE ON
FARM. RECHARGE IS A TYPE OF
MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE,
RECYCLED WATER APPLIED TO LAND
CAN BE A MANAGED AQUIFER
RECHARGE TYPE APPROACH.
INJECTION WELLS. THERE'S A LOT
OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO IT IN
GENERAL THAT MANAGED PROCESS
REQUIRES A WATER RIGHT AT SOME
POINT IN THE PROCESS, AND
THERE'S SOME VARIANTS TO IT
RIGHT? YOU USUALLY WANT TO GO
THROUGH THE SPECIFICS AND THE
DETAILS, BUT IF YOU'RE TAKING
SURFACE WATER INTENTIONALLY WITH
THE PURPOSE OF STORING IT
UNDERGROUND AT SOME POINT, IT
REQUIRES A WATER RIGHT. SO TO GO
INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER,
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE IS THE
PRIMARY MECHANISM YOU'VE HEARD
EARLIER TODAY CITED BY
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
AGENCIES TO ADDRESS OVERDRAFT.
HOW THEY DO THAT IS IN PART KIND
OF THIS INCIDENTAL RECHARGE. IT
COULD COME FROM NATURAL
RECHARGE. IT COULD COME FROM
SHIFTING TO SURFACE WATER
INSTEAD OF USING GROUNDWATER.
BUT WE KIND OF BREAK IT UP INTO
TWO DIFFERENT TERMS, SOMETHING
CALLED UNDERGROUND STORAGE
VERSUS GROUNDWATER RECHARGE. AND
THOSE HAVE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS
IN TERMS OF WATER RIGHTS, IN
TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE PERMITTED
OR HOW THEY'RE NOT, DIVERTING
WATER FROM A SURFACE STREAM FOR
UNDERGROUND STORAGE REQUIRES A
WATER. RIGHT. AND THE STATE
WATER BOARD IS THE WATER RIGHTS
PERMITTING AGENCY FOR THE STATE.
SO WHY DO WE NEED PERMITS FOR
RECHARGE? AND I'M GOING TO KIND
OF MIX UP THE TERMS RECHARGE AND
UNDERGROUND STORAGE A LITTLE BIT
THROUGHOUT. AND I'M GOING TO TRY
AND SEPARATE THEM OUT. BUT
THEY'RE REALLY THE SAME PHYSICAL
PROCESS AT ITS CORE. RIGHT.
YOU'RE STILL TAKING WATER AT THE
SURFACE AND PUTTING IT
UNDERGROUND SOMEHOW. WHY DO WE
WANT PERMITS FOR THAT? FIRST, IT
ENSURES THAT WATER IS ACTUALLY
AVAILABLE, FOR TAKING IT AND
STORING IT. THERE'S A LOT OF
OTHER WATER RIGHT HOLDERS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE
ABOUT 40,000 WATER RIGHTS
STATEWIDE. AND CALIFORNIA IS A
FIRST IN TIME, FIRST IN RIGHTS
STATE IN PART. WE ALSO HAVE A
HYBRID SYSTEM WHERE WE HAVE
RIPARIAN RIGHTS. THERE ARE NO
STORAGE RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE RIPARIAN, RIGHT. YOU CAN'T
STORE WATER WITH A RIPARIAN
RIGHT, SO WHEN YOU HAVE
HUNDREDS, SOMETIMES 150 YEARS OF
PRIOR APPROPRIATION IN A
WATERSHED, JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE
WATER FLOWING IN A STREAM
DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEBODY
DOWNSTREAM HASN'T ALREADY CALLED
ON THAT WATER. AND THAT'S TRUE
EVEN DURING RELATIVELY HIGH
FLOWS. AND IT CAN BE TRUE EVEN
DURING FLOODS. THE BAY-DELTA
WATERSHED IS A HUGE WATERSHED,
AND BECAUSE IT'S FLOODING IN ONE
SECTOR DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S
FLOODING IN ANOTHER. AND HOW
THAT WORKS OUT BETWEEN THE
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF WATER
RIGHTS WITHIN THAT ONE WATERSHED
CAN BE EXCEEDINGLY COMPLEX TO
WORK OUT, SO WE'RE PROTECTING
SENIOR RIGHTS HOLDERS. WE'RE
ALSO PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT.
THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
TO HIGHER FLOWS. IT'S GOOD FOR
FLUSHING OUT WATER IN CERTAIN
AREAS. IT'S GOOD FOR STREAM
CHANNEL FORMATION. IT'S GOOD FOR
CERTAIN TYPES OF SPECIES. WE
ALSO WANT TO PROTECT GROUNDWATER
QUALITY WHEN YOU'RE TAKING WATER
AND APPLYING IT ONTO THE
SURFACE, YOU DON'T WANT TO APPLY
IT SOMEPLACE WHERE MAYBE THERE'S
JUST BEEN RECENT MANURE
FERTILIZER APPLICATION, OR MAYBE
A RECENT PESTICIDE APPLICATION.
AND SO THERE'S SOME AMOUNT OF
PROTECTING GROUNDWATER QUALITY,
NOT SOME AMOUNT A FAIR AMOUNT OF
GROUNDWATER PROTECTING
PROTECTING GROUNDWATER QUALITY,
THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO AS OUR
PERMITTING PROCESS. AND ALL OF
THAT HAS TO BE KIND OF FIGURED
OUT IN ADVANCE. SO HOW DO WE DO
THAT? WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER, RIGHTS
PERMITTING, THAT CAN BE APPLIED
FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE. WE HAVE
WHAT WE JUST CALL A STANDARD
PERMIT. THESE ARE YOUR EVERYDAY,
PERMANENT, FOREVER WATER RIGHTS.
AND YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A
PRETTY LABORIOUS AND LONG
PROCESS. STANDARD WATER PERMIT
CAN TAKE YEARS TO DECADES,
DEPENDING ON THE LEGAL PROCESSES
THAT GO WITH IT. THE AMOUNT OF
PROTESTS OR PUBLIC PROTESTS THAT
COME IN. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER
PATHWAY FOR TEMPORARY PERMITS,
AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THESE
IN A MOMENT. THERE'S A COUPLE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEMPORARY
PERMITS. WE HAVE 180 DAY, ABOUT
SIX MONTH PERMIT. WE ALSO, AS OF
2020 HAVE A FIVE YEAR TEMPORARY
PERMIT. AND THAT WAS DUE TO
RECENT LEGISLATION THAT ADDED
THIS PATHWAY INTO THE WATER
CODE. WITHIN THESE TWO DIFFERENT
TYPES OF APPROACHES, WE HAVE,
WHAT WE'VE CREATED INTERNALLY
THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCESS, WE CALL IT THE
STREAMLINED PATHWAY. WE'RE
ACTIVELY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW WE CAN PROCESS THESE
TEMPORARY OR STANDARD PERMITS
MORE QUICKLY. AND BY LOOKING AT
FLOWS AND KIND OF DOING SOME
ANALYZES, IDENTIFIED WHAT WE
CALL THE 90 OVER 20 RULE, IT
DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE AT
FIRST, BUT THE 90 OVER 20 RULE
AT A AT ITS CORE SAYS IF YOU'RE
IN THE 90TH PERCENTILE FLOW, SO
THE TOP 10% HIGHEST FLOWS,
RIGHT, YOU'RE ALREADY PRETTY
HIGH UP THERE IN TERMS OF FLOW
VOLUME. YOU CAN DIVERT NO MORE
THAN 20% OF THAT STREAM FLOW.
AND WE CAN KIND OF ASSUME THAT
THERE IS A LIMITED OR REDUCED
EFFECT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO
DOWNSTREAM WATER RIGHT HOLDERS.
WE STILL DO A LITTLE BIT OF
ANALYSIS, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A
STREAMLINED WATER AVAILABILITY
ANALYSIS. THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
COMPONENT THAT TALKS
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FLOODS. SO IF
IT'S AN ACTIVE FLOOD WHERE
THERE'S RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH OR
SAFETY OR INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT
ALSO CAN TRIGGER THIS
STREAMLINED PATHWAY. WHY? WHY
DOES THAT MATTER? WELL, IT TURNS
OUT THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A
LEGAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATER
THAT'S STORED UNDERGROUND VERSUS
WATER THAT'S JUST RECHARGED
INCIDENTALLY OR NATURALLY AND
LEGALLY. WATER IS STORED
UNDERGROUND UNDER A WATER RIGHT
REMAINS SURFACE WATER. YOU'RE
JUST TAKING IT AND STORING IT
UNDERGROUND. AND SO THAT CAN
HAVE PRETTY PROFOUND IMPACTS IN
TERMS OF HOW YOU'RE MANAGING A
BASIN AND WHO CAN ACCESS THAT
STORED WATER. IT LEGALLY
PROTECTS THE ENTITY THAT HAS
TAKEN THE EFFORT TO STORE THAT
WATER UNDERGROUND. IT CAN'T BE
USED BY OTHERS WITHOUT THEIR
PERMISSION. IT CAN BE SOLD OR
CONTRACTED OR TRANSFERRED. IT
DOESN'T GO TO JUST THE ENTIRE
BASIN AS A WHOLE. RECHARGED
WATER. SO WATER THAT'S DONE
INCIDENTALLY OR NATURALLY,
LEGALLY BECOMES GROUNDWATER.
THERE'S NO CLAIM OF OWNERSHIP
OVER IT AND ANYONE CAN USE IT.
AND SO THAT'S A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT IN OBTAINING
A WATER RIGHT. IF YOU THINK OF
THE COSTS THAT GO INTO
DEVELOPING ONE OF THESE PERMITS,
BUT THE COST OF BUYING WATER ON
AN OPEN MARKET DURING A DROUGHT,
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STORE 10,000
ACRE FEET UNDER A RECHARGE
PERMIT, RIGHT, YOU'RE YOU'VE
GOTTEN THE WATER, RIGHT. YOU'VE
STORED IT. THAT WATER GOES FOR 2
OR $3000 AN ACRE FOOT DURING
PEAK DROUGHT YEARS. THAT'S TENS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
POTENTIAL BENEFIT IN OBTAINING
THAT WATER, RIGHT. AND STORING
THAT WATER UNDERGROUND. SO WHAT
HAVE WE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS? THE LAST DECADE
WE'VE PROCESSED A TOTAL OF 48
TEMPORARY PERMITS. THE KEY IN
MOVING THESE FORWARD, WE'VE
RELIED ON SEQUA SUSPENSIONS. SO
DURING THE 20 1415 DROUGHT,
THERE WAS A SEQUEL SUSPENSION IN
PLACE DURING THE 21 THROUGH 23
DROUGHT AND SOME OF THE FLOODS,
THERE WAS A SEQUA SUSPENSION IN
PLACE AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE
FORWARD ON THESE MUCH MORE
QUICKLY WITHOUT THE CEQA
SUSPENSION IN PLACE, A CEQA
DOCUMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
MAJOR MILESTONES INCLUDE THE
STREAMLINED PATHWAY, WHICH WAS
INTRODUCED IN 2019, AND THE FIVE
YEAR TEMPORARY PERMIT, WHICH WAS
INTRODUCED IN 2020. JUST
FOCUSING ON THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, WE'VE PROCESSED ABOUT 24
PERMITS, TEMPORARY PERMITS IN
21, 22, WE ONLY PROCESSED THREE,
AUTHORIZING POTENTIALLY UP TO
ABOUT 80,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER.
BUT IN 2223, THAT REALLY WET
YEAR, WE PROCESSED TEN TEMPORARY
PERMITS AUTHORIZING UP TO ALMOST
670,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER. AND
THEN LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT 133,000
ACRE FEET OF WATER. BUT WHEN WE
LOOK AT HOW MUCH WATER WAS
ACTUALLY RECHARGED UNDER THESE
PERMITS, IT'S A LOT LESS. I WANT
TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT A
LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I THINK IT
GETS TO SOME OF THE UNDERLYING
QUESTIONS WE'VE HEARD EARLIER.
SO WE AUTHORIZED ABOUT 670,000
ACRE FEET OF WATER UNDER TEN
PERMITS. STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH
AND ANALYZED WHAT THE
HYDROGRAPH, WHAT THE STREAMFLOWS
ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE IN SOME OF
THESE WATERSHEDS AND FOUND THAT
THERE'S ABOUT ACTUALLY 80,000
ACRE FEET OF WATER, ACTUALLY
AVAILABLE FOR DIVERTING,
HOWEVER, ONLY ABOUT 20,000 ACRE
FEET WAS ACTUALLY DIVERTED. SO
THAT'S A PRETTY HUGE DIFFERENCE.
WE AUTHORIZED 670,000 ACRE FEET,
ONLY 20,000 ACRE FEET WAS
DIVERTED. WHY IS THAT? WELL, A
LOT OF REASONS. ONE, THERE
SOMETIMES WERE LATE APPLICATIONS.
SO WE TRY AND EMPHASIZE GET YOUR
PERMIT IN BEFORE IT STARTS TO
RAIN. WELL, WHEN WE GET A PERMIT
IN IN FEBRUARY AND IT'S ALREADY
BEEN RAINING FOR THREE MONTHS,
IT TAKES US A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO
PROCESS IT. YOU'RE JUST OUT OF
TIME AND I'LL SHOW A TABLE IN A
MINUTE. THAT KIND OF STEPS
THROUGH. WE DID GET A LOT OF
LATE PERMITS OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS, PERMITS COME IN
PARTWAY THROUGH THE REQUESTED
SEASON, BUT THE QUANTITY
AUTHORIZED REFLECTS THE ENTIRE
DIVERSION SEASON. SO EVEN THOUGH
WE MIGHT NOT GET THE PERMIT
UNTIL JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, THEY
KIND OF DO THEIR CALCULATIONS
FOR HOW MUCH HYPOTHETICALLY THEY
COULD DIVERT STARTING DECEMBER
1ST. WELL, WE'VE ALREADY MISSED
THAT TIME. AND THAT'S NOT REALLY
ON THE TABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN
A BIG ONE. TEMPORARY PUMPS
RECHARGE WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
GOING TO APPLY THAT WATER. ARE
THERE FISH SCREENS AVAILABLE.
AND SOME OF OUR SISTER AGENCIES
REQUIREMENTS THERE, LACK OF
READINESS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE
FRANKLY GOT EXCITED. IT'S
STARTING TO RAIN. THERE'S FLOOD
WATER. WE WANT TO GET IN. WE
WANT TO GET THIS PERMIT. BUT
THEY ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE
EVERYTHING ELSE LINED UP. AND IT
JUST LED TO OTHER DELAYS. AND
THEN THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES
WITH, REPORTED DIFFICULTY
COMPLYING WITH PERMIT TERMS. SO
FISH SCREENS AND DIVERSION
CRITERIA. I WANT TO KIND OF TALK
THROUGH THE DIVERSION CRITERIA A
LITTLE BIT. AND I'LL SHOW A
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, AND I'LL
SEE IF I CAN STEP THROUGH IT. SO
LET'S SAY THAT WE HAVE A PERMIT
COMING TO US. AND WE HAVE WE'RE
TRYING TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH
WATER IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE. WE
HAVE FLOW. WE CAN LOOK AT
HISTORICAL GAUGE DATA AND FIGURE
OUT HOW MUCH WATER HAS BEEN
THERE IN PREVIOUS FLOODS OR HIGH
FLOW EVENTS. AND WE LOOK OVER
THE COURSE OF A DIVERSION
SEASON. IN A FLOOD SCENARIO
THAT'S TYPICALLY DECEMBER
THROUGH MARCH OR APRIL. SO
LOOKING AT THAT HYDROGRAPH,
WE'VE COME UP WITH A
HYPOTHETICAL HIGH FLOW EVENT.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH
WATER WE THINK COULD HAVE BEEN
AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE
TIME PERIOD. AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT YOU'RE CALCULATING YOUR
POTENTIAL PERMIT VOLUME ON. BUT
YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT
EXISTING DEMAND. THERE'S OTHER
WATER USERS OUT THERE,
ESPECIALLY WITH OUR 150 PLUS
YEAR OLD WATER RIGHT SYSTEM. AND
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THIS
ENTIRE AREA THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR
RECHARGE. IT'S ACTUALLY JUST
THIS AREA IN HERE. BUT THEN WHAT
DOES THE RAIN ACTUALLY DO? WHAT
KIND OF PRECIPITATION DO WE
ACTUALLY GET? WE CAN'T GUARANTEE
THAT IT'S GOING TO RAIN AT THIS
LEVEL THE ENTIRE TIME. AND THIS
IS WHAT THE HYDROGRAPH ENDS UP
LOOKING LIKE. YOU GET HIGHER
FLOWS AT SOME TIMES IT DIPS
DOWN, IT COMES BACK UP. AND SO
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER
THAT'S ACTUALLY AVAILABLE FOR
RECHARGE. WE CAN'T CHANGE THIS
CURVE. BUT WE CAN LOOK AT THIS
HYPOTHETICAL HIGH FLOW EVENT AND
WE CAN LOOK AT EXISTING DEMAND
AND THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF FACTOR
IN HOW MUCH WATER IS ACTUALLY
AVAILABLE FOR RECHARGE. TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT THIS EXISTING
DEMAND IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.
AND IN SOME PREVIOUS HEARINGS
BACK IN JANUARY 23RD, WE TALKED
ABOUT WATER RIGHTS MODERNIZATION
AT ITS CORE, WATER RIGHTS
MODERNIZATION IS UNDERSTANDING
THE EXISTING DEMAND. IT'S
GETTING BETTER ACCOUNTING DATA.
IT'S GETTING MORE TIMELY
REPORTING DATA SO THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY DIAL THIS IN A LITTLE
BIT. IT'S PROBABLY NOT A
STRAIGHT LINE. IT'S PROBABLY,
YOU KNOW, A STEPWISE LINE THAT
WE CAN LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT MORE
CLEARLY AND UNDERSTAND WHO'S
USING WHAT, WHEN THEY'RE USING
IT, AND HOW THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE TRANSLATED INTO
ADDITIONAL WATER AVAILABILITY
FOR OTHER DIVERTERS. THE OTHER
THING THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
IS WHEN DOES THE PERMIT COME IN?
SO IF YOU COME IN EARLY IN THE
SEASON, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE
OPPORTUNITY FOR RECHARGE. IF YOU
COME IN HERE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
OPPORTUNITY FOR RECHARGE. AND
THAT'S BEEN A HUGE ISSUE FOR US.
SO LOOKING AT THE WATER, YEAR
23, STREAMLINED PERMITTING, I'LL
TRY AND RUN THROUGH THIS
RELATIVELY QUICKLY. I KNOW I'M
RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LONG. YOU
KNOW, WHEN WE GOT A PERMIT, WAS
IT SUBMITTED A COUPLE OF MONTHS
BEFORE THE DIVERSION SEASON? WE
USUALLY REQUIRE ABOUT 3 TO 4
MONTHS TO PROCESS A PERMIT.
THAT'S REALLY FAST FOR WATER
RIGHTS PERMITTING. COME IN
EARLY, COME IN IN THE SUMMER,
AND WE CAN WORK ON IT. GET IT IN
PLACE BEFORE IT STARTS TO RAIN
OR BEFORE THE DIVERSION SEASON
STARTS DECEMBER 1ST. IN THIS
CASE, THIS PERMIT CAME IN 97
DAYS AFTER THEIR PROPOSED
DIVERSION SEASON BEGAN. WE
PROCESSED IT IN 13 DAYS, THIS
PERMIT FOR MERCED CAME IN 23
DAYS AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE
DIVERSION SEASON. WE PROCESSED
THIS. WE PROCESSED IT IN 14
DAYS, A COUPLE OF OTHERS TOOK US
A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT HERE
AGAIN, DAYS TO ISSUE PERMIT.
THESE ARE GENERALLY IN THE ORDER
OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO PROCESS.
IT'S HIGHLY, HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON
WHEN THE PERMIT COMES TO US. AND
SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO, THAT'S
ONE OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS IS
EARLIER ENGAGEMENT, EARLIER
PLANNING AND PROCESSING, AND
WORKING WITH BOTH OUR DEPARTMENT
COLLEAGUES. AND THE DIVISION CAN
HELP EXPEDITE THESE PERMITS SO
THAT THEY ARE IN PLACE BEFORE
THE WET SEASON BEGINS. SO WE'VE
DONE A BUNCH OF OUTREACH RELATED
TO TEMPORARY PERMITS. WE'VE HAD
STAFF WORKSHOPS. WE'VE HAD ONE
RECENTLY IN JUNE 2024, AND
AMANDA MONTGOMERY AND MIKE
CONWAY FROM THE DIVISION ARE
HERE TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE. IF
THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS,
PLEASE COME SEE US AFTER THE
HEARING WE'VE SENT DIRECT
EMAILS. WE'VE HAD EIGHT STAFF
EVENTS SINCE 2023 RELATED TO
VARIOUS RECHARGE, OFTEN TIMES
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OR FISH AND
WILDLIFE. I WANT TO PAUSE A
LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
SWITCH GEARS. SO WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT PERMITTING. NOW WE'RE
GOING TO SWITCH TO FLOOD
DIVERSIONS WITHOUT A WATER RIGHT.
AND IN 2023 AND THEN
SUBSEQUENTLY THERE IS A NEW
PATHWAY FOR DOING ENHANCED
INCIDENTAL RECHARGE. REALLY
LOOKING AT FLOOD AND AS A FLOOD
MANAGEMENT APPROACH, DIVERTING
SOME OF THAT INTO AREAS WHERE
YOU CAN GET INCIDENTAL RECHARGE
AS WELL. THERE WERE, TWO
EXECUTIVE ORDERS, MARCH 10TH AND
MAY 17TH THAT SPECIFICALLY
CARVED OUT OR HIGHLIGHTED
EXISTING LAW. REALLY THAT SAID,
YOU DON'T NEED A WATER, RIGHT?
WHEN YOU'RE DIVERTING WATER FOR
A FLOOD CONTROL ACTION, A LOT OF
THOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER COMPONENTS
WERE ADDED INTO THE WATER CODE
IN SECTION 1240 2.1 THROUGH SB
122. IN JULY OF 2023. WHETHER IT
WAS THE EXECUTIVE ORDER OR SB
122, ALL DIVERSIONS ARE REPORTED
TO THE BOARD AND WE POST THAT
MATERIAL ON OUR WEBSITE. SO
UNDER THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, IN
THIS REALLY WET WATER YEAR, WE
HAD ABOUT 75 DIVERTERS THAT TOOK
THIS FLOOD MANAGEMENT APPROACH,
ABOUT 250 SEPARATE POINTS OF
DIVERSION OFF OF VARIOUS
WATERSHEDS FOR ABOUT 402,000
ACRE FEET OF WATER. MOST OF THAT
WAS ACTUALLY THROUGH THIS DOT
OVER HERE RELATED TO THE LOS
ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND
POWER, SHUNTING WATER OFF OF THE
LA AQUEDUCT. SUBSEQUENT TO THE
EXECUTIVE ORDERS, WATER CODE
ONE, TWO, 42.1 WAS ADDED. IT
SPELLS OUT WHERE IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO DO THIS TYPE OF
FLOOD MANAGEMENT, IDENTIFIED
AREAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR FLOOD
RECHARGE, INCLUDING RECENT DAIRY
LAND APPLICATION AREAS ON
CULTIVATED LAND. RECENT
PESTICIDE FERTILIZER, OR WHERE
IT COULD DAMAGE OTHER
INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE WERE
REQUIREMENTS ABOUT USING
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE OR
TEMPORARY PUMPS, AND A
REQUIREMENT THAT YOU COULDN'T
BUILD SOMETHING NEW SOLELY FOR
FLOOD DIVERSIONS WITHOUT GOING
THROUGH A FULL PERMITTING
PROCESS. UNDER THIS NEW WATER
CODE, SECTION 1240 2.1, IN 2024,
THERE WERE ZERO REPORTED
DIVERSIONS UNDER THAT FLOOD
TRIGGER. WHY IS THAT? IT'S NOT
BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE OF 1240 2.1
WAS TOO RESTRICTIVE. IT WAS
BECAUSE IT WAS A DRIER WATER
YEAR. IT WAS AN AVERAGE OR BELOW
AVERAGE YEAR. THERE WEREN'T ANY
FLOODS. AND SO YOU COULDN'T
UTILIZE THE FLOOD TRIGGER THE
SAME WAY THAT YOU COULD IN 2023.
WE'RE GOING TO HOST A VIRTUAL
WORKSHOP ON OCTOBER NINTH
RELATED TO THIS TYPE OF FLOOD
CONTROL, DIVERSION. IT WILL
INCLUDE USEFUL TIPS FOR
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE.
HOW TO FILE YOUR REPORTS. IT'S
GOING TO ALSO BE RECORDED AND
POSTED. AND JUST A NOTE IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TEMPORARY
PERMITS, ALSO COME TALK TO US.
WE HAVE RECORDED OUR JUNE
WORKSHOP AND THAT'S ALSO
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. I
THINK THAT'S IT. I HAVE SOME
OTHER EXTRA SLIDES, BUT WE DON'T
NEED TO GO INTO THOSE DETAILS. I
THINK THIS MAY. NEXT, THANK YOU
SO MUCH, ERIC AND THEN TINA FOR
JOINING US HERE TODAY, NEXT,
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, STEPHANIE
DIETZ, BOARD MEMBER OF MERCED
IRRIGATION DISTRICT. GOOD
MORNING. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIRWOMAN SORIA AND CHAIRWOMAN
PIPPIN PIPPIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO
BE HERE. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE
DIETZ, AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER
FOR THE MERCED IRRIGATION
DISTRICT. I'M NOT. I DON'T HAVE
A PRESENTATION FOR YOU. I HAVE
MORE OF A TESTIMONY, SO MID
REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 140,000
IRRIGABLE ACRES IN WILDLIFE
REFUGES IN EASTERN MERCED COUNTY
IN MID OWNS AND OPERATES LAKE
MCCLURE, WHICH PROVIDES SURFACE
WATER TO APPROXIMATELY 2200
FARMS. CROPS GROWN WITH
IRRIGATION SUPPLIED BY MID
GENERATE JUST UNDER 1.5 BILLION
IN ANNUAL OUTPUT FOR MERCED
COUNTY, BOTH IN PRODUCTION AND
PROCESSING. THIS REPRESENTS MORE
THAN 8000 JOBS IN THE GENERATION
OF 400, 442 MILLION IN LABOR
INCOME. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE
ANY ANCILLARY BUSINESS ACTIVITY,
BUT IF YOU WERE TO INCLUDE THAT
SUCH AS TRUCKING OR
TRANSPORTATION, WE COULD ADD AN
ADDITIONAL 543 MILLION IN ANNUAL
REVENUE IMPACT TO OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY. ALTHOUGH MID DERIVES
MOST OF ITS WATER FROM THE
RESERVOIR SYSTEM, IT IS A
CONJUNCTIVE USE DISTRICT,
RELYING ON SURFACE WATER STORED
WITHIN THE AQUIFER TO MEET
OPERATIONAL NEEDS. WHEN SURFACE
WATER SUPPLIES ARE INADEQUATE.
I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOUR
COMMITTEES TODAY IN MID.
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE
MERCED IRRIGATION URBAN
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY
AGENCY, ONE OF THREE GSA'S
MANAGING THE CRITICALLY
OVERDRAFT MERCED GROUNDWATER SUB
BASIN. AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THIS
CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP, I'M HERE
TO PROVIDE YOU MY PERSPECTIVE OF
KIND OF THE SUMMARY OF WHAT
YOU'VE HEARD AND THE LOCAL
IMPACT. THE MERCED SUB-BASIN,
SPANNING APPROXIMATELY 512,000
ACRES, WAS AMONG THE FIRST
REGIONS IN THE STATE TO HAVE A
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
APPROVED BY THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES,
DEMONSTRATING OUR LOCAL
COMMITMENT TO RESPONSIBLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT.
CALIFORNIANS ARE ALL TOO
FAMILIAR WITH THE VOLATILITY
THAT WET AND DRY WEATHER YEARS
CAN BRING TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, YOUR ROLE IN
POLICY CONSIDERATION IS CRUCIAL.
IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE ALLOW FOR
THE DIVERSION OF FLOOD WATERS
WHEN AVAILABLE TO BENEFICIAL
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE. THAT
ENSURES THE HEALTH OF THE
SUBBASIN AND PROVIDES CLEAN AND
SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR MERCED'S
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. MID
IS DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE
STATE'S FLOOD-MAR PROGRAM THAT
HAS INVESTED $50 MILLION IN
PROJECTS HERE IN EASTERN MERCED
COUNTY. YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
AND ADVOCACY FOR THIS PROGRAM
ARE VITAL TO OUR FUTURE SUCCESS.
ALLOW ME TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION
TO TWO PIVOTAL EXAMPLES OF
FLOOD-MAR APPLICATIONS THAT I
BELIEVE ARE SIGNIFICANT
IMPORTANCE IN DEMONSTRATING THE
IMPACTS OF WIND SCIENCE AND
POLICY MIGHT NOT YET BE ALIGNED,
AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR
COMMUNITY. IN DECEMBER 2019, THE
GSB MEMBERS COLLECTIVELY APPLIED
THROUGH MID TO OBTAIN A
PERMANENT WATER RIGHT TO FLOOD
WATER. THIS WOULD BENEFIT THE
ENTIRE BASIN BY ALLOWING STREAMS
AT FLOOD STAGES TO DIVERT FLOWS
ACROSS MULTIPLE WATERWAYS TO
GROUNDWATER, RECHARGE SITES OR
WINTER CROPS. DUE TO COMPLEX
WATER RIGHT PROCEDURES THAT YOU
JUST LEARNED ABOUT, THIS
APPLICATION IS STILL PENDING
WITH THE STATE WATER RESOURCES
CONTROL BOARD. SECONDLY, IN
AUGUST OF 2022, THE GSB MEMBERS
SOUGHT A TEMPORARY APPLICATION
FOR MARIPOSA CREEK, THE
PROMINENT WATERWAY NEAR PLANADA,
THROUGH THE FAST TRACK PROCESS
THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT APPROVAL
FOR THIS APPLICATION CAME IN
LATE JANUARY 2023, AFTER
MARIPOSA CREEK FLOODED WITH
CONDITIONS REQUIRING A BIOLOGIST
TO BE ON SITE ONE WEEK BEFORE A
RAIN EVENT, RESULTING IN STREAM
FLOWS EXCEEDING THOSE 90%.
HISTORIC FLOWS THAT WE TALKED
ABOUT, LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO
REFLECT ON JANUARY 2023 AT THE
TIME, I WAS SERVING THIS
COMMUNITY AS MERCED CITY
MANAGER. YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY
TEAMS HERE AT THE CITY AND AT
THE COUNTY WERE COLLECTIVELY
WORKING TIRELESSLY THROUGH THAT
EVENT, NOT JUST THE FIRST STORM,
BUT THE SECOND ONE. AND I CAN
TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE THAT WE RESCUED
THOUSANDS OF LIVES, STRANDED
BECAUSE OF THE FLOODWATER AND
THOSE FLOODWATERS WERE FOUR FEET
HIGH. THEY WERE ICE COLD, AND WE
HAD TO PROVIDE SHELTER SERVICES
TO THOSE FAMILIES IMPACTED BY
THE OVERTOPPING ON BOTH THE
MARIPOSA AND BEAR CREEK. THOSE
THOSE FAMILIES ARE STILL
STRUGGLING TO RECOVER AND HAVE
NOT RECOVERED SINCE. MANY OF
THEM HAVE FACED PERMANENT
HOUSING DISPLACEMENT AND LOSS OF
ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS. I STOOD
BESIDE MANY OF YOU IN RESPONSE
TO AN UNIMAGINABLE CRISIS,
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS AND ASKING
MYSELF, HOW COULD THIS BE OUR
REALITY? I MENTIONED EARLIER THE
2019 PERMIT STILL NOT PROCESSED
AND THE 2020 PERMIT WAS RECEIVED
WEEKS TOO LATE, WITH CONDITIONS
THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD
HAVE MET AT THE TIME. WE DIDN'T
BELIEVE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I OFFER THESE TWO APPLICATIONS
AS EXAMPLES OF HOW LOCAL
COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD THE
FORESIGHT TO SEEK PERMISSION,
ALBEIT WITHOUT SUCCESS, IN WET
CYCLES, TO CAPTURE FLOOD WATERS
THAT COULD RECHARGE THE AQUIFER,
IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY
OF LOCAL GROUNDWATER LEVELS, AND
ATTEMPT TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS
OF FLOOD WATERS ON CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, HOMES,
BUSINESSES AND THE LIVES OF SO
MANY MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT THE BEST
SOLUTIONS COME FROM THOSE WHO
HAVE SURVIVED THE UNTHINKABLE.
UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, CHAIRMAN
SORIA, LEGISLATION WAS DRAFTED
TO ALLEVIATE THESE OBSTACLES
DURING SEVERE WEATHERS Ã
WEATHER EVENTS. THIS SOLUTION
WAS PROVEN FEASIBLE UNDER THE
EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER IN 2023 AND LATER
CODIFIED. AS WE HEARD ABOUT IN
SB 122. IN 2024, TWO BILLS AGAIN
ATTEMPTED TO BETTER FLOOD,
BETTER SUPPORT, FLOOD MÀ
DIVERSIONS BY BUILDING ON SB
1221 BILL WAS AMENDED TO REQUIRE
EXCESS CONDITIONS IN THE DELTA
100 MILES DOWNSTREAM FROM
POTENTIALLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
HOW WOULD THIS BILL HAVE
IMPACTED PLANADA OR MERCED?
WELL, IN JANUARY OF 2023, THE
DELTA WAS NOT IN AN EXCESS
CONDITION. SO UNDER THIS
PROPOSED BILL, THE DIVERSION
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND
FLOODING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
THE SECOND BILL WOULD REQUIRE
CONSULTATION WITH FISH AND
WILDLIFE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
THEIR PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS.
THESE BILLS ESSENTIALLY SET OUR
COMMUNITY BACK TO THE CHALLENGES
WE FACED WITH OUR PREVIOUS
APPLICATIONS. WHAT OTHER LESSONS
CAN WE LEARN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF
FLOOD CONDITIONS IN OUR
COMMUNITY FROM THE PAST? OVER
THE PAST 50 YEARS, THE
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES OF
PLANADA, MERCED AND FRANKLIN
BEECHWOOD EXPERIENCED FLOOD
CONDITIONS WITH THE DELTA NOT
EXPERIENCING IN EXCESS SIX OUT
OF TEN TIMES, AND THOSE WERE NOT
NECESSARILY IN WET YEARS, AS YOU
SAW BY SOME OF THE GRAPHS
BEFORE. NOW, I DO NOT ENVY THE
IMPOSSIBLE TASK YOU FACE AS
STATE LEADERS, BUT I COMMIT TO
YOU THAT YOU DO NOT FACE THOSE
CHALLENGES ALONE. WE MUST WORK
TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT
BALANCE CALIFORNIA'S WATER
POLICY AND SEEK CREATIVE
SOLUTIONS IN FLOOD-MAR PROJECTS
THAT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY'S
ABILITY TO GROW AND PROSPER. THE
EASTERN MERCED COUNTY
COMMUNITIES OF PLANADA, LA
GRANDE, MERCED, ATWATER,
LIVINGSTON, EL NIDO, CRESSEY AND
BALLICO ARE ALL 100% DEPENDENT
ON GROUNDWATER FOR DRINKING
WATER. SUCCESSFUL FLOOD-MAR
PROJECTS CAN ENSURE THAT WATER
SUPPLY RELIABILITY EXISTS TO
SUPPORT THESE COMMUNITIES. A
HEALTHY AND THRIVING MERCED
COUNTY BENEFITS CALIFORNIA
TREMENDOUSLY. AT A TIME WHEN THE
COST OF GROCERIES IS AT AN ALL
TIME HIGH, MERCED COUNTY
PRODUCES AN AFFORDABLE,
SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY FOR
CALIFORNIA, AND WE FEED THE
WORLD. AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, AT
A TIME WHEN THE AMERICAN DREAM
OF HOME OWNERSHIP SEEMS OUT OF
REACH FOR SO MANY, MERCED COUNTY
OFFERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
BUSINESS GROWTH SOLUTION NOT
FOUND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. AS
YOU MOVE FORWARD, LET LOCAL
EXPERIENCE DRIVE IDENTIFYING
STREAMS OF INTEREST AND STANDARD
FLOOD STAGE LEVELS. LET'S
PREVENT THE DEVASTATION THAT
FLOOD WATERS BRING WITH A
DIVERSION TO RECHARGE SITES THAT
BENEFIT COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF
CRIPPLING THEM FOR GENERATION.
AND LET'S DO IT WITHOUT TYING
THESE PROJECTS TO OTHER
COMMUNITIES OR OVERBURDENSOME
CONDITIONS. I APPLAUD GOVERNOR
NEWSOM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
WATER RESOURCES FOR ADVOCATING
FOR INCREASED FLOOD-MAR
ACTIVITIES WITHIN COMMUNITIES
THAT BEAR THE BRUNT OF FLOOD
CONDITIONS WITHOUT THE BENEFIT
OF RECHARGE. I STAND READY TO
WORK WITH ALL OF YOU ON
COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT
SUPPORT A VIBRANT MERCED COUNTY
AND CALIFORNIA FOR YEARS TO
COME. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU.
STEPHANIE FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I
THINK WE'RE AT THE END OF THE
PANEL. THE FIRST PANEL, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY WE HEARD THE OVERVIEW
OF SOME FUTURE PLANS, AND THEN A
VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF KIND
OF THE LOCAL PERSPECTIVE IN
TERMS OF, HOW POLICY ENDS UP
BEING APPLIED IN COMMUNITIES AND
THE IMPACTS AND SOMETIMES EVEN
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE
WAY THAT WE SHAPE POLICY. SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT, WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS OPEN IT UP TO
QUESTIONS TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE
SECOND PANEL AFTER QUESTIONS. DO
YOU WANT TO START? SO FIRST OF
ALL, THANK YOU. EACH FOR, I
THINK THIS MICROPHONE HAS A
DELAY TO IT. THANK YOU, EACH OF
YOU, FOR YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR
TIME HERE TODAY, AND OBVIOUSLY
OUR LAST SPEAKER, FROM MIT KIND
OF BRINGS IT ALL HOME AS TO HOW
ALL THESE THINGS EITHER WORK
COLLECTIVELY OR THEY DON'T. AND
SO I APPRECIATE THE BOOTS ON THE
GROUND. I VIEW, IF YOU WILL, SO
I GUESS SOME OF MY QUESTIONS
RELATES. I MEAN, I CERTAINLY
KNEW WE WERE GOING TO GET TO THE
GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER. I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW ME TALKING
ABOUT HERE. WE'RE GETTING ALL
THE WAY TO IT, AND I RECOGNIZE
THAT IT DOES PROVIDE
FLEXIBILITY. CERTAINLY, BUT I
GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND THIS
REALLY COMES TO DEPARTMENT OF
WATER AND HOW IS IT THAT YOU
THINK WE CAN SORT OF SCALE UP?
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE I
APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE IN ALL
THE MAPPING AND THE MODELING
THAT'S GOING ON. AND AND THE
DIFFICULTY SOMETIMES THAT THAT
TIES IN WITH MOTHER NATURE AND,
AND HOW DO WE TRULY PREDICT
WHAT'S COMING AT US, BUT I WOULD
BE CURIOUS TO KNOW, ARE THERE
THINGS THAT YOU CAN SUGGEST
OUTSIDE OF JUST THE MAPPING,
WHICH IS A HUGE ENDEAVOR, NO
QUESTION ABOUT IT. BUT HOW IS IT
THAT WE CAN SCALE UP A BIT MORE?
IS IT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN
PERMITTING? AND I DON'T KNOW,
I'M THROWING THAT OUT TO YOU.
MR. GOODWIN, AND I'M LOOKING AT
YOU, BUT FEEL FREE TO PASS THE
BUCK. OH, I WILL, BUT I'LL GIVE
IT A STAB FIRST. SO AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, I HIGHLIGHTED THE
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH THAT
WE'VE BEEN TAKING. WE'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH STATE WATER PROJECT
OR, I'M SORRY, STATE BOARD AS
WELL AS CDFW, AND REALLY TALKING
THROUGH WHAT IT MEANS TO DIVERT
OFF FLOOD WATERS AND, AND WHAT
WE SAW WITH THE BILLS THAT CAME
IN WAS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
ASSERTING THEIR EXISTING WATER.
RIGHT? THAT ERIC POINTED OUT,
THESE ARE LONG TERM WATER RIGHTS,
DOWNSTREAM DELTA CONDITIONS
REALLY DRIVE HOW THIS IS
FUNCTIONING. SO THE CHALLENGE
IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE WHEN THE
FLOOD WATERS ARE COMING THROUGH
MERCED, THAT DELTA IS NOT IN
NECESSARILY IN EXCESS. SO THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES AREN'T AVAILABLE
FOR THEM TO DIVERT OFF FREELY.
RIGHT. SO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER
SOME OF THOSE, THOSE CONDITIONS
THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THOSE
ACTIONS. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
IS HOW CAN WE START TO REALLY
WORK WITH OUR FLOOD AGENCIES TO
EVALUATE AND MAYBE INDEX FLOOD
CONDITIONS? WE SEE THE FLOOD
WATERS COMING FROM THE SIERRAS.
THEY'RE COMING INTO THE VALLEY.
WE ANTICIPATE THOSE THROUGH,
NOAA HAS FLOOD ADVISORIES RIGHT?
THEY'RE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY
MONITORING DISCREET STATIONS.
HOW CAN WE EXPAND THAT AND
REALLY LOOK AT ALL OF THE CREEKS
AND ALL OF THE RIVERWAYS TO BE
ABLE TO PREDICT, MORE
ACCURATELY, WHAT IS THE EFFECT
OF THE TIMING OF THESE HIGH FLOW
CONDITIONS THAT ARE THREATENING
PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND LIVELIHOOD
AND LIVES VERSUS WHEN IT GETS
DOWNSTREAM AND SO IF WE CAN
START TO DEVELOP SOME, ABILITY
TO COORDINATE AND HAVE SOME
PREDICTABILITY ABOUT WHERE THOSE
FLOOD CONDITIONS OCCUR, SUCH
THAT WATERS CAN BE DIVERTED OFF
AND STILL KNOW WHAT IS THE WHAT
IS THE FLOOR OF THAT DIVERSION
SO THAT THAT THAT WATER DOES
MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM
AND DOES NOT AFFECT THE ABILITY
FOR THOSE SENIOR WATER RIGHT
HOLDERS TO STILL DIVERT AND
CAPTURE THE, THE WATERS WHEN IT
COMES TO THEM. SO THERE'S A LOT
OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN
THAT SENSE, THERE'S A LOT OF
COORDINATION AND A STRANGE WAY
OF TALKING ABOUT FLOOD AGENCIES.
HERE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
RECHARGE AND WATER SCARCITY. BUT
THAT'S THE NATURE OF CALIFORNIA
HYDROLOGY AT THIS POINT. AND WE
JUST NEED TO EMBRACE THAT AND
FIND NEW PATHWAYS THROUGH. THIS
IS GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY
COMING TO THE TABLE. IT'S GOING
TO TAKE SOME EXTREME, THOUGHT
AND AGREEMENTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN
NAVIGATE THESE PATHWAYS WITHOUT
IMMEDIATELY THROWING THE FLAG.
YOU'RE INJURING ME, HOW DO WE
HOW DO WE FIND THAT PATHWAY SO
THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES START
TO, MANIFEST INTO INTO ACTUAL
WATER ON THE GROUND? I THINK
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF IT.
AND I ALSO DEFER TO MY
COLLEAGUES. AND I WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM FROM YOU AS WELL. BUT
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS
PERHAPS THE APPROPRIATE TRIGGERS.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY. YEAH. YEAH.
AND SPECIFIC THAT THAT THEY ARE,
YOU KNOW, TRULY TRIGGERS THAT
ARE BASED UPON THE THREAT OF
IMPACTS. THE THREAT OF, YOU
KNOW, FLOODING A COMMUNITY, AND
NOT JUST, WELL, IT'S CLOSE. SO
LET'S CAPTURE THIS WATER AND PUT
IT OVER HERE. RIGHT. SO WE NEED
TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK ABOUT HOW WE
COLLECTIVELY WORK THROUGH THIS
AND, AND NAVIGATE THOSE
PATHWAYS. SO I THINK THAT'S
GOING TO TAKE TIME. IT'S GOING
TO TAKE A LOT OF DISCUSSION,
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD LOOKING
AT THE BILLS COMING THROUGH, YOU
KNOW, LOOKING TO REFINE WHAT IS
NOW ONE TWO FOR 2.1 SB, ONE,
TWO, TWO, AND IT'S, IT'S HARD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK 1390 WENT
THROUGH, YOU KNOW, MADE IT SO
FAR AND, AND NO FURTHER. SO,
CLEARLY THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO
BE DONE ON THAT FRONT, AND IT'S
GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF
DISCUSSION. AND TIME IS OF THE
ESSENCE. I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE ARE
WE'RE SEEING CLIMATE CHANGE
EFFECTS OCCURRING NOW, WE'RE
ADAPTING, YOU KNOW, THE TERM WAS
HAS ALWAYS BEEN WE'VE BEEN
BUILDING THE PLANE AS WE'RE
FLYING IT, IT'S A LITTLE SCARY.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME,
SOME TRUST AND SOME, SOME
COORDINATION AND SOME CLEAR
COMMUNICATIONS TO, TO BUILD THAT
TRUST. AND I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR
PATHWAY FORWARD, WELL, THE
REASON WHY I BROUGHT UP THE WORD
TRIGGER IS BECAUSE I KIND OF
FEEL LIKE IF THE TRIGGERS ARE IN
PLACE, THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE
FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE THE WEATHER
REQUIRES THE FLEXIBILITY. IF YOU
WILL. AND SO I'M, I'M A LITTLE
MORE OPTIMISTIC WE CAN GET TO
TRIGGERS A LITTLE FASTER. BUT
THAT MAY BE JUST ME. I KNOW
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS SAU IS CHOMPING
AT THE BIT, BUT GO AHEAD. OR DID
YOU WANT TO? YEAH, I WANT TO ADD
SOMETHING TO THIS. FOR THE
WATERSHED STUDIES, WE LOOKED AT
AT SCALE IMPLEMENTATION, HOW CAN
WE DO THAT? THERE ARE THREE
LEVELS OF IMPLEMENTATION. ONE IS
WE CAN SKIM WATER OFF THE RAGING
RIVERS THAT WE THAT WE HAVE SEEN
PROVIDES VERY LITTLE BENEFIT TO
GET SCALE AT SCALE, YOU GOT TO
RE OPERATE THE RESERVOIR. YOU
GOT TO GET THE RESERVOIR ENGAGED
WITH MÀ, MANAGE AQUIFER
RECHARGE, AND THAT REQUIRES
WORKING WITH ARMY CORPS, WITH
STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL
AGENCIES. AND THEN YOU CAN
ACTUALLY MAKE BIG DIFFERENCE TO
THE SYSTEM. YOU CAN YOU WILL RE
OPERATE IN A WHOLE MODE. WATER
IN THE RESERVOIR AND THEN SEND
IT DOWN INTO THE, INTO THE
GROUNDWATER STORAGE AND THEN
CHANGE THE CURVE OF THE OF THE
OPERATION. SO THAT'S WHAT WE
WOULD RECOMMEND. BUT THAT
REQUIRES US WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I'M GOING TO STOP. LOOKS
LIKE THERE IS THERE'S A LOT TO
BE SAID HERE. AND I'M GOING TO
ASK ERIC TO KINDLY ELABORATE ON
WHAT IS GOING TO TAKE TO DO
UMBRELLA LEVEL PERMIT, BECAUSE
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS, IS
WHOLE WATERSHED, YOU KNOW,
TAKING OPPORTUNITY OF WHEREVER
THERE IS PERMEABLE GROUND,
SENDING THE WATER THERE TO
RECHARGE. AND WE HAVE MADE A
TOOL CALLED GRAD AND IT HANDED
OVER. MIGHTY HAS THAT SO THAT
THEY CAN INTELLIGENTLY SEND
WATER TO WILLING LANDOWNERS WHO
HAVE HIGH PERMEABILITY SO THAT
DEPENDING ON CROP TYPE, THEY
KNOW HOW MUCH IS GOING TO TAKE,
HOW HOW MUCH PONDING IT CAN
TAKE, AND ALL OF THIS CAN BE
DONE AT THE SAME TIME FOR ALL,
ALL LANDS. SO BUT IT REQUIRES
PERMIT, A UMBRELLA LEVEL PERMIT.
SO MAYBE I'M GOING TO REQUEST
ERIC TO KINDLY ELABORATE ON
THAT. WELL, BEFORE I JUST
EXPLAIN THE UMBRELLA, BECAUSE
YOU SEE THE TEMPORARY PERMITS
THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS
SMALL, SMALL SCALE PROJECTS. BUT
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
WHOLE WATER DISTRICT, THEN IT
REQUIRES A PERMIT OF THE
UMBRELLA, WHAT THEY CALL
UMBRELLA LEVEL, UMBRELLA SCALE
PERMIT. SO AN UMBRELLA SCALE
PERMIT IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW,
TYPICALLY YOU THINK OF A WATER
RIGHT AS ONE POINT OF DIVERSION
AND ONE PLACE OF USE AND AN
UMBRELLA SAYS WE HAVE THIS WHOLE
WATERSHED. MID HAS 40, 140,000
ACRES. FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S HAVE
15 OR 20 POINTS OF DIVERSION,
ALL OPERATING UNDER KIND OF THE
SAME WATER DIVERSION TRIGGER.
AND WE CAN DIVERT IT IN A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT PLACES. SO WE'RE
NOT HYPER FOCUSED ON KIND OF ONE
SPECIFIC PLACE. WE ALREADY DO
ALLOW THIS PATHWAY. SO THAT IS A
POSSIBILITY UNDER OUR EXISTING
PERMITTING REGIME. WHAT IF I MAY?
THEN WHO GETS THE WATER ONCE
IT'S BEEN? IF IT'S UNDER A WATER
RIGHT PERMIT, IT WOULD BE
WHOEVER HOLDS THAT WATER RIGHT
PERMIT AND SO IF I'M A GSA,
LET'S SAY A GSA COULD FILE AND
APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY PERMIT AS
THE GSA, THEY HAVE THAT POWER
UNDER THEIR JOINT POWERS
AUTHORITY. USUALLY. THEN IT
WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE PROPERTY
OF THE GSA. HOW THEY WORKED OUT
WITH INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS WOULD
BE A LOCAL DECISION. THE BOARD
WOULD NOT GET INVOLVED WITH
THAT. WE'D SAY, DO YOU HAVE A
PROCESS WORKED OUT? AND IF THEY
DID, WE'D SAY, GREAT. SO WE TRY
TO STAY OUT OF THAT COMPONENT OF
IT BECAUSE IT IS MANY DIFFERENT
SITES INVOLVE MANY DIFFERENT
PEOPLE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR
CLARIFYING THAT. OKAY THANKS.
JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON, I
THINK THE QUESTION THAT WAS MADE
BY CHAIRWOMAN CHAIRWOMAN PAPIN
IN TERMS OF AND I THINK THAT YOU
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE RESPONDED IN
TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT
EXISTS IN GETTING PEOPLE
TOGETHER. AND YES, IT'S GOING TO
TAKE TIME, BUT WHEN CAN WE
START? HOW FAST CAN WE GET IT
DONE? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
COMMUNITIES LIKE CAÑADA, THE
MCSWAIN AREA, THE TULARE LAKE
COMMUNITIES DOWN IN THE SOUTH
VALLEY CAN'T WAIT, YOU KNOW WHAT
WE HAD TO DO THIS YEAR OR THIS
PAST YEAR WAS THAT WE HAD TO
LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, GENERAL FUND
MONEY, $20 MILLION TO HELP
PEOPLE PROVIDE THEM SOME RELIEF.
AND I WOULD HATE TO FOR US TO,
YOU KNOW, TAKE SO MUCH TIME AND
I GET IT THAT WE WANT TO GET IT
RIGHT. BUT I THINK THAT WE ALSO
NEED TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY
BECAUSE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING
IT IN US, YOU KNOW, MOVING ALONG
A LITTLE BIT QUICKER TO FIGURING
OUT A PATHWAY MORE FLEXIBILITY
SO THAT WE DON'T SEE ANOTHER
CAÑADA. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO BE
ADVOCATING FOR, YOU KNOW, A $20
MILLION GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION
TO HELP THESE FAMILIES GET BACK
ON THEIR FEET, WHICH, AS
MENTIONED, MANY ARE STILL KIND
OF IN THE PROCESS OF. AND SO
JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO WHO NEEDS TO
BE AT THE TABLE. HOW CAN WE MAKE
THAT HAPPEN, SOONER RATHER THAN
LATER. EXCELLENT POINT. AND
QUESTION. REALLY, I THINK THE,
THE BEST PATH FOR EXPEDITING
THIS IS COORDINATION WITH THE
LOCALS. AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT
CONNECTING OUR, OUR LOCAL FLOOD
WHEN WE WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT
DIVERSION OF FLOOD WATERS. OKAY
THIS IS OUTSIDE THE WATER RIGHT
SCHEME. SO WE HAVE A CLEAR
PATHWAY IF YOU WANT TO TAKE
CREDIT FOR THAT WATER AND YOU
WANT A WATER RIGHT FOR IT,
THERE'S A PATHWAY AND IT'S
OUTLINED AND PRESCRIBED AND
GETTING STARTED EARLY IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART TO
EFFECTUATE THAT PATHWAY. FLOOD
WATERS COME FAST AND FURIOUS. WE
CAN'T WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT
STORM TO BE ON US. WHEN WE START
GOING, WE SHOULD BE THINKING
ABOUT DIVERTING. SO RIGHT NOW IS
THE TIME FOR THE LOCAL FLOOD
AGENCIES TO BE LOOKING THROUGH
THEIR THEIR OBSERVED CONDITIONS
AND DEFINING WHAT THRESHOLDS,
WHAT WHAT ARE THE FLOW
CONDITIONS WHEN WE SEE EMERGENCY
ACTIONS NEEDING TO TAKE PLACE TO
PROTECT PEOPLE AND PROPERTY IN
MERCED, I THINK THE EXAMPLE WAS
ONE OF THE HIGHWAYS FLOODS
REGULARLY AND WE LOOKED AT,
WELL, WHAT STAGE, WHAT WAS THE
FLOW IN THAT SYSTEM WHEN THAT
CONDITION OCCURS WHERE YOU'RE
LIMITING EGRESS TO AND FROM AN
AREA BECAUSE THE HIGHWAY IS
FLOODED AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE
TIME, THAT WAS A GOOD THRESHOLD
TO START ESTABLISHING. THAT'S
ONE SPOT ON ONE CREEK IN A VERY
LARGE AREA. SO WHAT WE NEED TO
START DOING IS REALLY THINKING
COMPREHENSIVELY FROM THE COUNTY
LEVELS AND THE COUNTIES ARE
THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS NOW
ABOUT WHERE DO THEY HAVE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE, WHAT DO
THOSE WHAT DO THOSE FLOODING
CONDITIONS LOOK LIKE. AND THEN
WE NEED TO CORRELATE THAT TO
WHAT IS THAT CONDITION IN THE
RIVER OR CREEK THAT IS
OCCURRING. AND HOW DO WE HOW DO
WE DEFINE THAT ONCE WE DEFINE
THOSE THRESHOLDS, THOSE TRIGGER
POINTS? I THINK WE CAN SAY ABOVE
WHICH WE CAN START MOVING WATER
OFF THE SYSTEM. BUT THERE'S
STILL THAT QUESTION OF, WELL,
WHERE'S THE BOTTOM OF THAT? AND
HOW LONG DO WE DIVERT AND AT
WHAT POINT IS OUR DIVERSION
GOING TO START INJURING ANOTHER
DOWNSTREAM WATER RIGHT HOLDER.
THAT'S THE LONGER TERM QUESTION
THAT I THINK IS GOING TO TAKE
TIME TO RESOLVE AND REALLY BUILD
CONFIDENCE IN, IN THOSE
THRESHOLDS AND TRIGGERS THAT
WE'RE DESCRIBING HERE. SO I
THINK RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME AND
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD BOARD,
PRESIDENT JANE DOLAN, THERE.
SHE'S BEEN VERY TUNED IN ON THIS
AND HOW WE CAN ADAPT THE NEXT
FLOOD PLAN TO SUPPORT LOCAL
AGENCIES IN DOING THESE THINGS.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO MESH
TOGETHER, WORLDS THAT HAVEN'T
TRADITIONALLY BEEN MESHED
TOGETHER. AND IT'S AWARENESS AND
BRINGING THEM TO THE TABLE AND
SAYING, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY
HERE. WE NEED THESE THINGS.
YOU'RE THE FLOOD MANAGERS.
YOU'RE THE EXPERTS IN YOUR
REGION ABOUT HOW THIS OCCURS. WE
NEED THOSE THRESHOLDS DEVELOPED.
SO THEN THE WATER MANAGERS, THE
WATER SUPPLIERS CAN START TO
EVALUATE, WELL, DO I HAVE SPACE
TO STORE THESE FLOOD WATERS? HOW
CAN I ASSIST IN THIS FLOOD
RESPONSE. SO WE'RE WE'RE MELDING
WORLDS AND IT'S HAPPENING IN
REAL TIME AS SIGMAS, YOU KNOW,
FLYING DOWN THE ROADS. AND
AGENCIES ARE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT
THEIR RECHARGE PROJECTS. I KNOW,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN CHEVELLE WANTED TO
FOLLOW UP JUST ON ON THIS TOPIC
OF, OF PERMITTING. WE SO AS I
MENTIONED, THE SANTA CLARA RIVER
IS ONE OF THE LAST NATURAL
RIVERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN
MY DISTRICT. AND SO OUR WATER
AGENCY, SCV WATER, HAS BEEN
REALLY FOCUSED ON RECHARGE
OPPORTUNITIES AND DIFFERENT WAYS
TO RECHARGE AND THEY'RE ALSO
TEXTING ME AND TELLING PEOPLE,
I'M IN THIS HEARING AND THEY'RE
LIKE, HOW DO WE GET PERMITS
FASTER? SO IT SEEMS LIKE A HOT
TOPIC, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WONDER I
KNOW, MR. ACHTYL, YOU WERE
PUTTING UP THE SLIDES EARLIER
SHOWING KIND OF WHEN PERMITS
WERE COMING IN, WHEN HOW QUICKLY
THEY WERE APPROVED. ARE THOSE
TEMPORARY PERMITS OR. OKAY. AND
SO, SO FOR A WATER AGENCY, IT
SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
WATER AGENCIES NEED A MORE
PERMANENT PERMIT AND NOT THE
TEMPORARY. WE WOULD ENCOURAGE
WATER AGENCIES TO APPROACH IT
THROUGH A TEMPORARY PROCESS. IF
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN STARTING,
BECAUSE, FRANKLY, WHY NOT? THERE
IS A COST ASSOCIATED TO IT. SO
THAT MAY BE PART OF IT. BUT YOU
KNOW, IT DOES TAKE A LONG TIME
TO DO A STANDARD WATER RATE. AND
THAT'S BECAUSE OF REQUIREMENTS
IN THE WATER CODE. THERE'S A LOT
OF DUE PROCESS THAT'S JUST PART
OF WATER RIGHTS PERMITTING, BUT
THE TEMPORARY PROCESSES ARE
FASTER. THERE ARE LESS DUE
PROCESS ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH
IT. AND SO GETTING A 180 DAY AS
A PILOT PROJECT OR TRANSLATING
THAT INTO A FIVE YEAR TEMPORARY
PERMIT, YOU COME IN ONCE YOU GET
IT FOR FIVE YEARS, THAT'S A
GREAT SEGUE INTO A PERMANENT
WATER. RIGHT? SO YOU CAN EVEN
APPLY FOR BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
THE FIVE YEARS UP AND RUNNING,
YOU CAN DIVERT UNDER THAT FIVE
YEAR TEMPORARY PERMIT WHILE
WE'RE ALSO PROCESSING YOUR
STANDARD PERMIT AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO THERE'S PATHWAYS WE'RE
TRYING TO EXPEDITE SO THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE TO WAIT 5 OR 10 YEARS
FOR A STANDARD PERMITTING
PROCESS. AND YOU CAN GET GOING
RIGHT AWAY. SO ENCOURAGE THEM TO
REACH OUT TO US AND START THE
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. AND
THEN JUST ONE OTHER QUICK FOLLOW
UP QUESTION. DO YOU, SO FOR THE
FOLKS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO WERE
LATE GETTING THEIR PERMITS IN,
ARE IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE
WATER BOARD DOES KIND OF
PROACTIVELY, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS
LIKE NOW IS THE TIME TO START
GETTING THOSE REQUESTS IN TO GET
THE WORD OUT AND SAY, HEY, YOU
KNOW, GET, GET MOVING, TURN IT
IN. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE
POINTED OUT THERE'S A WE DID A
WORKSHOP IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN SENDING TARGETED
EMAILS TO PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW
HAVE APPLIED IN THE PAST, OR
CONSULTANTS THAT HAVE WORKED ON
RECHARGE PROJECTS. WE WORK VERY,
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF WATER RESOURCES. AND I THINK
ONE OF THE THINGS I'D WANT TO
EMPHASIZE IN 2023, A LOT OF THE
REASONS WE GOT SO MANY MORE
PERMITS THROUGH IS BECAUSE THEY
WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT. THE
DEPARTMENT PROVIDED TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE UP FRONT, AND THAT
HELPED US STREAMLINE THE PERMIT.
ONCE IT GOT TO US. SO ADDITIONAL
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WE DO
WEBINARS ARE POSTED ONLINE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER
WEBINAR IN OCTOBER. AND THEN
JUST ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REACH
OUT TO US AND HOW MUCH DO THE
PERMITS COST. SO RIGHT NOW THERE
ARE A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS, A
STANDARD WATER RIGHT IS VERY
WELL, I WON'T SAY VERY
EXPENSIVE. IT HAS A COST
ASSOCIATED WITH IT. IT DEPENDS
ON THE SIZE OF THE WATER. RIGHT.
ONCE YOU GET ABOVE ABOUT 32,000
ACRE FEET, THE APPLICATION FEE
IS $600,000. THAT COVERS US FOR
A LOT OF YEARS, BUT WE ARE A FEE
FUNDED AGENCY, SO WE HAVE TO
GENERATE FEES. AND IF IT TAKES 5
TO 10 YEARS TO PROCESS A PERMIT,
WE HAVE TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS.
THE WATER RIGHTS, TEMPORARY
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE FEES, I
THINK ARE RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 3
TO 4% OF OUR STANDARD FEE. SO WE
ARE IMMENSELY SUBSIDIZING THE
RECHARGE PERMITTING TOMORROW AT
THE STATE WATER BOARD PUBLIC
MEETING. WE WILL CONSIDER
CHANGES TO OUR FEE STRUCTURES,
WHICH WILL RAISE THAT TO ABOUT
25%, 35% OF OUR, STANDARD FEE.
SO IT WILL BE AN INCREASE. IT'S
STILL VERY CHEAP RELATIVE TO A
STANDARD PERMIT. BUT AGAIN, WE
HAVE TO GENERATE COST RECOVERY
ESSENTIALLY TO FUND OUR STAFF.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE
QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL PASS IT TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIRS. THERE'S A LOT
TO DISSECT HERE, WHICH IS
PROBABLY WHY WE ARE STILL HERE.
LET'S GO INTO THE YOU DISCUSSED,
UMBRELLA PERMITTING AND PART OF
THE MAP. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
FLOOD AND MÀ. WE'RE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT. WELL,
INJECTION WERE BROUGHT UP. WHAT
I DIDN'T SEE AND WHAT I HAVEN'T
HEARD. AND I'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT DOING INJECTION WELLS FOR
DECADE, EVEN TO THE POINT OF THE
LOWER. AND IT WASN'T MENTIONED,
BUT EVEN THE GRAVITY PIT ONES,
WHICH ARE WAY CHEAPER. WHY ISN'T
THERE A MAP OF PINPOINT SPOTS
WHERE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO USE?
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THAT
AS A STATE FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR
LOCAL AGENCIES AND FUNDING FOR
THOSE PROJECTS? BECAUSE WE KNOW
THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE. WE KNOW
DURING THESE FLOOD POINTS WE CAN
SAY, HEY, IF WE OPEN UP THIS
GATE HERE AND PUT WATER ON THIS
ACRE AND WE HAVE THIS INJECTION
WELL THERE, WE CAN SINK WATER
QUICKLY AND PROTECT THE CITY OR
A TOWN THAT'S DOWNSTREAM,
BECAUSE THAT IS THAT IS A HUGE
FACTOR THAT WE DO NOT HAVE IN
THE SYSTEM. THE OTHER ASPECT OF
THAT, AND IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT
CREDITS, HOW DO WE ENSURE OUR
FARMERS WHO CHOOSE TO TAKE THE
ADDED FLOOD WATER ON ARE GOING
TO GET CREDITS FOR DOING SO,
BECAUSE THAT HAS NOT BEEN WORKED
OUT YET AND HAS BEEN A HUGE,
HUGE ISSUE. EVERY FARMER THAT
I'VE TALKED TO IS LIKE, HEY, I
WANT TO TAKE IT, BUT WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN? I'M NOT GETTING
A CREDIT FOR IT. I'M NOT GETTING
THIS FOR IT. IT MIGHT DAMAGE MY
CROPS. THERE'S A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTIES IN GUARANTEEING
THEM A CREDIT FOR TAKING ON THAT
FLOOD WATER WOULD HELP ASSURE
THEM THAT THERE IS SOME
PROTECTION, THAT THEY'RE GOING
TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT,
BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE FOLKS CAN
PLAN ON IT, THAT THEY WOULD GO
MOVE DIRT, THAT THEY ALREADY CAN
MOVE TO BE READY FOR IT. THEY
KNOW A STORM IS COMING. THEY
KNOW THEY CAN GO OUT. THEY KNOW
THEY CAN DO A FEW THINGS ON
THEIR PROPERTY TO BRACE FOR THAT
IMPACT. AND THEY WOULD BE MORE
FLEXIBLE. AND I SEE A LOT OF
HEADS NODDING IN THE CROWD. IT
WOULD GIVE THEM THAT ABILITY TO
DO SO. AND WE DON'T HAVE IT
WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO. AND THAT
GETS BACK INTO THAT FLEXIBILITY
OF THE PERMITS AND HOW QUICKLY
THOSE PERMITS COME OUT. BUT IT'S
A WHAT I SEE IS WE DON'T JUST
NEED A QUICK PERMIT ON A SPECIAL
PROGRAM, BUT THE GSA HAS IT. AND
THIS IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH
THIS WHOLE SYSTEM IS EVERYBODY'S
STILL NOT WORKING TOGETHER TEN
YEARS AND WE'RE STILL NOT
WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE WE HAVE
THE FLOOD GROUPS. WE HAVE THE
GSA GROUPS, WE HAVE IRRIGATION
GROUPS, WE HAVE FLOOD
MANAGEMENT. WE GOT TO COME
TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER IN
THESE PERMITS. NEED TO GIVE THAT
FLEXIBILITY WITHIN ALL OF IT,
AND IT NEEDS TO BE THE UMBRELLA
PERMIT, BECAUSE WE KEEP DOING
THE LITTLE ONE OFF PERMITS AND
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THE ONE OFF
PERMIT GIVES WATER TO THIS SIDE
BUT NOT WATER TO THIS SIDE. AND
THE PROBLEM IS THE WATER ON THIS
SIDE. THIS FIELD CAN ONLY HANDLE
SO MUCH DURING A FLOOD, BUT THE
PERMIT DOESN'T ALLOW IT TO GO
OVER HERE. EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW
WE COULD. AND THE GUY AND I
SPENT TIME ON THE GROUND, IN THE
DIRT, IN THE MUD, DURING THE BIG
FLOOD, YOU SHOWED THE PICTURE OF
MY DISTRICT. I THINK IT WAS MY
CAR DOWN THERE IN TULARE LAKE
BECAUSE I WAS THERE A LOT OF
CARS IN THERE. YEAH, WE WERE A
LOT OF US WERE THERE AND OUR
GOVERNMENT EXACTLY. WHEN WE HAVE
THE ABILITY TO OPEN UP AND MOVE
WATER, BUT WE CAN'T. IT'S A
PROBLEM BECAUSE WHAT TURNS IT
INTO IS THE CYA. EVERYBODY IS
AFRAID OF GETTING SUED IF THEY
DON'T DO IT. INCLUDING
YOURSELVES, INCLUDING THE
AGENCIES. WHAT DOES THE
LEGISLATIVE BODY AND I AND I'M
RETIRING. BUT I'LL BE BACK AND
I'LL BE A THORN IN YOUR SIDE IN
OTHER WAYS. WHAT DO MY
COLLEAGUES NEED TO DO NEXT YEAR?
LEGISLATIVELY TO HAVE THAT
UMBRELLA PERMITTING DONE QUICKLY?
BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE WITH THE
FLOOD MÀ AND WE PASS THIS,
SHOOT, I WAS JOINT AUTHOR ON THE
BILL THE OTHER YEAR, MAKING SURE
WE CAN USE THE RADAR TO TRACK
WHEN THE STORMS WERE GOING TO
DROP BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT
TECHNOLOGY. SO WE KNOW WHEN THE
WATER IS GOING TO COME, WE START
TRACKING THAT OFF AS FAR AWAY AS
ALMOST HAWAII. THE RADAR IS
TRACKING IT. SO WE KNOW WITHIN
DAYS AND WE KNOW WEEKS OUT THE
STORMS COMING. WE KNOW WHERE
IT'S GOING TO HIT. WE KNOW THE
WEATHER PATTERN. AND SO WHAT DO
THEY NEED TO PASS NOT ONLY FOR
THE STATE SIDE, BUT ALSO TO GET
ARMY CORPS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS. SO I'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PERMITTING
SIDE AND THOSE PERMITTING
PATHWAYS ALREADY EXIST. IF YOU
WANT CREDIT FOR THAT RECHARGE
WATER. COME GET A WATER RIGHT,
WHETHER IT'S A TEMPORARY OR A
STANDARD ONE. AND THEN THAT
WATER THAT YOU STORE UNDERGROUND
IS YOURS TO DO. WHAT YOU CORRECT
PERMIT THAT, BUT THAT'S AHEAD OF
TIME. THAT'S AHEAD OF TIME. THE
CURRENT SYSTEM IS THAT'S AHEAD
OF TIME. AND IF THEY DO IT IN
THE HEAT OF THE STORM, IT'S TOO
LATE. AND THE PROBLEM IS A LOT
OF THESE GUYS DON'T KNOW WHERE
THAT'S GOING TO BE. YOU'RE
ASKING A FARMER THAT'S STILL
TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION
WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO PLANT
IN THE SPRING OR NOT, TO FILL
OUT A PERMIT. THERE'S A WHOLE
LOT OF UNKNOWNS. SO, SO WE'RE
NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT. SO THAT'S
THE FOLKS THAT WANT TO COME IN
AND DO THAT ADVANCED PLANNING.
THEY HAVE THE MEANS RESOURCES,
TIME, CAPACITY TO DO SO UNDER
THE INCIDENTAL FLOOD RECHARGE
COMPONENT, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT
YOU'RE YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING,
RIGHT. WHEN WE GET THESE REALLY
BIG STORMS AND IT STARTS TO
FLOOD AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE A
SPLIT SECOND DECISION THAT'S
OUTSIDE OF THE BOARD'S
PERMITTING AUTHORITY AND THE
CREDIT IN THAT SCENARIO IS
ENTIRELY DECISIONS OF THE LOCAL
GSA SLASH OTHER GROUNDWATER
USERS. THE STATE DOES NOT PLAY A
ROLE IN HOW THE GSA'S WANT TO
CREDIT INCIDENTAL RECHARGE. THEY
CAN WORK THAT OUT. AND IN SOME
CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY HAVE. BUT
THE STATE DOES NOT PERMIT THAT.
AND SO IF YOU OBTAIN THAT WATER,
RIGHT, YOU GO THROUGH THE STATE
BOARD AND YOU GET THAT PERMIT,
YOU HAVE THAT UNDERGROUND
STORAGE. IF YOU'RE DOING THAT
INCIDENTAL FLOOD RECHARGE, HOW
THEY WORK OUT, HOW THAT
INCIDENTAL RECHARGED WATER IS
CREDITED TO THE INDIVIDUAL
FARMERS IS A LOCAL ROLE AND A
LOCAL TASK. NØ TIM, IF YOU HAVE
ANYTHING TO ADD. I WANT TO ADD
ONE MORE THING HERE. POINT YOU
SAID ABOUT HOW DO WE KNOW WHERE
ARE WHERE. THERE ARE GOOD POINTS
FOR RECHARGE. SO DWR AS YOU
KNOW, FLEW THE HELICOPTER OVER
THE VALLEY AND HAS THE AEM DATA
AVAILABLE THAT GOES DOWN. HOW
MANY FEET? 1500 1-000-100-0100
FEET DOWN. AND FOR THE WATERSHED
STUDIES, WE HAVE PULLED THAT
INFORMATION INTO THE WATERSHED
STUDY FOR THE WHOLE BASIN. NOW
FOR THE GROUNDWATER MODEL THAT
WE HAVE MADE. HAS THAT
INFORMATION THAT WHAT IS THE
PERMEABILITY OR WHERE IS THE
WHERE ARE THE GOOD SPOTS FOR
RECHARGING? AND THEN ON TOP OF
IT WITH OVERLAID THE GRAD
GROUNDWATER ASSESSMENT RECHARGE
ASSESSMENT TOOL, WHICH HAS
CONVEYANCE CONNECTED IN ALL LAND
PARCELS WITH THEIR PERMEABILITY
INFORMATION. AND WHAT CROP HAS
BEEN THERE. SO WE HAVE ALL THAT
INFORMATION AND GET THE
INTELLIGENTLY WILL TELL YOU
WHERE TO SEND WATER TO GET THE
MAXIMUM OUT OF RECHARGE. AND
CONSIDERING THE PONDING THAT
DIFFERENT CROPS WILL TAKE
DEPENDING ON THE SEASON, YOU
KNOW, AT THAT TIME, NOT EVERY
CROP CAN TAKE PONDING BECAUSE IT
DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE
IN THE IN THE GROWING SEASON. SO
ALL OF THAT IS AVAILABLE IN
THESE FOR THE GRAD TOOLS ARE
READY. AND AFTER JUNE 2025 THEY
WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE LOCAL
AGENCIES. SO THEY WILL HAVE ALL
OF THIS. AND THERE IS A THEY CAN
PUT THIS TO USE IN SENDING WATER
TO THE BEST PLACES FOR RECHARGE.
AND IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ALSO
IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS LIKE THE,
LIKE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
IN THOSE SAME TOOLS SO THAT WE
CAN SEND WATER TO THOSE AREAS AS
WELL. SO THAT IT WILL IMPROVE
THE GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS AND
IMPROVE THEIR WELLS. ALL OF THAT
IS AVAILABLE IN OUR MODELS. AND
ONE MORE THING I WANT TO ADD THE
GROUNDWATER MODEL THAT WE HAVE
MADE IS FOR THE WHOLE BASIN, A
SINGLE MODEL. SO WHEN ONE GSA
CHARGES RECHARGES, WATER DOESN'T
STAY THERE. IT'S WITHIN. IT'S
ACTUALLY LEAKS OUT TO THE
NEIGHBORING BASINS. AND AFTER A
YEAR IT COMES BACK IN THE RIVER.
SO ONLY ONE THIRD OF THE WATER
RECHARGE. WE HAVE NOTICED, STAYS
IN THE BASIN. EVERYTHING ELSE
MOVES AWAY. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S
NOW KNOWING THIS, WE WANT
ACTUALLY ALL OF THEM ALL THE GSA
WILL BE REQUIRED TO PARTNER SO
THEY KNOW WHO IS DOING WHAT AND
THEY CAN'T. THEY CANNOT STAY
BACK, SAY, OKAY, I DON'T CARE.
BUT THE THING IS, SOMEBODY ELSE
IS RECHARGING. IT'S NOT GOING TO
BE AVAILABLE TO THEM. RIGHT SO
THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, WHICH
GOES BACK TO THE BIG UMBRELLA
PERMIT. YES. YEAH. AND JUST TO
PILE ON THE, THE ACCOUNTING YOU
MENTIONED THERE AND HOW TO HOW
DO FARMERS KNOW THAT THEIR
ACTIONS ARE GOING TO GET CREDIT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SIGMA
DID, I THINK REALLY WELL CALLS
UPON THE LOCALS TO DECIDE. SO
THE GSA IS ARE REQUIRED TO
DEVELOP WATER BUDGETS FOR THEIR
BASIN. WE HAVE A BEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICE OUT THERE. SO PEOPLE
ARE TALKING APPLES TO APPLES
IDEALLY. AND SO WE'RE DEVELOPING
AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH
WATER IS IN THE BASIN, HOW MUCH
WATER THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE
BASIN, HOW MUCH WATER THEY'RE
EXTRACTING FROM THE BASIN.
RIGHT. SO THEREFORE THEY CAN
MAKE ALLOCATIONS AND SAY YOU GET
THIS MUCH. NOW IF WE HAVE A
FLOOD CONDITION AND INCIDENTAL
RECHARGE OCCURS, THAT'S
BENEFITING THE WHOLE OF THE
BASIN, THE GSA IS STILL ABLE TO
MANAGE THOSE WATERS THAT
OCCURRED THERE. MAYBE THEY GET A
LITTLE KICK IN THEIR ALLOCATION
BECAUSE THERE'S ADDED WATER AND
THEY'VE ACHIEVED THEIR
SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. I'M GOING
TO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M
GOING TO I'M GOING TO STOP YOU
AT THAT, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE
GSA'S THAT HAVE DONE THAT, THAT
HAVE MADE LOCAL RULES HAVE BEEN
PUT UNDER SUSPENSION. SO THAT'S
THE STATE TELLING THEM THAT THE
RULES THEY MADE AREN'T GOOD
ENOUGH. SO THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE.
AND I'M GOING TO STOP YOU RIGHT
THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TIME
TO GO INTO THAT. BUT THAT'S THE
FACT. THERE ARE GSA'S THAT HAVE
WRITTEN RULES THAT HAVE BEEN
TOLD BY YOU GUYS, BY YOUR
AGENCIES THAT, HEY, YOU'RE UNDER
SUSPENSION BECAUSE THE RULES
AREN'T WHAT THE STATE WANTS. AND
THAT'S LITERALLY IN COURT. NOW
THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO
ANSWERED IS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED.
AND BECAUSE THIS JUST HAPPENED
THIS MORNING, NIGHT, A COUPLE
HOURS AGO. SO AND THIS IS FROM
SECRETARY KAREN ROSS, THE 100
MILLION HAS BEEN GIVEN FOR
ACTUAL PROJECTS TO HELP
RECHARGE. SO WHY WOULD KAREN
ROSS THIS MORNING SAY THAT
BETTER MANAGEMENT OF GROUNDWATER
IS ESSENTIAL FOR AG TO MAINTAIN
FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE FACE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE? WE KNOW THIS
PART, BUT SHE POINTS OUT THAT
THE STATE HAS INVESTED NEARLY $1
BILLION INTO ADDRESSING
GROUNDWATER ISSUES SINCE THE
PASSAGE OF SIGMA, SO? SO WE'RE
WE'RE HEARING ONLY 100 MILLION.
WHAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER
$900 MILLION? WHERE IS THIS
MONEY GOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING?
YEAH. AND WHY IS THE YOU KNOW,
OUR AG SECRETARY IS LIKE, WHAT'S
GOING ON? SO I GOT YOU GUYS
HERE. SO WHAT'S GOING ON? WELL,
NO, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S A VALID
QUESTION. SIGMA IS A NEW
PROGRAM, AND IT REQUIRED THE
STATE TO STAFF UP THE
DEPARTMENT. BUT ALL A LOT OF
MONEY HAS GONE OUT, NOT ONLY FOR
RECHARGE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO TO
PLAN DEVELOPMENT, ALSO TO
FACILITATION AND TECHNICAL AND
PLANNING ASSISTANCE TO HELP
LOCAL AGENCIES NAVIGATE THIS. SO
THAT'S WHERE THIS BROADER
NUMBER, NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS
HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO. SIGMA IS
IN THE FULL SCOPE OF CREATING
SIGMA AND PUTTING THESE THINGS
IN PLACE. THE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN
PUSHING OUT A LOT OF BOTH
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS,
PLANNING ASSISTANCE TO HELPING
AGENCIES DEVELOP THOSE PLANS AND
IMPLEMENT THEIR PLANS. NOW SO I
COULD GET MORE SPECIFIC
GRANULARITY TO HOW THOSE FUNDS
ARE DISTRIBUTED. YOU KNOW, THAT
THAT NEAR 1 BILLION AND GET THAT
BACK TO YOU. YEAH, THAT WOULD
BE, I THINK, USEFUL INFORMATION
FOR THROUGH THE CHAIR.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH YEAH, YEAH,
THANK YOU FOR, THE QUESTIONS.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS JUST VERY
QUICKLY, I WANT TO TRANSITION
OVER TO PANEL NUMBER TWO, AND WE
MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS,
BUT I DID WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON A
COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, WE HAD,
BOARD MEMBER, STEPHANIE DIETZ
TALK ABOUT TWO SPECIFIC PERMITS
THAT MID APPLIED FOR. ONE OF
THEM WAS APPROVED. THE TEMPORARY
THE MORE RECENT DURING THE
FLOODING. HOWEVER, AT LEAST FROM
MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WERE SOME
CONDITIONS. NOT SURE HOW
REALISTIC THEY WERE BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY I THINK THE
DETERMINATION WAS THAT THEY WERE
NOT ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THE PERMIT. SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THAT? WHAT ARE SOME LEARNED
LESSONS? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
TO CHANGE THAT? BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY WE ARE STILL, DEALING
WITH THE IMPACTS OF THE FLOODING
THAT HAPPENED IN THAT AREA, AND
THE FACT THAT WE COULDN'T TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE PERMIT. AND
THEN SECOND, ON THE 2019, I
THINK PERMIT THAT STILL HASN'T
BEEN APPROVED, JUST WANT TO GET
FEEDBACK ON I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS
ARE TRYING TO EXPEDITE AS MUCH
AS YOU CAN, BUT 2019, WE'RE IN
2024. YEAH SO I'LL JUST DOVETAIL
ONE ONE QUICK PART OF THAT TOO.
IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A
TEMPORARY PERMIT, HOW MUCH OF
THAT CAN CAN BE FACTORED IN INTO
GETTING A PERMANENT PERMIT?
BECAUSE IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE OR
AT LEAST I HOPE WE'RE NOT DOING
DUPLICATIVE WORK WITH
DUPLICATIVE FEES. SO A LOT OF
THE WORK UNDER A TEMPORARY
PERMIT CAN FEED DIRECTLY INTO
THE STANDARD PERMIT. AND THAT'S,
AGAIN, PART OF THIS CONCEPTUAL
PATHWAY OF APPLYING FOR A FIVE
YEAR AND SEGUEING THAT INTO A
STANDARD PERMIT. THERE ARE
DUPLICATIVE FEES. BUT AGAIN,
THAT'S PART OF OUR FEE STRUCTURE
AND GOES TO SUPPORTING THE
DIFFERENT WORK THAT GOES UNDER
THE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
PERMITS, BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO
DIFFERENT PERMITS. BUT THE
TECHNICAL STUDIES, THE FLOW
INFORMATION THAT WE MIGHT GET,
THE PLACES OF USE, ALL THAT
FEEDS, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INTO
THE OTHER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
DO THAT TWICE. THE 2019 PERMIT.
I'LL TOUCH ON THAT QUICKLY. IT'S
STILL UNDER REVIEW AT THE BOARD.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO GO INTO
A LOT OF DETAILS HERE BECAUSE WE
HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN
WITH ME AND RUN THROUGH SOME OF
THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT
WE'VE HAD WITH THE PERMIT
ITSELF. I'LL JUST SAY THAT IT IS
MORE THAN SIMPLY A RECHARGE
PERMIT. IT'S A VERY EXPANSIVE
PERMIT, 400 000 ACRE FEET ON A
RIVER SYSTEM THAT IN 2022 RAN
COMPLETELY DRY. THE MERCED RIVER
HAD NO FLOW IN IT. AT THE
CONFLUENCE WITH THE SAN JOAQUIN
RIVER AND SO IT IS CHALLENGING
TO RECONCILE A REQUEST FOR
400,000 ACRE FEET. AND IT IS NOT
JUST IN HIGH FLOW YEARS THAT THE
REQUEST CAME IN FOR A RIVER
SYSTEM THAT ALSO OCCASIONALLY
GOES COMPLETELY DRY. AND SO
THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING
TO WORK THROUGH. WHAT'S
APPROPRIATE, WHAT'S NOT, WHAT IS
THE TIMING THAT GOES INTO THIS
APPLICATION? THE TEMPORARY
PERMIT. AND WHAT ABOUT THE
TIMELINE, THOUGH? WHY DOES IT
TAKE SO LONG TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION? LIKE WHY CAN'T
YOU GUYS SAY YAY OR NAY? BY NOW,
THE TWO FACTORS. ONE IS THE
WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSIS.
IT'S EXCEEDINGLY COMPLEX AND
WE'VE RUN THROUGH A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT PROCESSES INTERNALLY
TO LOOK AT THAT WATER
AVAILABILITY ANALYSIS, INCLUDING
DEVELOPING A NEW TOOL THAT
IMPLEMENTS PART OF THE DROUGHT,
WATER AVAILABILITY THAT WE RAN
THROUGH BETWEEN 2020 AND 2023.
WE ALSO DID, REFOCUS THE
DIVISION'S WORK DURING THE
DROUGHT OF 21 THROUGH 23. AND WE
DE-EMPHASIZED OR DEPRIORITIZED
WORKING ON SOME OF THESE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERMITS TO
ACCOMPLISH OTHER DROUGHT WORK IN
THE WATERSHED. SO IT'S A FACTOR
OF STAFFING. IT'S A FACTOR OF
TIMING, AND IT'S A FACTOR OF A
VERY COMPLICATED PERMIT THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE
APPROPRIATE Dð PROCESS. AND
WHAT'S THE EXPECTED REMAINING
TIMELINE THEN? IT DEPENDS. IT
COULD BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT
COULD BE LONGER THAN THAT.
HOPEFULLY NOT FIVE MORE YEARS.
OKAY, WELL, MY EYES ARE ON YOU
GUYS. JUST LETTING YOU KNOW,
2022, THOUGH, THE CONDITIONS. SO
IN 2022, WE JUST TO CLARIFY, WE
DIDN'T GET THE PERMIT IN AUGUST.
I THINK THE COLLABORATION
STARTED WITH THE DEPARTMENT IN
AUGUST OF THAT YEAR. WE GOT THE
PERMIT IN LATE DECEMBER AND WE
PROCESSED IT. AS WE NOTED, IN 13
DAYS, WE HAD STAFF WORKING
OVERTIME OVER WEEKENDS, OVER THE
HOLIDAYS. IN LATE DECEMBER TO
GET IT DONE. AND I THINK, YOU
KNOW, THE NARRATIVE ABOUT HOW
LONG THAT PERMIT TOOK, REALLY
DOESN'T DO JUSTICE TO THE
COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT WE DID
IT WITH. WE REALLY DID, I THINK,
WORK VERY WELL WITH BOTH MID AND
DWR TO TRY AND SPEED IT THROUGH
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT
THERE ARE CHALLENGING ELEMENTS
TO IT. AND SO WHEN WE PROCESS A
PERMIT, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN
A PUBLIC OBJECTION PROCESS.
THAT'S PART OF THE WATER CODE.
AND SO WE BASICALLY HAVE TO
PUBLICLY NOTICE THE PERMIT AND
THEN WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE
TO COME IN AND SAY, HERE'S AN
ISSUE WITH IT. HERE'S SOMETHING
THAT WE ESSENTIALLY WANT TO
PROTEST THE PERMIT ON. PART OF
THAT, CAN BE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS. AND PART OF IT CAN BE
OTHER WATER QUALITY CONCERNS.
AND IN THE 2022 APPLICATION, ONE
OF THE BIG QUESTIONS WAS FISH
SCREENS ON SOME OF THE POTENTIAL
TEMPORARY DIVERSIONS. THE OTHER
WAS POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON
GROUNDWATER QUALITY. AND IF WE
GO AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE
BOARD'S PERMITS SINCE 2015,
WE'VE HAD A TERM IN IT THAT
SAYS, BASICALLY, YOU CAN'T APPLY
IT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
APPLYING DAIRY MANURE
APPLICATION, RIGHT? YOU HAVE
DAIRIES OR YOU HAVE SOME OTHER
KIND OF MANURE MANAGEMENT. ONE
OF THE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR
THAT IS TO APPLY IT TO
AGRICULTURAL FIELDS. IT WORKS AS
A NATURAL FERTILIZER, BUT YOU
DON'T WANT TO DO THAT IN THE
SAME PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO
FLOOD THAT FIELD A COUPLE OF
WEEKS LATER, BECAUSE IT LEACHES
NITRATE INTO THE GROUNDWATER
BASIN, GROUNDWATER IN THE
CENTRAL VALLEY IS HEAVILY
IMPACTED BY NITRATE. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MATHIS, PLEASE. THERE'S
THE THEORY, RIGHT? THIS IS THE
ON YOUR END. IT'S THEORY, RIGHT.
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE FLOOD
WHEN TULE LAKE CAME BACK? MOTHER
NATURE DOESN'T REALLY CARE.
LEVEES ARE GOING TO BREAK. WATER
IS GOING TO FLOOD INTO THOSE
DAIRIES. BECAUSE I SAW IT. AND
YOU HAVE ZERO CONTROL OVER THAT.
SO ON THE PERMITTING SIDE, HOW
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A PERMIT
THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAN,
IF YOUR LEVEE BREAKS AND IT'S
GOING TO FLOOD YOUR DAIRY, HEY,
YOU CAN DIVERT THAT WATER
BECAUSE THAT'S THE REALITY.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. SO OUR
PERMIT EXPRESSLY ALLOWED FOR
THAT. BUT WHAT IT SAID IS THAT
WHEN YOU DIVERT THAT WATER,
DON'T APPLY IT ON THE AREA THAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO PREVENT
FLOODING. THAT'S A DAIRY
APPLICATION AREA. AND WHEN WE
GOT THE MERCED PERMIT AREA,
ABOUT 90% OF IT WAS IN FACT A
DAIRY APPLICATION AREA. AND SO,
AGAIN, NOT BECAUSE OF THE BOARD
SAYING, NO, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED
TO DIVERT. IT WAS LOCAL PLANNING
THAT DIDN'T ACCOMMODATE THIS
TERM. THAT'S BEEN IN EVERY
TEMPORARY PERMIT SINCE 2015.
THIS IS THE KIND OF
COLLABORATION IN EARLY
ENGAGEMENT THAT I THINK IS VERY
AVOIDABLE. THIS IS THE STUFF
THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH IN
ADVANCE, AND IT SHOULD BE VERY
EASY TO KIND OF NOT HAVE THAT
HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. BUT
WE HAVE TO TALK EARLY ENOUGH AND
WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROCESS. SO
WE'RE NOT HAVING WHY WAS THAT
NOT BUILT INTO EVERY YEAR SINCE
2015? OUR CHAIRS HAVE THE
ABILITY TO DO COMMITTEE BILLS.
SO WHY WAS THAT NOT SUGGESTED TO
BE ADDED INTO THE COMMITTEE
BILLS THIS YEAR, OR LAST YEAR,
OR THE YEAR BEFORE THE DECISION
ON WHAT BILLS TO RAISE TO THE
COMMITTEE IS A PART OF THE
ADMINISTRATION'S ONGOING
LEGISLATIVE EFFORT AND BUT YOU
JUST SAID THAT THERE'S BEEN AN
ISSUE WITH THIS EVERY YEAR, OUR
COMMITTEES DO COMMITTEE
LEGISLATIVE BILLS TO CLEAN UP TO
FIX THESE LANGUAGE HOLES. SO WHY
WAS THAT LANGUAGE NOT BROUGHT
FORWARD TO THE COMMITTEE? MAYBE
I DIDN'T EXPLAIN ADEQUATELY.
IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN EVERY
PERMIT THAT WE'VE ISSUED. SO
THIS REQUIREMENT, YOU CAN'T
APPLY FLOOD WATER ON AREAS WHERE
IT MAY LEAD TO GROUNDWATER
QUALITY ISSUES. BUT IT'S BEEN A
LONGSTANDING IN A HIGH FLOOD
EVENT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
NOT NECESSARILY. IT DEPENDS
WHERE YOU'RE DIVERTING IT FROM
NECESSARILY. A LEVEE BREACHES
AND FLOODS, A DAIRY THAT'S
BEYOND OUR CONTROL, WHERE YOU'RE
DIVERTING. I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE
A ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD ON THE
WAY HOME TODAY, BUT I STILL HAVE
INSURANCE TO COVER IF IT DOES.
AND YOU SPENT A COUPLE OF WEEKS
PRESUMABLY GOING THROUGH AND
PLANNING TO GET THAT INSURANCE
UP FRONT. AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE
SAYING. LET'S PLAN AND GET THAT
INSURANCE UP FRONT. BUT WE COULD
DO THE WORK. MY POINT IS, IS WE
COULD HAVE HAD LANGUAGE IN IN
THE COMMITTEE BILLS TO FIX THIS.
THERE'S NOTHING TO FIX. IT IS A
PREREQUISITE. YOU CAN'T APPLY TO
AREAS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
YOU CAN'T APPLY. BUT DURING A
FLOOD WHEN THE LEVEES BREAK,
IT'S GOING TO BE APPLIED, NOT
NECESSARILY IN THE AREA WHERE
THERE ARE DAIRY APPLICATION
AREAS. IF A LEVEE BREAKS, THAT'S
GOING TO HIT A DAIRY, IT'S GOING
TO GO THERE. YEAH. AND THE I
THINK THE POINT IS THAT I THINK
THE POINT IS, IS THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD SO THAT WE
DIVERT SO THAT THAT DOES NOT
HAPPEN. AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE
NEED TO DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW TO
EXPEDITE OUR PLANS SO THAT WE DO
HAVE THE MECHANISMS TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT. AND I THINK THAT
THAT'S YOU'RE HEARING JUST KIND
OF THE FRUSTRATION BECAUSE YOU
GUYS DON'T LIVE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. YOU GUYS DON'T SEE
THE EVERY SINGLE DAY WHERE WE
ARE HAVING TO FACE OUR
CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE LIVING,
YOU KNOW, UNDER THESE
CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY DURING
THESE EXTREME WEATHER PATTERNS
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE.
AND SO WE WANT TO AVOID THAT.
AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO POLICY
WISE TO ENSURE THAT WE DO THAT
MOVING FORWARD IS WHAT WE WANT
TO DO. SO I JUST WANT TO LAST
THE LAST THING BECAUSE I NEED TO
WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE SECOND
PANEL AND GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE LOCAL FOLKS TO ALSO,
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE IN
OPPORTUNITIES. BUT JUST VERY
QUICKLY, ON THE 2022, I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE A POINT, AND I
THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO GET
THERE, BUT WE DIDN'T REALLY GET
THERE IN TERMS OF THE
CONDITIONS. AGAIN THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO UTILIZE THE TEMPORARY
PERMIT BECAUSE SOME OF THE I
GUESS I WOULD CALL THEM
UNREALISTIC CONDITIONS FOR THEM
TO IMPLEMENT, WHAT ARE WE GOING
TO DO? HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX
THAT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY
TAKE THESE PERMITS AND IMPLEMENT
THEM IN OUR COMMUNITIES? I THINK
THE FISH SCREEN ISSUE IS BEING
WORKED THROUGH, THERE'S A LOT
OF, I THINK, POSITIVE
DEVELOPMENTS IN WORKING WITH
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE MEAN BY
SCREENING TEMPORARY PUMPS. WE'RE
NOT LOOKING FOR FULL FLEDGED
NYMPHS, QUALITY SCREENS. WE'RE
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING PRETTY
BASIC AND UNDERSTANDING AND
MESSAGING THAT SO THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND IT. I THINK THAT'S A
HUGE ISSUE. THAT, AGAIN, IS VERY
SOLVABLE AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH
AND WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO DO
SO THE, GROUNDWATER QUALITY
ISSUE, I ALSO THINK IS VERY
SOLVABLE. IT'S JUST VERY
CONSCIOUS PLANNING IN ADVANCE.
OKAY. WELL WE GOT TO DO THAT
PLANNING WITH, I THINK, A LITTLE
BIT MORE OF A SENSE OF URGENCY
FROM AT LEAST MY PERSPECTIVE AND
WHAT I'VE SEEN. AND, YOU KNOW,
TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLOODS,
TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT DROUGHTS. AND SO MAKING
SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT IN A
TIME OF EXCESS WATER IS GOING TO
BE IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN
SURVIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES,
CAN SURVIVE DURING TIMES OF
DROUGHT. SO, IF I MAY, I'M
HEARING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, AND
I THINK IT'S REASONABLE.
CERTAINLY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
PART OF ME THAT SAYS, WELL, A
PERMANENT PERMIT COSTS YOU 600
GRAND AND WAS GOING TO TAKE YOU
FOREVER TO GET PERHAPS THE FEE
SHOULD BE REDUCED BY HOW LONG IT
TAKES YOU. THAT WOULDN'T BE A
WHOLE LOT OF FUN, WOULD IT?
TOMORROW YOU GOT A HEARING ON
INCREASING. PERHAPS THAT'S
SOMETHING WE COULD TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE
IT BECOMES DIMINISHING RETURNS
IN A LARGE TO A LARGE DEGREE. SO
YOU'RE HEARING THE PAIN,
OBVIOUSLY, IT GETS TO A POINT IN
PRACTICE OF IMPRACTICABILITY THE
LAW. IF IT TAKES SO LONG, ONE
JUST FINAL QUESTION. I'M
ASSUMING SOME OF YOU ARE USING
AI MODELS. ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE IS NOT INVOLVED.
WELL, PERHAPS THAT MIGHT HELP IN
THE EXPEDITING. I JUST THROW
THAT OUT. YOU ARE A PROFESSOR?
YES. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
MODELS COMBINED WITH, PRIVATE
INDUSTRY TO EDUCATE CLOTHING.
AND I DON'T MIND IF I CALL YOU.
YOU'RE TRYING TO. YEP. OKAY,
WELL, WE USE, ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE COMBINED WITH,
SATELLITE IMAGERY TO DETECT
FLOODING AND ALSO DETECT IDLE
LAND. AND JUST TO GET SOME, YOU
KNOW, SOME IN ADVANCE
INFORMATION OF WHAT AREAS ARE
SEEING THE MOST THE HOTSPOTS FOR
IDLING DURING DROUGHTS AND
FLOODS? YEAH. I MEAN, IT SEEMS
LIKE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL
OUR PANELISTS, WE ARE GOING TO
CALL UP OUR SECOND PANEL, WHICH
INCLUDES AGRICULTURE
COMMUNITIES, MEMBERS AND FARMERS,
TO DISCUSS, DISCUSS, GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE PROJECTS ON THEIR
FARMS. I THINK THAT AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, WE WERE GETTING
INFORMATION AT A VERY HIGH
LEVEL. AND I THINK AT THE END OF
THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE
IMPLEMENT. SO, HEARING DIRECTLY
FROM THE FOLKS THAT HAVE HAD
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THESE
PROJECTS. SO FIRST, I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE OUR OUR FIRST
PANELIST, ELIJAH, AND I'M GOING
TO BUTCHER YOUR LAST NAME, GRID
GRID GRID. ORTEZ GREYDANUS.
EXCUSE ME, DAIRY OPERATOR IN THE
FRESNO TULARE AREA. THEN WE ALSO
HAVE, JENNIFER PETERS, MARKARIAN
FAMILY, OUT OF MADERA, AND THEN
ALSO VICKI GARCIA. MOYA, WITH
ECO FAMILY FARMS IN THE
CHOWCHILLA AREA. AND FINALLY, WE
WILL HAVE OUR SPEAKER, MICHAEL
CLAIRBORNE, WHO IS PART OF
LEADERSHIP. COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY, SO WE CAN GO
AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH
ELIJAH.
THERE YOU GO. THERE WE GO. HI.
MY NAME IS ELIJAH. THANK YOU FOR
LETTING ME COME HERE TODAY. IT'S
MY FIRST TIME TALKING AT ONE OF
THESE. SO IF I NEED TO ADJUST
SOMETHING JUST LET ME KNOW.
TYPICALLY, I VOICE UP IN THE
CORNER OF AN IRRIGATION DISTRICT,
YEAH. MY NAME IS ELIJAH. WE ARE
FARMERS IN TIPTON, CALIFORNIA,
PART OF THE LOWER TULE RIVER
IRRIGATION DISTRICT. GSA, LIKE
SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, I
THINK THERE'S AN ACTUAL HEARING
RIGHT NOW GOING ON ABOUT OUR
GSP, WHICH MY DAD'S ATTENDING,
TO VOICE A COUPLE COMMENTS OVER
THERE HIGHLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR
OWN DISTRICT STAFF STAYING IN
CHARGE AND KEEPING SOME OF THE
CONTROL LOCAL ON THAT ONE, I'VE
HEARD A LOT ABOUT RECHARGE. I
KIND OF GOT MY START IN RECHARGE
LAST YEAR. I LEARNED ABOUT WATER
BASICALLY IN THE FLOOD SEASON
AND REALLY LIKED IT AND, WORKED
WITH SOME AWESOME PEOPLE
LOCALLY, WAS POINTED TO A LADY
NAMED ANNA AND AUBRY, WHO ARE
PART OF THE ALMOND ALLIANCE, AND
THEN THE WESTERN UNITED DAIRY
ASSOCIATION THAT PRESENTED THIS
LAND FLEX. PROGRAM. AND WE
PARTICIPATED IN THAT. WE SOLD
OUR, OVERDRAFT TO 25% OF OUR
LAND, AND WE CONVERTED WHAT WAS
GOING TO BE A CONTINUED CORN
CROP, WHEAT ROTATION THAT WE
PLANNED ON PLANTING INTO
PISTACHIOS. WE ENDED UP
FALLOWING THAT LAND AND BUILDING
RECHARGE BASIN. THAT RECHARGE
BASIN PUT ABOUT 2500 ACRE FEET
OF WATER INTO THE GROUND LAST
YEAR, AND ABOUT 1300 ACRE FEET
OF WATER INTO THE GROUND. THIS
YEAR. SO THAT WAS REALLY FUN. WE
HAD CANOES OUT THERE. IT WAS A
BLAST, I KIND OF WANTED TO
MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS
LAND FLEX PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT
BROUGHT ME IN TO THE
CONVERSATION INTO THE PICTURE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS AT LOCAL FARMER
WHO GOT DRAGGED IN BY THE EMAILS
AND THE PEOPLE KIND OF POKING
FINGERS AT US. HEY, THIS IS YOUR
PROGRAM HERE. JOIN AND LAND FLEX
WAS A REALLY AWESOME EXPERIENCE
WITH THAT. SO COME FROM A BEEF
AND DAIRY CATTLE OPERATION, WE
ALSO DO PISTACHIOS. WE DO A
LITTLE BIT OF CROPS, AND NOW
WE'RE INTO WATER OF ALL THINGS,
SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS I
SAW ON THE SLIDE. THE DOCTOR
NIGHT SURVEY EQUIPMENT. I'VE
SPENT HOURS ON THE QUAD PULLING
THAT STUFF AROUND. VERY FUN.
VERY USEFUL TOOL, WE IDENTIFIED
AREAS OF OUR PROPERTY THAT WERE
BEST FIT FOR RECHARGE, ACTUALLY,
WE IDENTIFIED IT AFTER WE BUILT
THE BASINS, BUT WE GOT REAL
LUCKY THAT WE BUILT IN THE RIGHT
SPOT, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR
ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS ON OUR
PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPERTIES
FOR SALE OF WHERE TO DEVELOP
MORE OF THESE, RECHARGE BASINS,
ONE INTERESTING THING TO NOTE
FROM A LANDOWNER PERSPECTIVE IS
THE IRRIGATION DISTRICT
INFRASTRUCTURE IS A LOT MORE SET
UP FOR SURFACE WATER DELIVERIES,
FOR THE PRIMARILY USE OF
IRRIGATING CROPS, NOT SO MUCH
RECHARGE. SO IN OUR LOCAL
IRRIGATION DISTRICT, WE FIND A
CLEAR BOUNDARY OF ON FARM
RECHARGE IS THAT OUR CANALS
CAN'T REALLY HANDLE THAT MUCH
WATER GOING THROUGH IT. WE CAN
IRRIGATE OUR CROPS WITH THEM,
BUT TO TRY TO RECHARGE AND
IRRIGATE AT THE SAME TIME IS
PRETTY. WE REACH OUR CANAL
CAPACITY PRETTY QUICKLY, AND I
GET TO HAVE THOSE FUN
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT
STAFF ASKING ABOUT THAT. SO WITH
WITH KIND OF MY BACKGROUND KIND
OF STATED, LAND FLEX WAS THE
PROGRAM WE GOT INTO. I'M GOING
TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON BEHALF
OF THAT PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT WAS
SUCH A GREAT THING FOR US, WE
KIND OF REALIZED ABOUT THIS
SIGMA SITUATION WITH THE CONCEPT
OF A WATER BUDGET. AND BY
ENROLLING IN LAND FLEX, WE WERE
ABLE TO PERMANENTLY GIVE UP
CERTAIN ÁP. S, RIGHTS TO
OVERDRAFT, BASICALLY, WHICH WAS
A REALLY COOL DEAL FOR US
BECAUSE WE GOT IT WAS MONETIZED,
WHICH WAS AWESOME. SO IT STARTED
MAKING A BIT MORE SENSE THAT
WAY. AND THEN IT WAS ALSO A BIT
NECESSARY. SO THAT WAS KIND OF
ALLOWED US TO BRING IN THE GSA'S
REGULATIONS OF, OKAY, YOU CAN
ONLY OVERDRAFT THIS MUCH. WELL,
WITH THE LAND FLEX FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY, WE WERE ABLE TO SAY,
OKAY, WELL, WE DON'T REALLY NEED
TO BE OVERDRAFTING THAT MUCH. WE
CAN FOREGO THIS MUCH OVERDRAFT
AND CONTINUE OUR FARMING
OPERATIONS IN THE NORMAL MANNER.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF SOME OF THE
LAND FLEX LEARNS, SITUATION FROM
RIGHT OFF THE BAT. LAND FLEX WAS,
KIND OF CAME UP WITH A DROUGHT
TYPE RESPONSE. I NEVER REALLY
EXPERIENCED IT THERE. I LEARNED
IT IN THE FLOOD TYPE RESPONSE.
SO IT WAS REALLY COOL. WE HAD A
FALLOWED FIELD, ENROLLED IN LAND
FLEX, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN
FLOODING THIS FALLOWED FIELD
WITH JUST OUR REGULAR IRRIGATION
SYSTEM, JUST WITH OUR RECIRC
PUMP GOING. IT WAS ABOUT 150
ACRES OF JUST CONTINUAL FLOODING.
WHILE BUILDING A RECHARGE BASIN
ON THE FIELD, WHICH WAS A REALLY
AWESOME THING TO DO, ONE IMPACT
OF THAT RECHARGE BASIN WE ENDED
UP BUILDING LAST YEAR, OUR
NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, WE ACTUALLY
FLOODED THEIR SEPTIC TANK
BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH WATER WE
WERE ABLE TO PUT IN OUR VERY
SMALL AREA. IT WAS REALLY
AWESOME EXPERIENCE. EVERYONE WAS
LIKE, WHOA, THIS IS CRAZY. WE'RE
PUTTING A WHOLE BUNCH OF WATER
IN THE GROUND. YEAH, THE SEPTIC
TANKS FLOODED. THAT'S EASY TO
PUMP IT OUT, BUT THAT WAS A
REALLY COOL, LOCAL IMPACTS.
PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS THAT
ALLOW AND ENCOURAGE AND
MONETARILY ENCOURAGE THE ON FARM
RECHARGE. PUT OUR LOCAL FARMING
OPERATIONS INTO THAT BALANCED
WATER BUDGET, LONG BEFORE OUR
GSA'S PLAN FOR 2040. SO OUR
LOCAL FARM, NO LONGER NEEDS TO
USE ANY OVERDRAFT. REALLY
BECAUSE WE GET THE CREDITS FOR
THE RECHARGED WATER WE PUT IN
THE GROUND. AND AS LONG AS WE
STAY WITHIN OUR MEASURABLE
OBJECTIVES ON SUBSIDENCE AND
WATER ELEVATIONS IN OUR UPPER
AND LOWER AQUIFER, WE'RE ALLOWED
TO USE THAT WATER IN OUR
PARTICULAR APNS, AND KEEP
FARMING WITH IT, OR WE'RE
ALLOWED TO TRANSFER IT TO OUR
NEIGHBORS AND KEEP AND HELP THEM
KEEP FARMING WITH IT. SO IT'S A
REALLY COOL, SYSTEM THAT LAND
FLEX INCENTIVIZED US AS GROWERS
TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. NOW,
GOING FORWARD, THERE'S, YOU KNOW,
7000 ACRE FEET IN AN ACCOUNT
THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE
WITHOUT IT. A LITTLE STATEMENT
HERE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR
SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS
LAND FLEX, I'M NOT SURE WHAT
MONIES ARE ALL AVAILABLE, BUT
FROM FROM A FARMER'S
PERSPECTIVE, IT IS INCREDIBLY
COSTLY TO RECHARGE, LAST YEAR,
WE RACKED UP A HALF $1 MILLION
WATER BILL THAT WAS
PREDOMINANTLY RECHARGED WATER,
WHICH IS KIND OF A LOT,
ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M TRYING TO
CONVINCE MY DAD, HEY, LET'S KEEP
THE PUMPS ON AND LET'S KEEP THE
TURNOUTS OPEN. AND HE'S SAYING,
WELL, ELIJAH, WHERE AM I? WHERE
AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND THE
FUNDING FOR YOUR LITTLE PROJECT
HERE? LET'S SEE. SO CONTINUED
FUNDING OF PROGRAMS LIKE LAND
FLEX, IF THEY HAVE A BIT MORE
EMPHASIS ON RECHARGE, WOULD BE
REALLY AWESOME, A BIT MORE
EMPHASIS ON, BUILDING RECHARGE.
FALLOWING LANDS IS GREAT, BUT
WHEN YOU HAVE THE WATER
OPPORTUNITIES, CREATING PROGRAMS
THAT EMPHASIZE, HEY, GO OUT AND
BUILD THE RECHARGE AND THEN AND
MAYBE SOME SORT OF EMPHASIS ON,
HEY, YOU BANKED A THOUSAND ACRE
FEET. OKAY, COOL. HERE, HERE'S A
LITTLE MONETIZATION TO HELP
COVER THAT. YOU KNOW, $100,000
WATER BILL YOU JUST GOT FROM
YOUR IRRIGATION DISTRICT. AND
I'LL KIND OF CONCLUDE THERE,
VERY HAPPY WITH SOME OF THE
PROGRAMS THAT HAVE COME, BUT
VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
CONTINUATION AND MAYBE NEW
PROGRAMS, TOO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE
OPEN TO EVERYTHING WE CAN GET.
SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, ELIJAH, FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO,
MISS JENNIFER PETERS FROM THE
MCCARRON FAMILY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND GIVING ME
A CHANCE TO VOICE SOME CONCERNS
AND THEN ALSO SHARE THE JOYS OF
WHAT WE DID AS A FAMILY. SO
HE'LL GET THIS. LET'S SEE HERE
WHAT I PUT TOGETHER. IT'S
BASICALLY JUST AN OVERVIEW OF
WHAT THE PROJECT ENTAILED. AND
THEN SOME PICTURES SO YOU CAN
SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO HAVE A
RECHARGE BASIN THAT'S FULL OF
WHICH IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW. SO THE
PLAN KHÓ OKAY. SO I'M WITH MARK
HEARING FAMILY LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE RIGHT NOW
THREE GENERATIONS FARMING
TOGETHER. MY DAD ROBERT AND MY
SON KEVIN AND MYSELF. AND THE
BENEFIT OF THAT IS WE HAVE OLD
SCHOOL FARMING AND THEN NEW
SCHOOL FARMING. AND THEN I'M IN
THE MIDDLE TRYING TO MANAGE BOTH
OF THEM. AND IT'S CREATED THIS
REALLY NEAT OPPORTUNITY TO, FARM
IN A BETTER WAY AND BE GREAT
STEWARDS OF THE LAND. SO THIS
WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS. I'M NOT
SURE IF THIS THING'S. WELL, IT
DOESN'T WANT. THERE WE GO. OKAY,
SO THIS WHAT WHAT WE DID IS WE
COUPLED WITH THE USDA, NRCS AND
OUR LOCAL MID, WHICH IS NOT
MERCED, BUT MADERA IRRIGATION
DISTRICT, AND WE DID A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM AND THE
NRCS DREW UP THE PLANS. THEY
CAME AND DID, WE THEY CAME AND
DID SOME OF THE ENGINEERING
DESIGN REPORTS AND WHAT THEY
DISCOVERED. IF YOU LOOK DOWN
UNDER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS, THE
AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THIS THING,
THE AREA THAT WE CHOSE WOULD
TAKE, WE CHOSE THIS AREA BECAUSE
IT CURRENTLY IT HAD AT THE TIME,
IT HAD THOMPSON SEEDLESS GRAPES
THAT WERE 80 YEARS OLD, AND IT
TOOK MORE WATER TO IRRIGATE
THOSE THAN WE COULD SEE AS A
BENEFIT AND PROFIT FROM A CROP.
SO IT WAS TIME TO YANK IT. SO WE
YANKED IT AND IT WAS 20 ACRES
THERE. AND THEN ADJACENT TO THAT
20, WE DID AN ON FARM RECHARGE
PROJECT WITH NRCS AS WELL. SO IT
WAS KIND OF A NO BRAINER THAT
THIS WAS THE AREA NRCS CAME AND
DID THEIR THINGS, AND THEY WERE
DELIGHTED AND THEY CALLED US
THEIR PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE THIS
WOULD BE ONE OF THE LARGEST
BASINS THAT THEY WOULD FUND. SO
WE HAD SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION
CAME OUT. WE HAD A BUNCH OF
PEOPLE CAME OUT, THEY CAME OUT
ON A TOUR BUS. AND THE SITE
BEHIND THERE IS WHERE WE
ACTUALLY HAD DECIDED TO DO IT.
IT'S NOT SANDY LOAM, IT'S JUST
STRAIGHT SAND. SO IT'S A SIEVE
GOING STRAIGHT DOWN, WE COULD WE
HAD TO HAVE TWO VALVE SETS TO BE
ABLE TO GET ACROSS THE FIELD.
THAT'S HOW BAD IT WAS. SO THESE
ARE A FEW OF THE PEOPLE THAT
CAME OUT TO VISIT AND AN MIT
REPRESENTATIVE. THAT'S MY FATHER
TO THE RIGHT. AND THEN DAVE FROM
NRCS AND IT WAS IT WAS AN
EXCITING DAY TO KNOW THAT THIS
IS WHAT WE WERE GOING TO GO
FORWARD AND DO. SO THIS WAS WHEN
THE RAIN START HITTING. WE WERE
LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BUILD
THIS THING? IT'S POURING RAIN.
BUT WE HAD AN EXCAVATOR THAT WAS
DELIGHTED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE
TO HAVE A WATER TRUCK. SO WE
KEPT GOING, THIS IS THE SITE
PRIOR TO THE BASIN GETTING BUILT
AND THEN HERE WE ARE. HE'S
STARTING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE
ANGLE THERE. IT'S STARTING TO
COME TOGETHER AND MORE
EXCAVATION SCENES HERE. THIS IS
A LITTLE VIDEO. IT DID PLAY
GREAT. SO THE FARM THE ALMOND
ORCHARD, YOU'RE SEEING THERE IS
NOT OURS. THAT'S A NEIGHBOR. AND
THE JOY OF THIS IS YOU'RE GOING
TO BE PUTTING WATER INTO AN
AQUIFER THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT
MORE THAN JUST YOURSELF. IT WILL
BENEFIT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND
HOPEFULLY THE PEOPLE, AT LEAST
THE ONES THAT I EMPLOY AND THAT
LIVE ON OUR LAND, CLEANER WATER
DOWN THE LINE. THAT'S A BIG
REASON WHY WE TOOK THIS ON AS
WELL. WE DON'T GET CREDITS IN
OUR WATER DISTRICT FOR DOING
THIS. WE JUST DID IT. SO HERE WE
ARE. YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT MID
CAME IN OUR MADERA IRRIGATION
DISTRICT, CAME IN AND PUT IN ALL
THE PLUMBING BASICALLY THERE.
AND IT WOULD START BUBBLING UP
AND THERE WE ARE. WE WERE SO
EXCITED THE DAY THAT THAT WAS
TURNED ON AND IT IT JUST TOOK IT
TOOK WATER LIKE NONE OTHER. I
COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT WAS
HAPPENING AND NOT TO BORE YOU
WITH ALL MY FUN VIDEOS HERE ARE
SOME MORE EXCAVATION WITH MID. I
LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THIS
PROCESS AS TO THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THESE THINGS. IT'S NOT JUST
DIG A HOLE AND PUT WATER IN IT.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES TO IT, I
DROVE AROUND FRESNO FOR A TWO
HOURS TRYING TO FIND RIP RAP OR
WHATEVER, RIP ROCK. AND I'M
LIKE, WHAT AM I DOING HERE? I IT
WAS NOT A LANGUAGE OR A
VOCABULARY THAT I WAS FAMILIAR
WITH, BUT IN DOING SO, LEARNED A
LOT. SO THAT'S JUST. AND THOSE
VALVES, THEY'RE WHAT WE'RE
IRRIGATING THE, THE THOMPSON'S
BUT NO LONGER NEEDED. THAT LINE
IS THAT LINE IS STILL ACTIVE
BECAUSE POST THIS PROJECT WE
COUPLED WITH NRCS AGAIN AND WE
ARE NOW USING THE WATER THAT
COMES DOWN THAT LINE INTO. SO WE
HAVE SURFACE WATER GOING INTO A
DRIP SYSTEM. WE ALSO WORKED ON A
PROJECT WITH THAT. SO MORE
BUBBLING. I'LL TRY AND. IT JUST
CAME OUT AND IT WENT RIGHT BACK
IN. IT WAS IT TOOK A WHILE TO
GET IT FULL. SO HERE WE ARE A
FEW DAYS INTO IT. IT'S STARTING
TO FILL UP. AND MORE. AND HERE
WE ARE AT FULL WELL NOT FULL
CAPACITY, BUT A COMFORTABLE
CAPACITY. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO
HAVE A DITCH TENDER ON CALL TO
MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T FLOOD OVER.
AND THEN TO THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE
IS THE ON FARM RECHARGE. WE HAD
NO CROP PLANTED THERE AT THAT
TIME, SO WE JUST LET THE WATER
POUR INTO THERE. AND THIS IS HOW
MANY ACRE FEET WE WERE ABLE TO
TAKE IN ONE MONTH. SO IT'S 235
AND CHANGE OF ACRE FEET OF WATER
WITHIN ONE MONTH. AND AT THIS
TIME THE WATER WAS FREE FROM
MADERA IRRIGATION DISTRICT. SO
WHAT THEY DID, WHATEVER THE COST
OF THE PROJECT WAS, THEY GAVE US
A 15% CREDIT ON OUR BILL, OUR
WATER BILL FOR THAT PARTICULAR
TURNOUT. SO WE USED WHEN IT WAS
FREE. GREAT. WE'RE NOT TAPPING
INTO THAT CREDIT. THEN IT BECAME
$10 AN ACRE FOOT. WE CONTINUED
TO FILL IT $10 AN ACRE FOOT.
THAT'LL GO ON FOR A LONG TIME.
THEN WHEN WE HIT IRRIGATION
SEASON, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY
SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SHUT YOU
OFF. IT'S $110 AN ACRE FOOT.
WELL, NOW YOU'RE TALKING. I
DON'T HAVE HIS DAD'S NICE. MINE
WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PUT WATER
IN IT TO GO BEYOND THE CREDIT,
BECAUSE THERE WAS A PLAN TO ON
THAT ON FARM RECHARGE SIDE TO
PLANT RUBY RED GRAPES. SO I
NEEDED THAT CREDIT TO IRRIGATE
THAT CROP FOR AS LONG AS I
COULD. SO THE FRUSTRATION HERE
NOW IS HOW DO I GET WATER INTO
THIS THING? AND IT'S AFFORDABLE
WATER. SO WE AS A FAMILY WENT TO
A MADERA IRRIGATION BOARD
DISTRICT MEETING AND SAID, WHY
DO YOU NOT HAVE A TIERED RATE
SYSTEM? CAN'T THERE BE AN
IRRIGATION WATER RATE? CAN'T
THERE BE AN ON FARM RECHARGE
RATE? WE DETERMINE WHAT MAGIC
NUMBER IT IS THAT THAT'S WHAT
THAT CROP TAKES TO GROW. AND
THEN ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS AN
ON FARM RECHARGE RATE. AND THEN
HOW ABOUT A BASIN RATE. AND HOW
ABOUT THAT BE ZERO. SINCE WE'RE
NOT GETTING CREDITS TOWARDS
ANYTHING FOR SIGMA, FOR US, OUR
GSA DOESN'T DO THAT. SO I'M
DOING IT. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
KICKBACK. AND I REALIZE THAT'S
OUT OF YOUR HANDS BECAUSE NOW
I'M UNDERSTANDING. AFTER
LISTENING TO THE FIRST PANEL,
THAT'S A LOCAL AGENCY PROBLEM.
BUT MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME
PUSH BACK FROM SOMEBODY UP ABOVE
TO LET THESE LOCAL AGENCIES KNOW
THAT FARMERS WILL DO THIS. THEY
WOULD BE EXCITED TO GET SOME OF
THEIR GROUND OUT OF PRODUCTION.
IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR ME TO FILL
A BASIN THAN IT IS FOR ME TO
GROW A CROP, AND IT'S MUCH MORE
BENEFICIAL. THE VALUE OF WATER
AS OPPOSED TO THE VALUE OF THE
DOLLAR. IN MY POCKET. IT'S THE
SCALES ARE STARTING TO TIP. IT'S
MORE VALUABLE FOR ME TO HAVE THE
WATER BECAUSE I CANNOT KEEP
PEOPLE EMPLOYED. I CAN'T KEEP MY
CROPS IRRIGATED IF THEY START
SHUTTING US OFF. SO WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP WATER
IN THE GROUND. SO THAT'S
BASICALLY WHAT'S GONE ON ON OUR
ON OUR FARM. AND THE
FRUSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL. WE WERE TOLD THAT,
YOU KNOW, YOU WE DON'T HAVE
CONTROL OF YOUR BASE. AND I
SAID, WELL, YOU HAVE A CHAIN ON
THE VALVE. SO APPARENTLY YOU DO
BECAUSE I CAN'T TURN IT ON AND
RUN IT WHEN YOU WANT TO. AND
THEN THERE WAS LIABILITIES. I
SAID, SIGN A DOLLAR LEASE WITH
ME, AND YOU CAN JUST USE IT. I'M
GIVING YOU $500,000 WORTH OF
LAND. JUST USE IT. AND THAT'S
THAT'S HOW OUR FAMILY OPERATES.
AND IT'S NOT THAT WE WANT THE
BENEFIT. IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST
BENEFIT US. IT'LL BENEFIT OTHERS.
AND I THINK MORE AND MORE
FARMERS WOULD JUMP ON THAT IF
THERE WAS FUNDING AVAILABLE,
MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE, AND THEN
SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE. I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE MAGIC PLAN IS, BUT
SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE TO GET THE
LOCAL AGENCIES TO COME UP WITH
SOME. CHOWCHILLA HAS FREE WATER
FOR BASINS. WHY CAN'T MADERA DO
THAT? SO THAT'S BEEN A
FRUSTRATION. SO IT SITS. IT SITS
DRY RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE HAVE A
WINTER EVENT WHERE WATER IS $10
AN ACRE FOOT OR FREE. WE'LL PUT
IT BACK IN. WE DID PUT IT IN THE
LAST 24 HOURS BECAUSE USDA AND
NRCS, THEIR NATIONAL LEVEL, HAS
COME OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY
DAD'S OVER THERE HANDLING THAT
TODAY. SO THEY'RE OVER THERE. SO
WE PUT A LITTLE BIT IN THERE. IT
KILLED MY 82 YEAR OLD FATHER TO
HAVE TO SPEND MONEY LIKE THAT ON
THE WATER. BUT I SAID DO IT,
DAD, SO THEY CAN SEE THE
BENEFIT. SO THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY
MUCH IT FOR US. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MISS PETERS, FOR SHARING
WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING ON
YOUR GUYS'S FARM, NEXT WE'LL GO
TO VICKI GARCIA. MOYA FROM ECHO
FAMILY FARMS. HI, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE,
I'M PROBABLY THE SMALLEST FARMER
HERE, AND I'M A FIRST GENERATION
FARMER, SO I'VE, KIND OF GROWN
WITH MY TREES, WE HAVE AN ALMOND
ORCHARD, 29 ACRES HERE IN
CHOWCHILLA, IT'S BASICALLY
FAMILY RUN. MY HUSBAND, MY
DAUGHTER. AND WE DO HIRE ONE
PERSON DURING HARVEST TIME. AND
WE DO ALL OUR HARVESTING ON BY
OURSELVES. SO WE'VE, AS I'VE
GONE THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, THIS
IS, LIKE I SAID, MY SECOND
CAREER. SO I'VE TAKEN FARMING
COURSES AND ATTEND ANY
CONFERENCE I CAN JUST TO LEARN,
SO WE'VE I'VE PARTICIPATED IN
THE PILOT PROGRAM, AND WHEN WE
STARTED, WE IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL CONSERVATION
PRACTICES WITH NRCS. SO WHEN I
WAS APPROACHED ABOUT THE PILOT
PROGRAM WITH THE ON FARM WATER
RECHARGE, I WAS SUPER EXCITED.
IT'S LIKE, PUT WATER BACK ON THE
GROUND. SIGN ME UP, SO WE
ORIGINALLY TRIED TO DO A BASIN,
BUT WE THEY SAID OUR GROUND
WASN'T APPROPRIATE FOR IT. SO
THEN WE WENT WITH ON FARM AND
WE, WE HAD THREE APPLICATIONS,
WE'RE PART OF THE CHURCHILL
WATER DISTRICT, SO WE DID,
THREE. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH
TO HAVE THE, THE FLOOD SYSTEM
STILL THERE. WE DIDN'T RIP IT
OUT WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO
MICRO DRIP, AND THEN EVENTUALLY
TO MICRO DRIP. SO ALL WE HAD TO
DO IS BASICALLY DIG UP THE
VALVES AND KIND OF LIKE, START
FLOODING. AND IT WAS VERY
INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE
GROUND, WAS TAKING THE WATER.
AND I THINK IT HAD TO DO IN BIG
PART BECAUSE WE REGULARLY USE
WINTER CROPS, WINTER COVER
CROPS. SO, AND I HAD A FEELING
THAT, THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO
WELL BECAUSE WHEN IT RAINS, OUR
FARM IS JUST AN HOUR AFTER A BIG
STORM OR RAIN EVENT, AND THE
WATER IS GONE AND VERSUS, LIKE,
WE DRIVE AROUND IN OTHER
ORCHARDS AND THE WATER JUST SITS
THERE FOR DAYS. SO WE WERE
PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT, WE
WERE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE
PILOT. AND, IT WAS A, A GREAT, A
GREAT EXPERIENCE, IT DOES TAKE
SOME WORK, YOU HAVE TO MONITOR
AND BE OUT THERE AND OPEN UP
VALVES AND KIND OF SEE WHERE THE
WATER FLOWS, BUT WE WERE AFRAID,
LIKE, IS THIS WATER GOING TO GO
TO THE NEIGHBORS OR WHAT'S IT
GOING TO DO? BUT NO, IT ALL
STAYED IN IT WOULD GO FROM ONE
ROW TO THE NEXT ROW AND KIND OF
JUST FOLLOW THE, THE SLOPE, I
GUESS, SO THAT WAS NICE TO SEE.
I GUESS ONE THING I COULD, I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE
IS POSSIBLY, FOR THOSE FARMERS
THAT ARE HESITANT OF, YOU KNOW,
HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEIR,
THEIR YIELD, I RECEIVED I WENT
OUT AND GOT A QUOTE FOR THE
REVERSE TO RECHARGE THE
UNDERGROUND PIPES THAT YOU PUT
IN, AND I THINK I CAN'T DO IT
BECAUSE OF THE COST, BUT IT
WOULD BE NICE THAT IN THE
FUTURE, MAYBE NRCS CAN INCLUDE
THAT AS ONE OF THE PRACTICES.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE TRYING TO
DO SOLAR ON A FARM, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO PUT PANELS, SO YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FARM
UNDER THERE. SO WHY NOT PUT IN
THOSE REVERSE TILES UNDER THE
SOLAR? AND SO THAT I HOPE TO
EVENTUALLY DO THAT ONE DAY. SO,
OUR EXPERIENCE WAS FAVORABLE.
OUR WE LIKE JENNIFER, WE DON'T
GET CREDITS FOR, FOR WATER
CREDITS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE WATER DISTRICT WAS
CHARGING JUST LIKE $10 AN ACRE
FOOT. AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE
WERE CUT OFF BECAUSE IT WAS JUST
FOR THE BASINS. SO THERE WAS
THEY HAD LIKE A, YOU KNOW, FOR
EVERYBODY ON FARM. AND THEN THE
BASIN TOOK PRIORITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY,
MISS GARCIA MOYAMOYA, LAST,
WE'LL MOVE ON TO MR. MICHAEL
CLAIRBORNE OR CLAIBORNE. EXCUSE
ME. YES THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR SORIA AND CHAIR
PAPIN AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS MICHAEL CLAIBORNE. I'M A
DIRECTING ATTORNEY WITH
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I DO
ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION,
BUT AS THAT. THERE IT IS, A
COUPLE THOUGHTS BEFORE I JUMP IN.
THE FIRST IS I'D LIKE TO
COMPLIMENT BOTH CHAIRS ON THE
CHOICE OF VENUE. TODAY. WE'RE
JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM WHERE WE
WORK WITH RESIDENTS AND HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED MULTIPLE TIMES. TODAY
FLOODED IN 2023, CAUSING PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT HARM. DISPLACEMENT.
IMPACTS TO RESIDENTS THERE. AND
I'D LIKE TO THANK CHAIR SORIA,
WHO ALONG WITH SENATOR CABALLERO,
CHAMPIONED EFFORTS TO RECOVER
FROM THAT FLOOD, WE'RE ALSO JUST
UP THE ROAD FROM DRY DOMESTIC
WELLS IN SOUTH MERCED, BOTH DRY
WELLS AND WELLS IMPACTED BY,
NITRATE CONTAMINATION. NOW SOUTH
MERCED IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS IN
THE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OR
PART OF IT IS, SOME OF THAT
COMMUNITY IS SERVED BY THE
CITY'S WATER SYSTEM, AND SOME
HOUSEHOLDS ARE SERVED BY PRIVATE
WELLS. THOSE PRIVATE WELLS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING OUTREACH IN
THAT AREA, FUNDED BY THE STATE
WATER BOARD. AND WELL TESTING,
AND HAVE MET FAMILIES WITH DRY
WELLS, MET FAMILIES WITH NITRATE
CONTAMINATION WHO CAN'T USE
THEIR TAP WATER. SO I'M GOING TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT
CONVERGENCE, WHICH REALLY
CONVERGES IN SOUTH OR IN MERCED
AND IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IN
PLACES LIKE TUBERVILLE AND
ALLENSWORTH AND PORTERVILLE, AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS DISTRICT
AND THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY, IN
OUR VIEW, WE REALLY CAN ADDRESS
BOTH FLOOD AND DROUGHT IN A WAY
THAT BETTER PROTECTS
COMMUNITIES. THERE'S WAYS TO DO
IT. WE'RE REALLY OPTIMISTIC THAT
WE CAN, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE
DONE. AND AS CHAIR SORIA
RIGHTFULLY SAID EARLIER TODAY,
COMMUNITIES CAN'T WAIT. THESE
THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN FASTER. SO
WITH THAT, I'LL JUMP IN AND I'LL
START TALKING ABOUT GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE AND DRINKING WATER. I
ALMOST SUBTITLED THIS
PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITIES AND
RISKS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY HOW
WE SEE IT. AND I HAVE CONTROL OF
THIS. OKAY FIRST A LITTLE BIT OF
CONTEXT. SO IN 2012, THE STATE
RECOGNIZED THAT ACCESS TO SAFE
AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER IS
A HUMAN RIGHT. AND THAT'S A
CODIFIED HUMAN RIGHT, WE'RE NOT
THERE YET, IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY
RECOGNIZING AND REALIZING THAT
POTENTIAL ON THE GROUND, I'M
SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M
SUPPOSED TO BE POINTING THIS AT,
EXISTING CONDITIONS AND CONTEXT.
WE STILL HAVE ABOUT A MILLION
CALIFORNIANS WHO LACK ACCESS TO
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING
WATER IN THEIR HOMES. THERE'S
BEEN. OKAY. THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF PROGRESS MADE OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS ON TRYING TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. AND THE
STATE WATER BOARD PUT OUT, AND I
THINK GOVERNOR NEWSOM AS WELL
PUT OUT SOME DATA RECENTLY
SAYING ABOUT 900,000 PEOPLE HAVE
GAINED ACCESS TO SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER OVER
THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO UNDER
THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PROGRAM.
BUT THERE'S STILL OVER 900,000
PEOPLE SERVED BY PUBLIC WATER
SYSTEMS THAT ARE FAILING. AND A
NUMBER, PROBABLY OVER 100,000
PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVED BY
FAILING DOMESTIC WELLS AND STATE
SMALLS AS WELL. CONTAMINATION,
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER
QUALITY CAN BE NATURALLY
OCCURRING. IT CAN BE CAUSED BY
HUMAN ACTIVITY, OR IT CAN BE
BOTH. AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY
REGULATIONS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AND IN OTHER PLACES OF
THE STATE SO FAR AREN'T AS
EFFECTIVE AS THEY NEED TO BE. WE
STILL SEE THINGS LIKE NITRATE
CONTAMINATION INCREASING DUE TO
HUMAN ACTIVITY, AND WE HAVEN'T
GOTTEN A HANDLE ON THAT PROGRAM.
THERE'S ONGOING ON THAT ISSUE.
THERE ARE ONGOING EFFORTS TO TRY
TO AND AGAIN, PROGRESS, BUT
WE'RE NOT THERE YET, PROGRAMS TO
SUPPORT PRIVATE. WELL HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE BEGUN IN RECENT YEARS. I'M
TALKING ABOUT THE SAFER PROGRAM
IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, ALSO THE
CV SALTS PROGRAM, WHICH IS
LARGELY, LARGELY RUN BY,
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS WHO FUND
SOLUTIONS. BUT PRIVATE WELLS
THEMSELVES ARE NOT WELL
REGULATED, NOT GENERALLY
REGULATED AT ALL ONCE THEY'RE
DRILLED AND TESTING IS NOT
TYPICALLY REQUIRED. SO
HOUSEHOLDS RELIANT ON PRIVATE
WELLS OFTEN DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE DRINKING. WATER QUALITY
IS AT ALL, AND MAYBE EXPOSED TO
DANGEROUS CONTAMINANTS. AND THEN
MAYBE A LITTLE ASIDE, NOT QUITE
AS RELEVANT TODAY TO TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, BUT I CAN'T NOT
SAY IT. THERE'S ALSO NO
STATEWIDE AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM.
AND WATER, THE COST OF WATER FOR
HOUSEHOLDS KEEPS GOING UP. SO WE
NEED TO ADDRESS THAT. ALSO
IMPACTS ON DOMESTIC WELLS AND
SMALL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS.
THE CONTEXT HERE IS THAT SINCE
2013, WHEN WE STARTED TRACKING
THIS WITH A VOLUNTARY TOOL, THE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
OPERATES 3000 DOMESTIC WELLS,
ALMOST 3000 DOMESTIC WELLS AND
DRINKING WATER WELLS HAVE GONE
DRY DUE TO OVERPUMPING OF
GROUNDWATER RESOURCES AND ON THE
GROUNDWATER QUALITY SIDE. A 2012
REPORT BY UC DAVIS TO THE
LEGISLATURE CONCLUDED THAT ABOUT
A THIRD OF THE WELLS, 33% IN THE
SOUTH SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ARE
IMPACTED BY NITRATE
CONTAMINATION. SO WHEN YOU SEE
DOMESTIC WELLS IN THE SOUTH
VALLEY VERY HIGH RISK OF NITRATE
CONTAMINATION. AND THAT'S TRUE
IN MERCED COUNTY AS WELL, MORE
RECENT TESTING EFFORTS HAVE
SHOWN THAT, THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH
VALLEY, AT LEAST THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT NITRATE
CONTAMINATION IMPACTING 30 TO
40% OF WELLS IN HIGH RISK AREAS.
SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO PUBLIC
HEALTH. AND GOING BACK TO THE
2012 REPORT, NITRATE IS CAUSED
FOR THE MOST PART, 96% IS CAUSED
BY APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER,
BOTH MANURE AND SYNTHETIC, TO
CROPLAND. SO TWO THINGS TO THINK
ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, WHERE THIS
COMES INTO THE DRINKING WATER,
EFFORTS. THE FIRST IS WATER
SUPPLY. THAT'S BEEN MOST OF THE
CONVERSATION TODAY. I'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATER SUPPLY AS
WELL. AND OPPORTUNITIES THERE,
THE SECOND ISSUE IS WATER
QUALITY. IT'S BEEN MENTIONED A
COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT HAS NOT
BEEN AS MUCH OF THE FOCUS. SO ON
WATER SUPPLY, I THINK THE FIRST
THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS
RECHARGE CAN HELP. IT'S PART OF
THE SOLUTION, BUT IT'S NOT THE
ONLY PART OF THE SOLUTION, PICK
LOOKED AT THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLANS
AND CONCLUDED THAT AS A WHOLE,
TAKEN AS A WHOLE, THESE GSPS ARE
COUNTING ON WAY TOO MUCH
RECHARGE TO COME INTO
SUSTAINABILITY. THERE ISN'T THE
SURFACE WATER AVAILABLE, OR THE
ABILITY TO GET WATER INTO THE
GROUND TO DO AS MUCH RECHARGE AS
THE GSPS ARE, ARE ARE PLANNING.
AND THE TAKEAWAY IS WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO DO MORE DEMAND
REDUCTION THAN THOSE PLANS ARE
INCLUDING INCLUDED, EVEN AS WE
TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY
OPPORTUNITY ON THE ON THE WATER
SUPPLY RECHARGE SIDE, BECAUSE WE
SHOULD. SO RECHARGE WILL PLAY A
ROLE. AND IT CAN HAVE ESPECIALLY
LOCALIZED LOCALIZED BENEFITS.
THERE'S A KIND OF PICTURE I
ACTUALLY MEANT TO PUT IN A
DIFFERENT PICTURE, BUT THIS IS A
REFERENCE TO THE FAIRMEAD
GROUNDWATER RESILIENCE PROJECT
THAT'S IN MADERA COUNTY, AND
IT'S A PROJECT THAT WILL
IMPROVE, RECHARGE NEAR THE
COMMUNITY, WHICH SHOULD BENEFIT
THE COMMUNITIES TO PUBLIC SUPPLY
WELLS. THEY ONLY HAVE TWO WELLS
AND ONE WAS HAVING SOME ISSUES.
SO STABILIZING GROUNDWATER
SUPPLY NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF
FAIRMEAD IN A WAY THAT HAS
MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO THE TO THE
AQUIFER AS A WHOLE. AND THE
COMMUNITY, I THINK IS A REALLY
BIG OPPORTUNITY AND AN IMPORTANT
PROJECT IN OUR VIEW, RECHARGE
SHOULD BE AND MUST BE COMMUNITY
DRIVEN. SO I THINK IN OUR VIEW,
COMMUNITY RESIDENTS KNOW THEIR
COMMUNITIES AND THE ISSUES THE
BEST AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE
THESE SOLUTIONS, WHICH YOU'VE
HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FROM
OTHERS ON THIS PANEL. TURNING TO
WATER QUALITY. SO RECHARGE ON
AGRICULTURAL LANDS HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO EITHER DEGRADE
WATER QUALITY OR IMPROVE WATER
QUALITY. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON
THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE SITE.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION
EARLIER ABOUT A PERMIT THAT
INCLUDED RECHARGE ON DAIRY LAND.
THAT'S A CONCERN FOR US BECAUSE
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE NITRATE
PROBLEM, APPLICATION OF DAIRY
MANURE TO CROPLAND RIGHT NOW IS
OCCURRING AT UNSAFE LEVELS,
MEANING THAT THERE IS STILL
NITROGEN LEFT IN THAT SOIL THAT
COULD BE FLUSHED INTO
GROUNDWATER. BUT IT'S VERY, VERY
SITE DEPENDENT. AND WE DON'T
HAVE ALL THE DATA WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO SELECT SAFE SITES. I'LL
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT
WHEN WE GET TO SOLUTIONS,
CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH
SOLUTIONS. ONCE GROUNDWATER IS
POLLUTED, WHY DO WE CARE SO MUCH
ABOUT NITRATE POLLUTION? BECAUSE
IT'S VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO
REMOVE OR TO ADDRESS ONCE IT'S
THERE. ONCE GROUNDWATER IS
POLLUTED WITH NITRATE, YOU DO
HAVE OPTIONS, BUT THEY'RE ALL
EXPENSIVE, THEY'RE ALL SLOW AND
THEY'RE ALL IMPERFECT. SO
INTERIM SOLUTIONS I MENTIONED
THE CV SALTS PROGRAM THAT OFFERS
FREE DOMESTIC, WELL TESTING AND
INTERIM DRINKING WATER SOLUTIONS,
USUALLY BOTTLED WATER DELIVERY
WHEN THERE'S A NITRATE PROBLEM.
THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN
IMPLEMENTED AT LEAST IN CERTAIN
CALLED MANAGEMENT ZONES FOR A
FEW YEARS. AND SO FAR, THOSE
MANAGEMENT ZONES HAVE GOTTEN TO
ABOUT 19% OF THE IMPACTED
HOUSEHOLDS. AND THAT'S AFTER A
LOT OF EFFORT TO DO OUTREACH
TABLING. GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT
THESE PROGRAMS. THE TAKEAWAY IS
THESE ARE NEVER GOING TO BE
PERFECT. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO
GET TO 100% OF IMPACTED
HOUSEHOLDS WITH MITIGATION
EFFORTS, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE
SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH EFFORTS.
AND THEN FOR LONG TERM
SOLUTIONS, YOU HAVE
CONSOLIDATION, WELL,
REPLACEMENT, BLENDING, TREATMENT,
EXTENSION OF SERVICE. ALL OF
THESE TAKE YEARS TO IMPLEMENT.
ALL OF THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND AGAIN, THE TAKEAWAY FOR ME
IS WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
PROTECTING DRINKING WATER
SUPPLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE
BEFORE THEY'RE CONTAMINATED,
RECHARGE TO US IS NOT A SILVER
BULLET, BUT AGAIN, IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY, SUSTAINABLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PRIMARILY
REQUIRES A REAL COMMITMENT TO
DEMAND REDUCTION TO BRING ACTUAL
USE INTO LINE WITH THE AMOUNT OF
WATER THAT'S AVAILABLE. BUT
RECHARGE CAN HELP KIND OF ON THE
MARGINS. IF DONE PROPERLY.
RECHARGE CAN HELP COMMUNITIES
AND HOUSEHOLDS MAINTAIN OR
REGAIN ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING
WATER. IF DONE POORLY, THEY CAN
CAUSE NITRATE CONTAMINATION AND
EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM. SOLVE A
WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM WHILE
CREATING A WATER QUALITY
PROBLEM. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO
AVOID. AND THEN ONCE GROUNDWATER
IS POLLUTED, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE
TO CLEAN UP. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE
TO TREAT FOR DRINKING WATER
USES. AND THEN FINALLY EMERGENCY
FLOOD POLICIES SHOULD NOT
DISCOURAGE ADVANCED PERMITTING.
THAT WAS DISCUSSED A LOT TODAY.
WE DO AGREE THAT ADVANCED
PLANNING IS BETTER THAN KIND OF
EMERGENCY ACTION IN SB 122 AND
2023, THERE ARE A FEW
PROTECTIONS THAT WE THINK REALLY
NEED TO BE MAINTAINED, THERE'S A
DEFINITION OF FLOOD FLOW THAT
EXCLUDES NON FLOOD EVENTS. SO
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHT
THINGS, EARLY NOTICE OF
DIVERSION TO THE PUBLIC AND THE
STATE WATER BOARD WERE REALLY
IMPORTANT TO US. PROHIBITIONS ON
FLOOD FLOW RECHARGE TO LAND THAT
HAS POTENTIAL TO CONTAMINATE
GROUNDWATER THAT'S USED AS A
DRINKING WATER SOURCE. IT'S ALSO
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND THEN
PRELIMINARY AND FINAL REPORTS
ARE POSTED ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE,
WHICH WE APPRECIATE. AND THEN A
FEW UNMET POLICY NEEDS FROM OUR
VIEW, THE FIRST IS MONITORING
AND DATA COLLECTION RELATED TO
WATER QUALITY IMPACTS. RECHARGE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES,
SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION A FEW
OTHERS ARE TRYING TO WORK ON
THIS. THERE JUST ISN'T THE
MONITORING NETWORK TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT THE KIND OF
IMPACTS TO GROUNDWATER QUALITY
FROM RECHARGE THAT HAS OCCURRED
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS
WERE. AND SO I THINK THAT'S A
SIGNIFICANT NEED, MORE ANALYSIS
AND MAPPING OF FIELDS WHERE IT'S
BOTH EFFECTIVE. THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF RESEARCH AND MAPPING ON
WHERE RECHARGE IS EFFECTIVE, BUT
ALSO SAFE FROM A GROUNDWATER
QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS A
BILL PASSED, AUTHORED BY SENATOR
ASHBY LAST YEAR, SB 659, WHICH
REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT TO DO
THAT MAPPING BY 2028 PROBABLY
SHOULD BE ACCELERATED, BUT THAT
WAS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD. AND
THEN AN EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY
DRIVEN RECHARGE PROJECTS LIKE
THE FAIRMEAD PROJECTS. A COUPLE
OF PROJECTS YOU HEARD ON THIS
PANEL TODAY, I THINK IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. AND THEN FINALLY, AND
THIS IS AN OVERALL TAKEAWAY, I
THINK WE NEED TO BETTER
INCORPORATE CLIMATE MODEL
MODELING INTO SUSTAINABLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AS A
GENERAL MATTER. AND THAT WAS MY
LAST SLIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SO JUST
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, SO FOR THOSE MEMBERS IN
THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO,
YOU KNOW, MAKE A COMMENT, THERE
IS A MICROPHONE, A PODIUM ON
YOUR LEFT SIDE, YOU CAN PLEASE,
IF YOU CAN COME, YOU'LL HAVE,
TWO MINUTES. BUT OBVIOUSLY, IN
THE INTEREST OF TIME SO THAT WE
HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS TO MAKE THEIR
PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELF. NAME WHO YOU
REPRESENT OR WHAT COMMUNITY
YOU'RE FROM. AND, YOU CAN GO
AHEAD AND PROCEED. SIR HELLO, MY
NAME IS RAUL ESTRADA. I AM
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OF UNITED
STATES SINCE 2020. IT'S GOOD TO
SEE EVERYBODY COME HERE. I WISH
IT WAS FULLER TO HEAR ABOUT OUR
WATERWAYS. HOW CAN WE BETTER IT?
WHAT COST FOR THE LIFE OF WATER
IF BLOOD IS YOU, DONATE BLOOD
FOR A PINT. IF BLOOD IS A
NECESSITY TO LIFE, WE TAKE WATER
AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE. WHAT
HAPPENS? FARMERS LOSE. WE LOSE.
WE CAME HERE TO LEARN SOMETHING.
I HOPE WE ALL DID. BECAUSE WE
NEED EACH OTHER. FROM THE STATE
LEVEL TO THE COUNTY LEVEL TO THE
CITY LEVEL. NO MATTER HOW BIG IT
IS, THERE IS A GOAL. WE ARE SET
TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. I'M FOR THE
AGRICULTURAL SIDE BECAUSE THAT
IS OUR LIFELINE. THAT IS WHAT WE
GET. OUR NOURISHMENT FROM EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THAT'S WHY
WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOUR EYES ARE
ON THEM, MY EYES ARE ON YOU. TO
MY RITZ, THAT I SEND IT TO MY
OFFICIALS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE SO THAT WE
DON'T DO IT THAT WAY. TO PASS
THE BUCK. I SAY PASS THE
ENVELOPE. PUSH THAT ENVELOPE.
LET'S STAND FOR SOMETHING.
INSTEAD OF JUST WASTE Ó BECAUSE
WE'RE NOT OF STANDARD. IT'S WHO
YOU KNOW OVER WHAT YOU KNOW. BUT
THEN IF YOU MESS UP, THAT PERSON
IS GOING TO BE MY PROBLEM, NOT
MY JURISDICTION. AS MANY TIMES
AS YOU TOLD ME, SOME I BARELY
MET TODAY. BUT I HAVE MESSAGE MY
OFFICIALS EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR
ANSWERS OTHER THAN NOT MY
JURISDICTION. OR YOU GO TO VOTE
FOR ME THIS ELECTION, HOW CAN I
TAKE YOUR VOTE FOR ME? I SEE
COMMERCIALS THAT PEOPLE ARE
FIGHTING FOR A REASON, NOT FOR
THEMSELVES, BECAUSE WE CAN'T
TAKE IT WITH US WHEN WE GO GREED
AT OUR STATE LEVEL IS TOO HIGH.
THANK YOU. MR. ESTRADA. THAT'S
YOUR TWO MINUTES. APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
NOW, MY NAME IS RYAN BARRETT. I
LIVE IN DOS PALOS AT THE ON THE
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER IN 152, MISS
SORIA, YOU AND I ACTUALLY GOT TO
TALK WHEN SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA
WAS WITH YOU, AND, PLANATA.
DURING THE FLOODS ABOUT HIGHWAY
59. AND THE ISSUE OVER THERE
WITH THE FLOODING GOING ACROSS
THE RIVER. AND YOU GUYS DID GET
IT CLEANED UP, AND IT DOES LOOK
A LOT BETTER, WHERE I WANT TO GO
IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BROKEN.
THERE'S BEEN NO MAINTENANCE DONE
ON IT. WE NEED TO START THERE.
ALSO, POLICIES ARE KILLING US.
GREAT EXAMPLE IS THE SAN JOAQUIN
IS THE SAN LUIS RESERVOIR. WE'RE
FOUR YEARS INTO THAT PROJECT AND
WE JUST FINISHED PHASE ONE. THEY
BUILT THAT RESERVOIR IN TEN
YEARS. THE ISSUES HOLDING US UP
THERE IS PERMITS, RECLAMATION
AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE
FIRST PHASE JUST FINISHED UP.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE THEY DON'T
HAVE THE SECOND PHASE AWARDED
YET. IT'S OUR DRY SEASON. WE
SHOULD BE WORKING NOW, NOT WAIT
UNTIL JANUARY WHEN IT WILL BE
AWARDED, AND THEN HAVING TO WAIT
TILL APRIL MAY BECAUSE WE GOT TO
RELEASE EXTRA WATER OUT OF THERE
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE
THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON
IT. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
REPORTS. THEY KILL US WHEN YOU
GET MULTIPLE FOR THE SAME THING.
WE NEED TO CUT THAT BACK. THERE
NEEDS TO BE MORE. IT NEEDS TO BE
EASIER TO GET DONE. HIGH SPEED
RAIL DID NOT NEED TO DO AN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
GOING OVER THE SAN JOAQUIN
RIVER. EVERYONE ELSE DOES HAVE
TO DO THAT. THAT IS MICKEY
MOUSE. SO ON YOUR LEVEL,
CLEANING UP THE POLICIES THAT
HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE LAST
50 YEARS, GETTING THEM
STREAMLINED, THAT WILL MAKE OUR
LIVES A LOT EASIER AND WE CAN
GET A LOT MORE DONE GETTING
RESERVOIRS BUILT. THAT IS A TOP
PRIORITY TO STORE THIS WASTE,
THIS EXTRA WATER THAT WE LOSE
DOWN THE SAN LUIS RESERVOIR. I
MEAN, THIS SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
GATHERING THAT WATER, PUTTING IT
IN WHEN WE HAVE IT, KEEPING IT
SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THE FISH
GOING UPSTREAM TO MODESTO AND
THEN TRUCKING THEM UP TO THE TO
THE FRIANT DAM, YOU KNOW, DURING
DRY SEASONS, WE JUST GOT TO WORK
ON STUFF LIKE THAT. LAST THING
REAL QUICK, MISS PAYNE, YOU SAID
TRIGGERS AN EASY TRIGGER WE CAN
SET UP TODAY IS WE HAVE A
MINIMUM FLOW GOING DOWN THAT
RIVER WHEN WE HIT THE AVERAGE
FLOW, THAT WATER GETS DIVERTED
AND SENT INTO THE DIFFERENT
DISTRICTS. THAT'S EASY. WE DID
IT. ONE, TWO, THREE. THERE'S
STEPS LIKE THAT CUTTING OUT ALL
THE EXTRA MICKEY MOUSE AND JUST
GETTING GETTING IT DONE. WE NEED
TO GET IT DONE. YOU GUYS GOT TO
RUN THE GOVERNMENT LIKE A
BUSINESS. YOU ARE A BIG
BUSINESS. WE WENT FROM THE FIFTH
LARGEST ECONOMY DOWN TO THE
SEVENTH LARGEST ECONOMY. THIS
LAST YEAR. AND NOW WE'RE RELYING
ON AGRICULTURE TO BRING US BACK.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GREAT. THANK YOU. CHAIR SORIA
AND ALSO CHAIR PAPIN AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS.
APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS
ABRAHAM MENDOZA. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY WATER
CENTER. WE ARE HEADQUARTERED IN
VISALIA, CALIFORNIA. I'M ALSO A
PROUD CENTRAL VALLEY RESIDENT
MYSELF, BORN AND RAISED. I COME
FROM AGRICULTURE. MY
GRANDPARENTS WERE BOTH
CAMPESINOS ON BOTH SIDES, SO I
HAVE A DEEP AND ABIDING RESPECT
FOR AGRICULTURE AND ALSO FOR THE
HARDWORKING PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING
OUT THERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO
HELP BRING IN MONEY FOR OUR
ECONOMY, BUT ALSO JUST GIVE BACK
TO THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
FOR ME, IN PARTICULAR, AND ON
BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY WATER
CENTER, WE REALLY WANT TO ALIGN
OUR COMMENTS WITH THE LAST
PRESENTATION THAT LEADERSHIP
COUNCIL PROVIDED. WE PERSONALLY
DO FEEL, AS WELL AS EVERYONE
ELSE IN HERE, THAT GROUNDWATER
AND GROUNDWATER RECHARGE
PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IN A
WORLD OF CLIMATE EXTREMES, THE
SNOWPACK IS MELTING. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE RISKS
ASSOCIATED, AND WE HAVE TO PLAN
FOR THE FUTURE THAT IS HOTTER
AND DRIER, AND GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE PROVIDES US WITH A
REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO
JUST THAT. HOWEVER, WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT, AS MICHAEL
MENTIONED, THERE'S A LOT OF
RISKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS. ON OUR SPECIFIC WORK WITH
COMMUNITY WATER CENTER, WE DEAL
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO THEIR
WELLS HAVE RUN DRY. WE DEAL WITH
PEOPLE WHO CAN'T DRINK THEIR TAP
WATER FOR SIMILAR REASONS THAT
MICHAEL IDENTIFIED WITH
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. FOR MY
PERSONAL LIFE, I'VE ALSO HAD TO
DEAL WITH CONTAMINATED WATER,
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO HAS TO BE
MANAGED APPROPRIATELY AS WE DEAL
WITH THINGS LIKE GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO IN PARTICULAR, WE WANT TO
ALIGN OUR COMMENTS FOCUSING IN
ON WE NEED BETTER PLANNING. WE
NEED TO IDENTIFY WHERE IT IS
THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE SUITED.
THAT ISN'T GOING TO CREATE
ADDITIONAL BURDENS LATER ON.
WHEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND
CLEAN UP, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN
A WORLD WHERE EVERYTHING COSTS
DOLLARS AND CENTS, WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THE STATE IS SPENDING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS REGULARLY,
EITHER PROVIDING DRINKING WATER
FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T ACCESS THE
WATER THAT THEY HAVE FROM
CONTAMINATION, OR WHEN THEIR
WELLS HAVE RUN DRY AND SO AN
OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A
POUND OF CURE. WE NEED TO BE
MORE ON THE FRONT END OF
PLANNING, AND ALSO JUST MAKING
SURE WE HAVE BETTER CLIMATE
MODELING FOR THESE PROJECTS.
THANK YOU. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR, AND ALL ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANGELA
YSLAS. I AM A WATER PROJECTS
COORDINATOR WITH CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
NETWORK. WE ARE BASED IN FRESNO,
BUT WE DO ALSO SERVE MANY
COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WITHIN
MADERA COUNTY, AS WELL AS FRESNO
COUNTY IN GENERAL, I KNOW WE'RE
COVERING MERCED, BUT I DO ALSO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA, YOUR DISTRICT AS
WELL. I AM SUPPORTING A SMALL
COMMUNITY OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT
OUTSIDE OF RAISIN CITY. THEY ARE
A PRIVATE DOMESTIC, WELL,
COMMUNITY, AND IN GENERAL, I
KNOW THAT WITH GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE, WE ARE REALLY WANTING
TO FOCUS ON THE TWO EXTREMES. WE
ARE FOCUSING ON EXTREME
FLOODING, BUT WE ARE ALSO
FOCUSING ON EXTREME DROUGHT, AND
SO, ON MY TOPICS, I DO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUE ABRAHAM
FROM COMMUNITY WATER CENTER, AS
WELL AS MICHAEL FROM LEADERSHIP
COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT
OF THINGS THAT WE DO NEED TO
THINK ABOUT. WE DO NEED TO
REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE HIGH
RISKS OF WHAT WE WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WITH RESIDENTS, WITH
PERRY COLONY, THAT'S THE
COMMUNITY OF DOMESTIC WELLS.
JUST LAST WEEK, THERE WAS A
10TH. WELL, THAT JUST WENT DRY,
SO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, ABOUT
A TOTAL OF BETWEEN 8 TO 10 HAVE
WENT DRY. AND SO THEY ARE
LOOKING INTO CONSOLIDATION. THAT
WAS PART OF MICHAEL'S
PRESENTATION THAT THAT IS A
CONSIDERATION OF OPTION FOR
SOLUTION. BUT WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT CONSOLIDATION, WE
ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT
SORT OF KIND OF LIKE
COMPLEMENTARY OF RECHARGE TO NOT
IMPACT DURING CONSOLIDATION
EFFORTS OR EVEN AN ACTUAL WELL
OF WATER SYSTEM THAT IS GOING TO
NEED TO THINK ABOUT
CONSOLIDATING THAT COMMUNITY,
BUT ALSO THE RISK OF THEIR WATER
BEING CONTAMINATED AND HAVING TO
JUGGLE TWO DIFFERENT HIGH
EXPENSES, SO I DEFINITELY WANT
TO JUST KIND OF PUT THAT AT THE
TABLE THAT, YOU KNOW, DEEPLY. WE
DO ALSO NEED TO REALLY THINK
ABOUT DROUGHT, BECAUSE THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO
GO AWAY IN THESE IN THIS KIND
OF, KIND OF, TIMELINE THAT WE
HAVE TO TRY TO ALIGN OUR
POLICIES AND ALSO ALIGN OUR
COORDINATION REALLY HEAVILY. SO
APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRWOMAN SORIA
AND PAPIN AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MATHIS. MY NAME IS BRIANNE
VANDENBERG. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE MERCED COUNTY
FARM BUREAU, A NONPROFIT,
GRASSROOTS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION THAT ADVOCATES FOR
FARMERS AND RANCHERS WITHIN
MERCED COUNTY. PLEASE LET ME
WELCOME YOU TO OUR COUNTY, AND
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING A MUCH
NEEDED HEARING ON GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE. I FIRST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT AN AREA WHERE GROWERS
WOULD HAVE CAPTURED FLOOD WATER
DURING A REMARKABLE 2023 RAIN
YEAR, YET WE'RE HAMSTRUNG DUE TO
GOVERNMENTAL CHALLENGES AS THE
YEAR RAMPED UP AND FLOOD WATERS,
MERCED COUNTY DAIRY FARMERS
STEPPED UP AS THEY HAD
ACCESSIBLE GROUND BOTH IN MEANS
OF LOCATION TO THE FLOODS
PATHWAY AND TOLERANT CROPS. THE
FIRST ROADBLOCK CAME BY WAY OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE, AS THEY HELD
FISH SCREEN PERMITS FOR TWO
MONTHS FOR A TWO MONTH PERIOD.
THOSE SAME GROWERS, ALONG WITH
OTHERS, WERE AGAIN BLOCKED FROM
PULLING FLOOD FLOWS. UNDER
GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER IN 123. THIS WAS DUE TO
WHAT WAS EXPLAINED EARLIER IN
PARCEL ENROLLMENT UNDER THE
DAIRY GENERAL ORDER, OR THE
RESTRICTION THAT RECHARGE COULD
NOT OCCUR ON GROUND THAT
RECEIVED FERTILIZER IN THE LAST
90 DAYS. AGENCY STAFF FELT THAT
IT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL LEACHING
OF NITRATES. YET THIS OVERLAPPED
WITH OUR RESIDENTS STILL REELING
FROM CATASTROPHIC FLOOD DAMAGE.
WE DO APPRECIATE THE CHANGES
THAT WERE MADE OR THE
ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN A
QUICKER MANNER AND ALLOWED FOR
GREATER ACREAGE. ON A BETTER
NOTE, WE HAVE PROJECTS WITH LONG
TERM BENEFITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THE VAN DER DEUTSCHEN SUBSIDENCE
PRIORITY AREA FLOOD MÀ PROJECT
STANDS READY FOR OUR NEXT FLOOD
EVENT. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES A
1.25 MILE EARTHEN CANAL FROM
MID'S EL NIDO CANAL, DELIVERING
FLOOD WATER TO APPROXIMATELY 685
ACRES. APPROXIMATELY 325 OF
THOSE ARE LOCATED IN THE SANDY
MARSH MUTUAL WATER COMPANY,
WHICH IS A WITHIN THE MERCED SUB
SUB BASIN. GSA THE REMAINING
ACREAGE IS IN THE MADERA COUNTY
GSA WITH 90 DAYS OF FLOOD FLOWS.
THE 20 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
CANAL WILL YIELD APPROXIMATELY
3600 ACRE FEET OF RECHARGE. THIS
PROJECT WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT
SUBSIDENCE PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS IN
THAT PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO
COMMENT TODAY, AND I'D BE HAPPY
TO CONNECT WITH YOU IN THE
FUTURE SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STEVE
HAYES, AND AS A POINT OF
INTRODUCTION, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED
IN CALIFORNIA WATER RESOURCES
CHALLENGES SINCE CALFED BAY
DELTA RECORD OF DECISION BACK IN
2000, PRIMARILY AS IT RELATED TO
THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER UPPER
BASIN, MORE RECENTLY. ALSO, I
SHOULD INDICATE I AM INVOLVED
WITH RESOURCE CONSERVATION
DISTRICTS TRANQUILITY ON THE
WEST SIDE OF FRESNO COUNTY. ALSO
INVOLVED WITH THE NGO CALLED THE
TULARE BASIN WATERSHED
PARTNERSHIP AND SO THE FLOODS,
WATERS AND THE IMPACTS TO SOME
OF WHAT ARE CALLED FRONTLINE
COMMUNITIES. ALLENSWORTH
ALPAUGH, CORCORAN, YOU KNOW,
THEY DID PRETTY GOOD, I JUST
REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
HOLDING THIS JOINT HEARING. ALL
THE PANELISTS INVOLVED, I THINK
IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST HEARINGS
AS IT RELATES TO MY 20 PLUS
YEARS OF SEEING. SO MUCH OF
RATHER THAN HALF EMPTY, MUCH
MORE THAN HALF FULL. REFLECTING
BACK WHERE WE WERE WHEN THAT ROD
WAS ENACTED AND WHERE WE ARE
TODAY. AND I THINK THE SIDEBOARD
WAS SIGMA AND FORMATION OF THE
GSA'S, EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD
TODAY, IS MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY
BASED THAN ONE WOULD IMAGINE. I
THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, IS HOW
TO TAKE ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT IS THE TOOLKIT, FROM ON THE
GROUND, THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN
AGRICULTURE, SOME OF THE BEST
INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORLD HERE
IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND CREATE
A VISION JUST LIKE THEY DID ONE
HILL OVER CALL TODAY, SILICON
VALLEY, BIOTECH WAS BROUGHT UP.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WATER
RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE, OUR
ECONOMY, OUR WAY OF LIFE IS
BASED UPON AG AND SINCE I WAS
BORN HERE, MAYBE WENT AND WORKED
ONE HILL OVER FOR MANY YEARS,
BUT CAME BACK, I THINK WE NEED
TO PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE AND WE
HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND I
THINK YOU STARTED IT TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, WE WANT TO
THANK IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN
THE PUBLIC THAT WANTS TO MAKE
COMMENTS, JUST, WANT TO MAKE
SOME CLOSING REMARKS VERY
QUICKLY. I KNOW JUST IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, ALLOW MY
COLLEAGUES, IF THEY HAVE ANY
OTHER VERY SHORT COMMENTS. SO,
FOLKS CAN. I'M GOOD. GO AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAY YOU GIVE
MATHIS SECONDS, HE'LL TALK.
DON'T TALK 20 MINUTES. THEY
ALREADY CUT ME OFF. GIVE ME 20S.
I'LL TALK FOR 30. WHAT? I JUST
WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR
MAKING IT OUT HERE AND FOR THE
REAL ISSUE THAT THIS IS, THE
PROBLEM WITH POLICY THAT I'VE
SEEN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS IS
WE THINK IN THESE UTOPIAS, WE
THINK OF WHAT, HOW GOOD IT LOOKS
ON PAPER VERSUS WHAT MOTHER
NATURE THROWS AT US AND THE
REALITIES THAT WE LIVE IN ON
PAPER. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE IS NO
CONTAMINATED WATER GETTING INTO
OUR GROUNDWATER WHEN WE RECHARGE
OR WHEN WE RUN INTO THESE FLOOD
EVENTS. THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN. THE REALITY IS
THAT THE GROUNDWATER IS ALREADY
CONTAMINATED FROM AGE OLD
PRACTICES THAT AREN'T IN USE
TODAY. THE FACT IS THAT WHEN IT
FLOODS AND LEVEES BREAK AND
DAIRIES ARE FLOODED, IT
CONTAMINATES THE GROUNDWATER.
THAT'S NOBODY'S FAULT. IT'S JUST
REALITY. AND IT HAPPENS. SO WE
NEED TO STOP BLAMING DAIRIES AND
EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE FAMILIES
THAT WORK TO PUT FOOD ON OUR
TABLE AT FAULT FOR IT, BECAUSE
IT'S VERY PUNITIVE AND IT
DOESN'T GET US ANYWHERE, AND IT
DOESN'T BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO
WORK AS COALITIONS TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEM WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE
TO MAKE THESE REGULATIONS
SIMPLER, MORE FLEXIBLE, WHERE
PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER AND GET
WATER IN THE GROUND FASTER. YOU
KNOW, IN THE MILITARY AND I LED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
MISSIONS, MILLIONS OF MILES. YOU
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN, BUT YOU KNEW YOU'RE
GOING TO GET ATTACKED. YOU
DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY WAS
GOING TO BE. YOU DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO SHOOT
AT. IF IT WAS GOING TO BE A
ROADSIDE BOMB, AN RPG. YOU
DIDN'T KNOW, BUT YOU KNEW YOU
WERE GOING TO GET ATTACKED. SO
YOU PLANNED FOR IT. WE KNOW
WE'RE GOING TO GET FLOODED. WE
KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A
DROUGHT. WE HAVE ALL THESE TOOLS
HERE, ALL OF THEM. FOR DECADES,
AND WE'RE STILL ARGUING THE SAME
POINTS. WE KNOW BETTER. SO WE
NEED TO DO BETTER. IT'S THE SAME
THING I TELL MY KIDS WHEN THEY
MESS UP, IF YOU KNOW BETTER, DO
BETTER. THIS NEXT YEAR. THESE
COMMITTEES HAVE THE ABILITY TO
DO COMMITTEE BILLS. I EXPECT THE
AGENCIES TO PUT SOME LANGUAGE
TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, THIS
NEEDS TO HAPPEN. WE NEED TO STOP
BEING AFRAID OF WHAT THE
GOVERNOR MIGHT SAY OR WHAT THE
ADMINISTRATION MIGHT SAY, OR
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
MIGHT SAY. THE FACT THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT INCREASING FEES
YET AGAIN TOMORROW, WHEN
FAMILIES ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO DO
SIMPLE THINGS, TO DO THE RIGHT
THING, TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES
DOWNSTREAM, THEY'RE SAYING, HEY,
I'M WILLING TO TAKE THIS WATER
ON. LET'S DO THIS. BUT THEY GOT
TO GO AND PAY A RIDICULOUS
AMOUNT OF MONEY JUST TO PROTECT
SOMEBODY DOWNSTREAM FROM THEM.
HOW IS THAT RIGHT? SO I'M
TALKING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAD
YOUR TWO MINUTES, SO WE CARRY
ON. BUT WE NEED TO PULL TOGETHER
AS A COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO PULL
TOGETHER AS A VALLEY. AND WE
SURE AS HELL NEED TO PULL
TOGETHER AS A STATE BECAUSE WE
DON'T NEED TO BE IN THIS SAME
SPOT TEN YEARS FROM NOW TALKING
ABOUT THE SAME THING. SO LET'S
PULL TOGETHER. LET'S GET THIS
DONE FOR THE PEOPLE, AND LET'S
DO BETTER. TEAM CHAIRWOMAN,
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE
PANELISTS FOR COMING FOR THE
COMMUNITY, FOR COMING AND AGAIN,
PULL TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE.
THANK YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
NOTHING. BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MATHIS, AND, YOU
KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE. I KNOW THIS IS YOUR
LAST HEARING WITH THIS, AND SO
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING
THE TIME TODAY TO BE HERE. I
ALSO JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, WHEN WE KICKED OFF THE
HEARING TO THE CHAIRWOMAN FOR
MAKING THE DRIVE FROM THE BAY TO
BE HERE TO HEAR DIRECTLY, ONE
OBVIOUSLY FROM THOSE IN THE
STATE AGENCIES THAT OVERSEE
GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, AND THEN
ALSO HEAR FROM OUR LOCAL FOLKS
AND SOME OF THE FOLKS ON THE
GROUND THAT ARE DOING THE HARD
WORK WITH THESE PROJECTS, THE
ONES THAT HAVE TAKEN THE RISK,
THE ONES THAT ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE IT OUT. YOU GUYS HEARD
SOME OF THEM ARE REALLY SMALL,
JUST A FEW THOUSAND ACRES THAT
THEY'RE GROWING, SOME ARE A
LITTLE BIT LARGER, BUT THEY'RE
STILL TRYING TO DO THEIR PIECE
TO NOT JUST HELP THEMSELVES
CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN THIS LOCAL
AG ECONOMY. THAT IS SO IMPORTANT
TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO AT
THE SAME TIME HELPING THE ENTIRE
REGION. AND SO I THINK TODAY WE
LEARNED, OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT HOW
COMPLICATED THINGS ARE, THAT WE
HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS THAT WE
ARE WE HAVE SOME LEARNED
LESSONS, BUT THAT THERE'S AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY AND THAT
LOCAL AND STATE FOLKS AND THE
FEDERAL FOLKS ALSO NEED TO WORK,
YOU KNOW, TOGETHER AND THAT I'M
HOPING THAT AS I CONTINUE TO BE
THE CHAIRWOMAN OF AG AND HAVE
THE ABILITY TO REPRESENT THIS
REGION, THAT WE CONTINUE THESE
CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE SO
CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS
REGION, BUT ALSO OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND THAT WE LOOK AT
THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. I
KNOW IN THIS LAST BUDGET, THERE
WERE NOT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR
LIKE THE LAND FLEX PROGRAM. WHAT
ARE WE GOING TO DO TOGETHER TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES WE CAN
PUT TOGETHER? IF, YOU KNOW, I
KNOW WE PUT A CLIMATE BOND ON
THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER IF THOSE
FUNDING ARE NOT THERE, WHAT WHAT
IS THE WHAT ARE THE STATE
AGENCIES LOOKING AT? AND SO WE
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH ALL
THE REGULATORS. THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE
DOING, TO OUR ACADEMICS AND THE
PROFESSORS, I THINK THERE'S AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY HERE AT
UC MERCED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
FARM EXPERIMENTAL STATION, THAT
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE
TO STUDY BETTER WAYS, MORE
EFFICIENT WAYS, AND GET UP TO
SPEED WITH EVEN, UTILIZING
CONTINUE TO UTILIZE AI, TO HELP
OUR COMMUNITIES REALLY NOT JUST
SURVIVE, BUT ACTUALLY THRIVE.
AND SO THAT'S MY GOAL AS THE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS
COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE NOT STAYING IN OUR SILOS,
BUT THAT WE'RE COMING TOGETHER
TO WORK REALLY IN A, IN A BETTER
WAY ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE THAT
WE REPRESENT. SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME TO BE
HERE FROM THE MORNING TO THIS
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE
THAT ALLOWED US TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY THE STAFF
THAT I KNOW SPENT A LOT OF TIME
PUTTING THE INFORMATION TOGETHER
AND THESE GREAT PANELS. SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL FOR BEING
HERE. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
CONCLUDE.