Our Water is Groundwater

By Kim Adamson, General Manager, Soquel Creek Water District

Groundwater is our most critical local asset in Santa Cruz County. Specifically in the mid-county, if you’re a customer of a municipal water supply or a private well owner, all of your water comes from underground basins — not the streams, lakes, or reservoirs you see above ground. In honor of National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 9-15, I’d like share some facts and information about groundwater.

Did you know…?

1. There is the same amount of water on Earth as there was when the Earth was formed. This means that all our water is essentially “recycled water”. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank! Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers, which leaves just 1% for use by humans — all our global agricultural, residential, manufacturing, community, and personal needs.
2. Almost 40% of California’s water supply comes from groundwater during non-drought years. There are between one million and two million water wells scattered throughout the state with 10,000-15,000 new wells added each year, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
3. Most of Santa Cruz County’s potable (drinkable) water supply is locally derived from groundwater (80%); a small amount comes from surface water sources (20%). Our region does not receive imported water from other parts of the state or country.
4. All the major groundwater basins in Santa Cruz County are in some level of overdraft, which means more water is being extracted from the basin than is naturally replaced by rainfall. 3 This is true even in non-drought years, due to the typical demands for water from our community for day-to-day uses. Drought makes this situation even worse.
5. Overdraft has many negative consequences, including declining groundwater levels, a decrease in groundwater quality, reduced streamflow, and seawater intrusion that contaminates wells and makes our water useless for drinking.

Statewide Groundwater Sustainability: Even though groundwater is a major source of water statewide, until recently, there were no requirements that it be managed on a local or regional level. This meant that users could pump and use groundwater without being regulated. In September 2014, this changed when Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which made California the last western state in the country to regulate groundwater.

This law requires local agencies to establish a groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) and adopt a groundwater sustainability plan that will achieve basin sustainability within 20 years (by 2040 or 2042).

Here in Santa Cruz County, we have a long history of collaborative groundwater management that pre-dates the new law. For years, we’ve been collecting data, monitoring and modeling groundwater levels, and building partnerships with other water districts and groundwater pumpers. Local plans and programs include Groundwater Management Plans and the Santa Cruz Integrated Regional Water Management Program.

• Soquel-Aptos Area Basin: There is currently a Groundwater Management Plan adopted by the Soquel Creek Water District and Central Water District, who coordinate through the Basin Implementation Group. Recently, this group launched a groundwater model and is being expanded to include the City of Santa Cruz, the County of Santa Cruz, and Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency. This group also has been hosting informational community meetings with private well owners and will be developing a framework on forming a GSA as one of the first steps to meeting the new requirements of the new law.
• Pajaro Valley Area Basin: Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency serves as the lead agency that recently developed a groundwater model and adopted an Updated Basin Management Plan. PVWMA has been specifically designated as a GSA under the new law.
• Santa Margarita Area Basin: A Groundwater Management Plan for the Scotts Valley sub-basin was adopted, and a groundwater model for the entire Santa Margarita Basin is complete. The Santa Margarita Basin Advisory committee, which includes the City of Scotts Valley, Scotts Valley Water District, San Lorenzo Valley Water District, Lompico County Water District and the County of Santa Cruz, is starting to plan for groundwater sustainability.

The State is currently conducting site visits throughout California to learn about local issues as they continue to implement the new law and develop tools for water agencies to use. We were very fortunate to be selected as an area to evaluate; on February 18, staff from Department of Water Resources made a special visit to Santa Cruz County and met with local water agency representatives.

What water users and well owners should know: I encourage water customers as well as well owners to stay engaged as the local agencies embark on meeting the requirements of the new law. This historic legislation has changed the way groundwater will be managed in California. I am confident that our region can collaborate to achieve sustainable groundwater management, which provides a reliable water supply for future generations.

Our water is groundwater – together let’s protect it. Please join us on March 21 for “Groundwater Awareness Day” at Soquel Creek Water District (5180 Soquel Drive, Soquel) from 1 – 4 pm. We will be providing tours of our Rosedale Well and Treatment Plant and water smart gardening as well as serving ice cream aquifers. For more information, visit www.soquelcreekwater.org

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As always, if you have any questions about this month’s topic or anything else related to Soquel Creek Water District, feel free to contact me at kima@soquelcreekwater.org or 831-475-8501 x 124.

Informational Links: 1) water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/waterfactsoflife.cfm 2) www.dwr.water.ca.gov/groundwater/wells.cfm  3) scceh.com/Home/Programs/WaterResources/WaterSupply.aspx