Groundwater Management Plan Details

Overview

The vision of this Groundwater Management Plan (Plan) is to identify and implement a series of actions using modern technology and sound science to increase the quantity and quality of Sonoma Valley groundwater resources over the next decade and protect groundwater resources for future generations. The Plan is a living document, and progress in implementing the plan will be periodically reviewed with the current understanding of groundwater levels, quality and trends.

As summarized in the diagram above, the five key elements of the Plan are stakeholder involvement, monitoring program, groundwater quality protection, groundwater sustainability, and planning integration.

The Basin Advisory Panel (Panel) completed the Plan in December of 2007 and is presently overseeing implementation. Implementation of the Plan is structured to encourage an open, collaborative and cooperative process for execution of groundwater management activities, and to maximize coordination of the many actions envisioned by the Panel in the coming years. Plan studies, projects, and programs will be conducted by the Sonoma County Water Agency (Agency), with advice and guidance from the Panel and a Technical Advisory Committee. The Panel has expressed a strong desire that the Plan implementation structure be designed not to discourage activities in the Sonoma Valley, but to encourage coordination of all directly or indirectly related actions in the Sonoma Valley.

Updating the Plan

The Plan is a living document that will continually evolve as more information about the Sonoma Valley becomes available. Additional actions may be identified as the Agency continues to evaluate all of the actions and objectives to determine how well they are meeting the overall goal of the Plan. The Agency will summarize any resulting updates to the plan in the annual implementation report, which will be provided to the Agency Board for review and approval.

The Agency plans to review the entire Plan within the first three years of its implementation during the re-budgeting process. Plan updates may occur earlier, if deemed appropriate by the Agency and Panel. Review of the Plan will occur at a minimum every five years thereafter to ensure its continued relevance as a tool to manage, protect, and enhance groundwater resources in the Sonoma Valley for future generations. Plan reviews will be documented in the annual implementation report.

Public Involvement in the Plan

Stakeholder Involvement and the Monitoring Program form the core components and foundation for the Plan, and the basis for decision-making in the Sonoma Valley. Both are required Plan components under the Water Code to be eligible for state funds for groundwater projects. These core components are funded by the Agency through cooperative partnerships and existing funding sources. The preliminary implementation schedule for the three years following Plan adoption therefore focuses on creating the forums and mechanisms for involving basin stakeholders and gathering additional data about the groundwater conditions through monitoring, studies, and the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring program.

Starting Plan Implementation

The first year of Plan implementation includes several studies to improve the groundwater flow model, which was identified as a priority by the Panel. These studies include updated land cover and water use estimates, recharge and infiltration modeling, and groundwater recharge mapping and analysis. The first year of implementation also includes a project to construct several new monitoring wells, which is being funded primarily through a grant from the California Department of Water Resources. In addition, the Plan also includes several projects assessing Groundwater Quality Protection and Groundwater Sustainability which are currently unfunded. These studies and projects will need to be further prioritized and additional funds will be sought Ð including applying for grants, or utilizing cooperative partnerships Ð in order to implement these studies.

As the Plan is implemented, the Agency and the Panel will further prioritize, develop, and finalize a schedule for studies, projects, outreach, coordination, and partnerships. Implementation of these actions are anticipated to be funded from a variety of sources including the Sonoma County Water Agency, funding and/or in-kind services by member agencies, state or federal grant programs, and partnerships at the local, state, and federal level.

Sonoma Valley Groundwater Management Plan (December 2007) Download (Adobe PDF)

Executive Summary
Management Plan
Appendices