Projects

Groundwater Sustainability Plan

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Projects for Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Development

The Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program, funded through the California's Department of Water Resources (DWR), provided funding for sustainable groundwater planning and implementation projects through a competitive grant solicitation process. Grant funding available for medium or high priority basins was capped at $2M per application and required a 25% local match.

For Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program Planning Round 3, on March 13, 2020 the Montecito GSA was awarded its total requested amount of $2,171,205 of which the local match is approximately 25%, or $544,000.

Here is a summary list of projects funded. Additional information on specific projects can be found below:

Seawater Intrusion Monitoring ($198,704)
Basin Numerical Model ($167,400)
Well Metering Program ($238,556)
Surface Water Flow Gage (Streamflow Monitoring) ($199,100)
Monitoring Well Construction ($722,317)
Grant Administration ($110,000)
Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Development ($533,530)

Ongoing Projects for Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Implementation

The Groundwater Sustainability Plan adopted in May 19, 2023 identifies Projects in alignment with the Montecito GSA's Sustainability Goal for the Montecito Groundwater Basin and additional grant funding is being pursued. Projects build on those started during GSP development and include:

Expand Groundwater Level and Quality Monitoring
Expand Seawater Intrusion Monitoring
Update Basin Numerical Model
Expand Voluntary Well Metering Program
Evaluate Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions
Stakeholder Incentive Programs: Rebates
Enhance Groundwater Well Database: Well Registry

Click on Tabs Below for More Detailed Project Information

Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Development Basin Numerical Modeling Voluntary Well Metering Program Well Registry Rebates for Groundwater Infiltration Projects Seawater Intrusion Monitoring Groundwater Level and Quality Monitoring Streamflow Monitoring Monitoring Well Construction Grant Administration

Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Development

Purpose/Goal:

DWR requires the preparation and submittal of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for all high and medium priority basins; Montecito Groundwater Basin is designated "medium priority" and Montecito GSA is the local agency established to comply with State requirements. Per Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) legislation, Groundwater Sustainability Plans must be tailored to the resources and needs of their communities.

Scope:

The role of Montecito GSA is to develop and implement a local Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Groundwater Sustainability Plans must result in "sustainable conditions" in the basin, which are defined by SGMA as the avoidance of significant negative impacts, such as:

Lowering of groundwater levels
Reduction of groundwater storage
Degraded water quality
Surface water depletion
Sea water intrusion (in coastal basins), and
Land subsidence

Groundwater Sustainability Plans require detailed technical information to define the basin and aquifer conditions, including historic and current water supply and use, water quality conditions, and projected water demands. Plans must also include measurable objectives and interim milestones to meet on the way to achieving sustainability within 20 years.

Montecito GSA has contracted with expert consultants including Dudek to develop the GSP and its supporting projects. GSP submittal deadline for the Montecito groundwater basin is 2024.

Status as of July 2024:

GSP adoption by Board and submittal to DWR completed May, 2023.

Annual Reports required - first annual submitted to DWR in March 2024

Five-Year Plan Updates required - next update due in 2028

Basin Numerical Modeling

Purpose/Goal:

Develop an integrated hydrogeological model to assist with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) document development and future updates.

Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model for Montecito Groundwater Basin

Scope:

Compile, evaluate, and compare regional hydrogeologic data. Using compiled data to design and refine an integrated hydrologic model for water budget development and other GSP model scenario analysis. Develop model scenarios to support evaluation of potential projects, basin management actions, and other analysis.

Status as of July 2024:

Completed - Model used in development of the GSP.
Model will be updated with additional data collected from ongoing GSP projects, and remains a foundational resource for understanding the basin.

Voluntary Well Metering Program

well with meter

Purpose/Goal:

The purpose of this project is to obtain a sample data set of private well groundwater extractions in the Montecito Groundwater Basin. This data will then be used in the estimation of total water demand for the Basin.

Scope:

Install up to 45 digital meters on private wells within the Basin. These private wells are intended to represent key use types within the basin such as:

Residential (small, and large)
Golf Courses
Agriculture
Hospitality

Status as of July 2024:

Active - Completed installations of several meters on private wells; seeking additional participants.

Well Registry

Purpose/Goal:

Per Ordinance No. 1 adopted in April 2024, the Montecito GSA reserves the right to require registration of wells in existence at the time of passage of this Ordinance and which are unknown to the Montecito GSA. The registry is designed to collect missing data such as well owner/operator contact information, well activity status, and well descriptions. In addition the required registry will provide a better means of contacting and communicating with well owners if issues relating to groundwater arise in the Basin.

Scope:

Montecito GSA will distribute well registry forms to parcels where documentation and / or data indicates groundwater well(s) exist. Data collected will be used to update the GSA’s groundwater well database and in future Basin modeling and management.

All existing Groundwater Extraction Facilities located within the boundaries of the Basin shall be registered with the Montecito GSA within sixty (60) days of receiving a Well Registration Form.

All new Groundwater Extraction Facilities located within the Boundaries of the Basin shall be registered with the Montecito GSA within sixty (60) days of well completion.

Any change to the information provided on a Well Registration Form, including but not limited to, a change to the Property Owner or Operator and the status of a Groundwater Extraction Facility must be reported within thirty (30) days of when the change takes effect.

Status as of July 2024:

The GSA has begun distributing registration forms to parcel owners.

Click to link to Well Registry Page

Rebates for Groundwater Infiltration Projects

Purpose/Goal:

This program provides residential property owners in the Basin cash rebates for installation of small-scale infiltration projects that reduce stormwater runoff and increase infiltration such as rain gardens and the conversion of impermeable to permeable surfaces. Click to visit Rebates page

Scope:

Provide rebates to eligible property owners following pre and post site inspections to determine eligibility.

Status as of July 2024:

Active – currently seeking additional eligible projects for rebate awards.

Seawater Intrusion Monitoring

Purpose/Goal:

The purpose of this project is to determine the presence or lack of seawater intrusion within the Montecito Groundwater Basin. This will be accomplished by the monitoring of groundwater level and quality in several pre-existing wells in the Basin, located near the coastline to monitor for minimum thresholds related to groundwater levels and quality

Scope:

Use pre-existing wells (private and district owned) as a monitoring network for seawater intrusion. These wells are used to assess existing and potential sea water intrusion risk and will be used as monitoring points for minimum thresholds related to groundwater levels and quality. Laboratory analysis will be conducted quarterly on groundwater samples.

Status as of July 2024:

Active - Network established, monitoring and sampling ongoing. Appropriate location (s) identified to fill data gaps. Seeking additional private monitoring wells.

Link to Informational Diagram

Groundwater Level and Quality Monitoring

Purpose/Goal:

The purpose of this project is monitoring groundwater levels and quality within the Montecito Groundwater Basin in several pre-existing wells called Representative Monitoring Points (RMP). Data from these RMPs will be used to update the Basin Numerical Model and GSP.

Scope:

Use pre-existing wells (private and district owned) as a monitoring network for groundwater levels and quality. These wells will be used as monitoring points for minimum thresholds related to groundwater levels and quality. Laboratory analysis will be conducted quarterly on groundwater quality samples.

Status as of July 2024:

Active and seeking additional private monitoring wells

Streamflow Monitoring

Purpose/Goal:

Collect surface water flow data in order to better approximate groundwater recharge from streams/creeks within the Montecito Groundwater Basin. This project provides a direct method of estimating recharge from creeks.

Scope:

Monitor streamflow along major creeks in the Basin at locations as close as possible to where they enter and exit the Basin. Stream flow data collected at these locations will be used to estimate the recharge to the Basin’s aquifer and assist in calibrating the Basin Numerical Model.

Status as of July 2024:

Active – Network established. Monitoring ongoing.

Monitoring Well Construction

Purpose/Goal:

The Montecito GSA will be drilling several monitoring wells in the Montecito Groundwater Basin. These wells will be used to collect data on the Basin for the Groundwater Sustainability Plan development process. Note: This project is not for monitoring construction of private wells within the Basin.

Montecito GSA installed monitoring and observation wells at Manning Park earlier this year, shown here. Completed sites appear simply as flat white circles in the parking lot.

Montecito GSA installed monitoring and observation wells at locations including Manning Park. Completed sites appear simply as flat white circles in the parking lot.

Scope:

Drill and monitor several monitoring wells within the Basin. Multi-purposed, these wells will be designed to collect data on some, if not all of the following data gaps identified in the Basin:

Aquifer and Aquitard lithology and deposition extents
Groundwater levels and quality
Basin and storage unit groundwater exchange
Seasonal groundwater flow
Seawater Intrusion

Status as of July 2024:

Active / Complete - Initial wells completed and being used for monitoring.

Grant Administration

Purpose/Goal:

Montecito GSA is proactive in applying for available funding to support the agency's work, including development and implementation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP):

In spring 2020, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) awarded the Montecito GSA its total requested amount of $2,171,205 for the Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program Planning Round 3. The local match is 25%, or $544,000.
Administration and oversight of these funds is an important part of Montecito GSA's work.

Status as of July 2024:

Grant administration and reporting Complete. Continued application for grant funding as available is ongoing.

Projects

Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Projects for Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Development

Ongoing Projects for Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Implementation

Click on Tabs Below for More Detailed Project Information

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