Monterey County Agricultural Groundwater Sustainability: Local Issues Solved Locally
Robert Johnson Monterey County Water Resources Agency
Sustainable Agriculture Exposition November 14, 2011 TodayToday’’ss PresentationPresentation
IntroductionIntroduction DefineDefine SustainabilitySustainability BackgroundBackground InformationInformation LocalLocal IssuesIssues // LocalLocal SolutionsSolutions LessonsLessons LearnedLearned FutureFuture SummarySummary SustainabilitySustainability
sus·tain·a·bil·i·ty –noun
The ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed…
The quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance. Environmental Science mindset AgriculturalAgricultural SustainabilitySustainability
QuestionQuestion forfor todaytoday’’ss presentation:presentation: –– HowHow hashas thethe MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater ResourcesResources AgencyAgency participatedparticipated inin thethe AgriculturalAgricultural SustainabilitySustainability ofof MontereyMonterey County?County?
Answer:Answer: –– SolvingSolving locallocal issuesissues locallylocally MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater ResourcesResources AgencyAgency
CreatedCreated 19471947 – Previously MCFC&WCD – Special Legislation – Special District – not a County Department – Shares County BOS ChangedChanged toto AgencyAgency inin 19911991 – Inserted BOD – Dual Governance – can be challenging AuthorityAuthority overover CountyCounty waterwater ResponsibilityResponsibility wherewhere fundedfunded MCWRAMCWRA MissionMission StatementStatement
ProvidesProvides floodflood controlcontrol servicesservices andand manages,manages, protects,protects, andand enhancesenhances thethe quantityquantity andand qualityquality ofof waterwater forfor presentpresent andand futurefuture generationsgenerations ofof MontereyMonterey CountyCounty SalinasSalinas ValleyValley Four major hydrologic subareas – Pressure - Brown – East Side - Gray – Forebay - Bluish – Upper Valley – Lt Green Hydrologically connected GroundwaterGroundwater isis thethe PrimaryPrimary SourceSource ofof SupplySupply andand StorageStorage SurfaceSurface WaterWater SuppliesSupplies ofof MontereyMonterey CountyCounty
Average Annual Outflow: 118,000 AF
Average Annual Outflow: 360,000 AF
Average Annual Outflow: 76,000 AF MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater UseUse
Agriculture 510,000 acre-ft
Urban 90,000 acre-ft
Total Estimate 600,000 acre-ft MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater UseUse
Salinas Valley 550,000 acre-ft North County 31,000 acre-ft
Peninsula 15,000 acre-ft AgriculturalAgricultural andand UrbanUrban WellsWells SalinasSalinas Valley,Valley, CACA
Source: MCWRA LocalLocal IssuesIssues
IssuesIssues –– SeawaterSeawater IntrusionIntrusion –– NitrateNitrate
SolutionsSolutions • Projects • Funding • Interaction Population 426,000
Largest city: Salinas - 149,000 Industry Agriculture $4 billion Tourism $2 billion LocalLocal IssueIssue –– SeaSea WaterWater IntrusionIntrusion BackgroundBackground SeawaterSeawater intrusionintrusion –– DefinitionDefinition • Seawater intrusion is the migration of seawater into freshwater aquifers under the influence of groundwater development.
–– PicturePicture isis worthworth aa thousandthousand wordswords…… CrossCross--SectionSection nearnear thethe CoastCoast
180 Ft. Aquifer
400 Ft. Aquifer
Deep Aquifer Source: MCWRA Castroville Area 3D Analysis
Source: MCWRA LocalLocal IssueIssue –– SeaSea WaterWater IntrusionIntrusion BackgroundBackground (cont.) SeawaterSeawater intrusionintrusion inin thethe SalinasSalinas ValleyValley –– firstfirst documenteddocumented –– midmid 1930s1930s –– neededneeded toto findfind aa solutionsolution –– StateState studystudy completedcompleted inin 19461946 • Solution still being worked towards today –– StrategyStrategy developeddeveloped byby MCFC&WCDMCFC&WCD // SVWACSVWAC • Monterey County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (pre-cursor to Agency) • Salinas Valley Water Advisory Committee Historic Progression of Seawater Intrusion
2009 Pressure 180-Ft. Aquifer
Approximate 2007-2009 Advancement 191 acres
Source: MCWRA Date: December 2010 Note: The scale and configuration of all information shown hereon are approximate and are not intended as a guide for design or survey work. Historic Progression of Seawater Intrusion
2009 Pressure 400-Ft. Aquifer
Approximate 2007-2009 Advancement 93 acres
Source: MCWRA Date: December 2010 Note: The scale and configuration of all information shown hereon are approximate and are not intended as a guide for design or survey work. LocalLocal SolutionSolution –– SeaSea WaterWater IntrusionIntrusion StrategyStrategy SolutionSolution Strategy:Strategy: –– DevelopDevelop aa newnew waterwater sourcesource –– MoveMove waterwater northnorth toto reducereduce needneed forfor coastalcoastal pumpingpumping –– StopStop pumpingpumping alongalong thethe coastcoast AgencyAgency hashas implementedimplemented thethe following:following: –– NacimientoNacimiento andand SanSan AntonioAntonio ReservoirsReservoirs –– MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater RecyclingRecycling ProjectsProjects –– SalinasSalinas ValleyValley WaterWater ProjectProject
LocalLocal SolutionSolution –– SeaSea WaterWater IntrusionIntrusion ProjectsProjects
San Antonio Reservoir Completed in 1967 Lake Capacity 335,000 AF
Nacimiento Reservoir Completed in 1957 Lake Capacity 377,900 AF Nacimiento Dam San Antonio Dam MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater RecyclingRecycling ProjectsProjects TwoTwo ComponentsComponents
Salinas
Castroville MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater RecyclingRecycling ProjectsProjects TwoTwo ComponentsComponents (cont.)
Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project
MontereyMonterey CountyCounty WaterWater RecyclingRecycling ProjectsProjects TwoTwo ComponentsComponents (cont.)
Salinas Valley Reclamation Project SalinasSalinas ValleyValley WaterWater ProjectProject TwoTwo ComponentsComponents
NacimientoNacimiento SalinasSalinas RiverRiver SpillwaySpillway DiversionDiversion FacilityFacility ModificationModification – Divert water to – Accommodate the MCWRP PMF – Allow for fish – Capture and store passage water during the – Inflatable dam winter – Inflatable dam SalinasSalinas ValleyValley WaterWater ProjectProject TwoTwo ComponentsComponents (cont.)
SpillwaySpillway ModificationModification – Cut spillway crest 12’’ – Installed rubber dam
IncreasedIncreased StorageStorage FLEXABILITY,FLEXABILITY, samesame StorageStorage CAPACITYCAPACITY SalinasSalinas WaterWater ProjectProject NacimientoNacimiento SpillwaySpillway ModificationModification
SalinasSalinas ValleyValley WaterWater ProjectProject SalinasSalinas RiverRiver SurfaceSurface DiversionDiversion FacilityFacility SalinasSalinas RiverRiver SurfaceSurface DiversionDiversion FacilityFacility Water DeliveriesWATER – Monterey DELIVERIES County Water Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project-Salinas Valley Recycling Project Recycling Projects & Diversion Facility to 2010
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000 eet
0 -F e
FY 98-r FY 99- FY 00- FY 01- FY 02- FY 03- FY 04- FY 05- FY 06- FY 07- FY 08- FY 09- 99 c 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 YTD A
RecycledWell SRDF FundingFunding andand InteractionInteraction
FundingFunding projectsprojects changedchanged inin latelate 19901990’’ss PropositionProposition 218218 – Let voters ‘‘choose’’ to assess themselves – Those who benefit from project pay… – More benefit = pay more – Had to develop costs before outreach
CalledCalled forfor InteractionInteraction withwith publicpublic FundingFunding andand InteractionInteraction (cont.)
AgencyAgency carriedcarried outout informationalinformational ‘‘roadroad showsshows’’ aboutabout SVWPSVWP OtherOther groupsgroups inin publicpublic settingssettings StaffStaff wentwent toto localslocals –– RotaryRotary Clubs,Clubs, etcetc……
Challenge:Challenge: bebe ableable toto telltell specificspecific propertyproperty ownersowners howhow muchmuch theythey would:would: – Pay for SVWP – Benefit from SVWP
FundingFunding andand InteractionInteraction (cont.) CostCost BreakdownBreakdown LocalLocal IssueIssue –– NitrateNitrate inin GroundwaterGroundwater BackgroundBackground
AgriculturalAgricultural HistoryHistory andand ProductivityProductivity – 1700s/1800s California Missions & Spanish Land Grants – 1900s Immigrants • Dry farming • Dairies • Sugar beets MultipleMultiple cropcrop typestypes generatinggenerating $4$4 BillionBillion – Growers – multiple generations (third and fourth) – Up to 3 cropping units – Top five crops: Leaf Lettuce, Head Lettuce, Strawberries, Broccoli, Grapes LocalLocal IssueIssue –– NitrateNitrate inin GroundwaterGroundwater BackgroundBackground (cont.)
DairiesDairies inin SVSV –– earlyearly 1900s1900s CentrifugalCentrifugal pumppump inventedinvented –– waterwater isis moremore attainableattainable BetterBetter drillingdrilling methodsmethods toto drilldrill deeperdeeper MoreMore effectiveeffective pumpingpumping == moremore waterwater usedused 1940s1940s commercialcommercial fertilizerfertilizer introducedintroduced LocalLocal IssueIssue –– NitrateNitrate inin GroundwaterGroundwater BackgroundBackground (cont.)
ConcernsConcerns BeganBegan LateLate 1980s1980s toto PresentPresent –– CACA NonpointNonpoint SourceSource ProgramProgram –– CACA 19881988 NitrateNitrate inin GroundGround WaterWater ReportReport –– 1990s:1990s: • Monterey County Ad Hoc Nitrate Advisory Committee • Threat of Nitrate Adjudication Salinas Valley LocalLocal SolutionSolution –– NitrateNitrate inin GroundwaterGroundwater ProgramProgram ImplementationImplementation
MCWRAMCWRA NitrateNitrate ManagementManagement ProgramProgram –– NTACNTAC • 13 Elements • 4 Categories GroundGround WaterWater NitrateNitrate EvaluationEvaluation –– ShallowShallow Ag.Ag. WellsWells Ag.Ag. WellWell HeadHead ProtectionProtection EvaluationEvaluation LocalLocal SolutionSolution –– NitrateNitrate inin GroundwaterGroundwater ProgramProgram ImplementationImplementation (cont.)
NitrateNitrate GrowerGrower SurveySurvey 20012001 NitrateNitrate ManagementManagement GrowerGrower FactFact SheetsSheets TenTen elementselements ofof NTACNTAC PlanPlan implementedimplemented WQWQ tooktook majormajor fundingfunding hithit withwith PropositionProposition 218218 UsingUsing grantsgrants toto backfillbackfill fundingfunding
TodayToday’’ss PresentationPresentation
IntroductionIntroduction DefineDefine SustainabilitySustainability BackgroundBackground InformationInformation LocalLocal IssuesIssues // LocalLocal SolutionsSolutions LessonsLessons LearnedLearned FutureFuture SummarySummary LessonsLessons Learned:Learned: ChangeChange ThinkingThinking ToTo workwork towardstowards solutions:solutions: –– IdentifyIdentify allall whowho needneed toto bebe involved?involved? • Everyone: – Agriculture – Urban – Industry – Environmental
–– ProcessProcess • Think Long Term • Start Now • Stay With It LessonsLessons Learned:Learned: ChangeChange ThinkingThinking (cont.)
ReminderReminder…… Salinas River Diversion Salinas Valley Recycling Facility Prop Project US Bureau of 218 Vote Reclamation Loan & Prop Approval 2003 Owner Assessments1998
Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project Property Owner Assessments1998
San Antonio Dam Vote Approved Bonds Constructed 1965
Nacimiento Dam Spillway Nacimiento Dam Bond Modification Prop 218 Constructed 1957 Approval 2003 CurrentCurrent IssuesIssues
OtherOther ancillaryancillary activitiesactivities –– SeasideSeaside GroundwaterGroundwater BasinBasin WMWM –– CarmelCarmel RiverRiver // LagoonLagoon –– PajaroPajaro RiverRiver // LagoonLagoon
–– NewNew OpportunitiesOpportunities dailydaily…… FutureFuture IssuesIssues // OpportunitiesOpportunities
AquaticAquatic InvasiveInvasive SpeciesSpecies –– QuaggaQuagga // ZebraZebra musselsmussels –– MCMC ParksParks // SLOSLO CountyCounty // PublicPublic // StateState
IRWMPIRWMP –– IntegratedIntegrated waterwater projectsprojects –– SLOSLO CountyCounty // PublicPublic SummarySummary
DefinedDefined ‘‘SustainabilitySustainability’’ ProvidedProvided backgroundbackground infoinfo PresentedPresented LocalLocal IssuesIssues // SolutionsSolutions PresentedPresented LearnedLearned LessonsLessons DiscussedDiscussed FutureFuture OpportunitiesOpportunities ContactContact InformationInformation
RobertRobert JohnsonJohnson AGMAGM // ChiefChief ofof WaterWater ResourcesResources PlanningPlanning
Monterey County Water Resources Agency 893 Blanco Circle, Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: 831.755.4860 FAX: 831.424.7935
http://www.mcwra.co.monterey.ca.us