Groundwater Sustainability Plan
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2020 D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page i 2020 (Page Intentionally Left Blank) D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page ii 2020 COVER PHOTOGRAPHS Front Cover: Ridgecrest City View from College; City of Ridgecrest. Welcome to Ridgecrest Sign on Inyokern Road; City of Ridgecrest. Back Cover: Ridgecrest City Hall at Sunset; City of Ridgecrest. Indian Wells Valley Canyon View; Stetson Engineers Inc. D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page iii 2020 (Page Intentionally Left Blank) D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page iv 2020 INDIAN WELLS VALLEY GROUNDWATER BASIN Final Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan January 2020 D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page v 2020 (Page Intentionally Left Blank) D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page vi 2020 SIGNATURE PAGE This final draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin has been prepared under the direction of professional engineers and geologists licensed in the State of California as required per California Code of Regulations, Title 23 Section 354.12 consistent with professional standards of practice. D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page vii 2020 (Page Intentionally Left Blank) D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page viii 2020 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority and Stetson Engineers Inc. would like to thank and acknowledge the many stakeholders, entities, and private citizens who have contributed their time and expertise to develop this Groundwater Sustainability Plan. In particular, all members of the Policy Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, both past and present, have contributed greatly to the success of Groundwater Sustainability Plan development. The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority would also like to thank and acknowledge the Desert Research Institute for their significant contributions to the GSP development and text. Lastly, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority would also like to acknowledge the funding contribution from the California Department of Resources Proposition 1, Round 2, Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program for the preparation of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page ix 2020 (Page Intentionally Left Blank) D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page x 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. ES-1 ES 1.0 Introduction Summary ........................................................................................................ ES-1 ES 1.1 Purpose of Groundwater Sustainability Plan ........................................................................ ES-1 ES 1.2 Agency Information ............................................................................................................... ES-1 ES 1.3 Interested Parties and Outreach ........................................................................................... ES-3 ES 2.0 Plan Area Summary ............................................................................................................. ES-4 ES 2.1 General Description and Setting ........................................................................................... ES-4 ES 2.2 Jurisdictions ........................................................................................................................... ES-4 ES 2.3 Water Supply Source ............................................................................................................. ES-5 ES 2.4 Local Water Agencies ............................................................................................................ ES-5 ES 2.5 Regional Water Management Agencies ................................................................................ ES-5 ES 2.6 Land Use ................................................................................................................................ ES-6 ES 2.7 Existing Water Resources Monitoring Programs .................................................................. ES-6 ES 2.8 Existing Water Resources Management Programs ............................................................... ES-7 ES 2.9 Data Management System (DMS) ......................................................................................... ES-7 ES 3.0 Basin Setting Summary .............................................................................................................. ES-8 ES 3.1 Hydrogeological Conceptual Model ...................................................................................... ES-8 ES 3.1.1 Geology and Hydrogeology ............................................................................................ ES-8 ES 3.1.2 Soils................................................................................................................................. ES-9 ES 3.1.3 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................... ES-9 ES 3.1.4 Water Budget and Overdraft Conditions ..................................................................... ES-10 ES 3.1.5 Sustainable Yield .......................................................................................................... ES-11 ES 3.2 Current and Historical Conditions ....................................................................................... ES-12 ES 3.2.1 Reduction of Groundwater in Storage ......................................................................... ES-12 ES 3.2.2 Chronic Lowering of Groundwater Levels .................................................................... ES-12 ES 3.2.3 Seawater Intrusion Conditions ..................................................................................... ES-12 ES 3.2.4 Groundwater Quality Conditions ................................................................................. ES-12 ES 3.2.5 Land Subsidence Conditions ......................................................................................... ES-13 D RAFT G ROUNDWATER S USTAINABILITY P LAN Page xi 2020 ES 3.2.6 Interconnected Surface Water Systems ....................................................................... ES-13 ES 3.2.7 Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems ......................................................................... ES-13 ES 3.3 Numerical Model ................................................................................................................. ES-14 ES 3. 4 Existing Monitoring Network and Data Gap Evaluation ..................................................... ES-15 ES 4.0 Sustainable Management Criteria Summary .......................................................................... ES-17 ES 4.1 Sustainability Goal ............................................................................................................... ES-17 ES 4.2 Undesirable Results ............................................................................................................. ES-17 ES 4.3 Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives, and Interim Milestones ............................ ES-18 ES 4.4 GSP Proposed Monitoring Network .................................................................................... ES-22 ES 5.0 Projects and Management Actions ......................................................................................... ES-23 ES 5.1 Management Action No. 1: Implement Annual Pumping Allocation Plan, Transient Pool, and Fallowing Program ......................................................................................................................... ES-23 ES 5.2 Project No. 1: Develop Imported Water Supply .................................................................. ES-24 ES 5.3 Project No. 2: Optimize Use of Recycled Water .................................................................. ES-25 ES 5.4 Project No. 3: Basin-Wide Conservation Efforts ................................................................. ES-26 ES 5.5 Project No. 4: Shallow Well Mitigation Program ................................................................ ES-27 ES 5.6 Project No. 5: Dust Control Mitigation Program ................................................................. ES-27 ES 5.7 Project No. 6: Pumping Optimization Project ..................................................................... ES-28 ES 5.8 Conceptual Projects Still Under Consideration ................................................................... ES-28 ES 5.8.1 Brackish Groundwater Project ..................................................................................... ES-28 ES 5.8.2 Direct Potable Reuse Project ........................................................................................ ES-29 ES 6.0 Implementation Summary ...................................................................................................... ES-30 ES 6.1 Schedule .............................................................................................................................. ES-31 ES 6.2 Costs and Funding .................................................................................................................... 31 Section 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Purpose of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan ......................................................................