KERN tRWMP Integrated Regional Water Management Plan .0 a?” FINAL - March 2020 Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Final Update March 11, 2020 Plan Update Prepared by: Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group 1800 30th Street, Suite 280 Bakersfield, CA 93301 G:\James Water Bank Authority-2884\288419001 Kern IRWMP Update\_DOCS\Plan Update\KIRWMP_Update_FINAL 2020-0311.docx Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County IRWMP Update Table of Contents Section 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction to the Region ....................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 Relationship with Neighboring IRWMPs ................................................... 1-2 1.2 Purpose of the Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County IRWMP ......................... 1-5 1.3 Stakeholder Involvement ......................................................................................... 1-5 1.3.1 Regional Water Management Group ........................................................ 1-5 1.3.2 Executive Committee ............................................................................. 1-11 1.3.3 Stakeholders .......................................................................................... 1-11 1.4 Participation and Outreach .................................................................................... 1-16 1.4.1 Disadvantaged Community Outreach ..................................................... 1-18 1.4.2 Environmental Justice Outreach ............................................................. 1-20 1.4.3 Media Coverage of Plan Preparation ...................................................... 1-20 1.5 IRWMP Development ............................................................................................ 1-21 1.5.1 Ground Rules for Participation ............................................................... 1-21 1.5.2 Operating Procedures ............................................................................ 1-21 1.6 Program Preferences ............................................................................................ 1-22 1.6.1 Include Regional Projects or Programs .................................................. 1-22 1.6.2 Integrate Water Management Programs and Projects ............................ 1-22 1.6.3 Resolve Significant Water-Related Conflicts .......................................... 1-22 1.7 Bay-Delta Program Goals ..................................................................................... 1-22 1.7.1 Address Water Supply and Water Quality Needs of DACs ..................... 1-22 1.7.2 Effectively Integrate Water Management with Land Use Planning .......... 1-23 1.7.3 Drought Preparedness ........................................................................... 1-23 1.7.4 Use and Reuse Water More Efficiently ................................................... 1-23 1.7.5 Climate Change Response Actions ........................................................ 1-23 1.7.6 Expand Environmental Stewardship ....................................................... 1-23 1.7.7 Practice Integrated Flood Management .................................................. 1-23 1.7.8 Protect Surface Water and Groundwater Quality .................................... 1-24 1.7.9 Improve Tribal Water and Natural Resources ......................................... 1-24 1.7.10 Ensure Equitable Distribution of Benefits ................................................ 1-24 1.8 IRWMP Updates ................................................................................................... 1-24 1.9 IRWMP Organization ............................................................................................ 1-25 Section 2: Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County Region ............................................... 2-1 2.1 Introduction and Overview ....................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Climate .................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Land Use ................................................................................................................ 2-4 2.4 Ecological Processes and Environmental Resources .............................................. 2-5 2.5 Social and Cultural Characteristics .......................................................................... 2-2 2.5.1 Demographics and Population ................................................................. 2-2 Final – March 2020 i Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County IRWMP Update 2.5.2 Economic Factors .................................................................................... 2-1 2.5.3 Disadvantaged Communities .................................................................... 2-1 2.5.4 Social and Cultural Values ....................................................................... 2-2 2.6 Water Supply .......................................................................................................... 2-5 2.6.1 Imported Water Supply from the State Water Project ............................... 2-5 2.6.2 Imported Water Supply from the Central Valley Project ............................ 2-9 2.6.3 Local Surface Water ............................................................................... 2-12 2.6.4 Groundwater .......................................................................................... 2-14 2.6.5 Recycled Water ...................................................................................... 2-17 2.6.6 Other Water Supply Opportunities .......................................................... 2-18 2.7 Transfers and Exchanges ..................................................................................... 2-18 2.8 Water Quality ........................................................................................................ 2-19 2.8.1 Surface Water Quality ............................................................................ 2-20 2.8.2 Imported Water Quality .......................................................................... 2-20 2.8.3 Groundwater Quality .............................................................................. 2-22 2.9 Water Demand ...................................................................................................... 2-23 2.9.1 Urban Demand ....................................................................................... 2-23 2.9.2 Agricultural Demand ............................................................................... 2-25 2.10 Water Related Infrastructure ................................................................................. 2-27 2.10.1 Imported Water Infrastructure ................................................................. 2-28 2.10.2 Surface Water Infrastructure .................................................................. 2-28 2.10.3 Groundwater Infrastructure..................................................................... 2-29 2.10.4 Water Treatment Infrastructure .............................................................. 2-29 2.10.5 Wastewater and Recycled Water Infrastructure ...................................... 2-30 2.11 Regional Issues, Needs, Challenges, and Priorities .............................................. 2-32 2.11.1 Aging and/or Duplicative Infrastructure ................................................... 2-32 2.11.2 Urban Growth and Water Demand ......................................................... 2-33 2.11.3 Urban Growth Encroachment on Key Recharge Areas ........................... 2-33 2.11.4 Decreased Imported Water Supply ......................................................... 2-34 2.11.5 Flood Management ................................................................................ 2-35 2.11.6 Groundwater Overdraft and SGMA ........................................................ 2-37 2.11.7 Legislative Water Use Efficiency Requirements ..................................... 2-38 2.11.8 Water Quality/Groundwater Contamination ............................................ 2-41 2.11.9 Water Rights .......................................................................................... 2-45 2.11.10 Watershed Protection ............................................................................ 2-45 2.11.11 Climate Change ..................................................................................... 2-46 Section 3: Greater Bakersfield Subregion ............................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Subregion Introduction ............................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Subregion IRWMP Participants ............................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 City of Bakersfield .................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.2 California Water Service Company Bakersfield District ............................ 3-2 Final – March 2020 ii Tulare Lake Basin Portion of Kern County IRWMP Update 3.2.3 Casa Loma Water Company .................................................................... 3-3 3.2.4 East Niles Community Services District .................................................... 3-3 3.2.5 Greenfield County Water District .............................................................