Educational Outreach for Local Land Use Planning Organizations Strategic Outreach Plan Resources Legacy Fund ‐ California Water Foundation Grant Prepared by Cristel Tufenkjian | June 2013 BACKGROUND Groundwater is a major source of drinking and irrigation supply for the Kings Basin region. The San Joaquin Valley has become one of the State’s most rapidly growing areas. Continued population growth and changing cropping patterns place additional stress on local groundwater supplies in the Kings Basin impacting groundwater quantity and quality. Managing groundwater to meet current and future needs is a significant challenge in the region. Groundwater overdraft is generally considered the largest regional problem with the current overdraft estimated to be 100,000 to 150,000 acre feet/year causing a long‐term decline in groundwater storage. Cities and counties under State law are responsible for land‐use decisions. Local agencies have their own water planning documents that reflect their policies and goals. Local water plans include Urban Water Management Plans, Groundwater Management Plans, Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Master Plans, Water Conservation Plans, Agricultural Water Management Plans, and General Plans. However, many land‐use documents provide few, if any, details on regional overdraft, groundwater management, new water supply development, and impact on irrigation facilities. The land‐use planning documents also have few details on how they plan to reach their water management goals. Nevertheless, local cities and counties through their planning processes have taken steps to link decisions on land use and water resources. In the past, land use and water supply decisions were made independently; however, in recent years legislation and court precedence have begun changing the planning process. Two such pieces of legislation, SB 610 and SB 221, are companion measures with the intent to promote collaborative planning between cities, counties, and water suppliers. Similarly, Local Agency Formation Commissions are required to ensure water supplies are available before approving city or district boundary amendments. The IRWM process provides for many opportunities to collaborate and integrate with local land planners. Integration of the prevailing land use with water supply plans and the water planning process is an important strategy for the Kings Basin IRWMP and is one the strategies for achieving the Kings Basin IRWMP Goals and Objectives. SITUATION ANALYSIS Land use is frequently indicated to be one of the main human‐induced factors influencing the groundwater system. The Kings Basin has experienced significant changes in land use over the last several decades. The Basin is an overdrafted system. Land‐use decisions that do not consider groundwater impacts are detrimental to the sustainability of the groundwater supply. Land‐use decisions are jurisdictional; while groundwater management is regional. Decisions regarding growth can be contentious when city and county land‐use decisions are not aligned with water resource management objectives. CENTRAL CORE OF DIFFICULTY Land‐use planners do not have readily available concise information that provides them with a regional perspective on groundwater conditions and issues. Communications between land‐use planners and water resource managers are not fully developed. Evaluation of water impacts are more localized rather than part of regional solutions. IDENTIFICATION OF PUBLICS AND RESOURCES Key Publics: land use planners (municipal staff and consultants), boards of supervisors, city council members, LAFCO boards and staff, community service districts Influencers: developers, irrigation district boards and staff, farm bureaus, media, service clubs, California Water Institute, Fresno Council of Governments, Valley Planners Network, Association of Environmental Professionals, professional land use planner organizations, Kings Basin Water Authority members CAMPAIGN GOALS Provide education and awareness to land‐use planners and decision makers about groundwater conditions and issues. CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES Objective 1: Develop educational materials regarding groundwater conditions and issues. Objective 2: Outreach to local land‐use planning community creating a dialog and fostering closer relationships with water resource managers. .