County Board of Supervisors to consider Groundwater Monitoring Program fee
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) is seeking adoption from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors for fees to support the Groundwater Monitoring Program (GMP).
The fee proposal will be heard at 1:30 p.m. at the Monterey County Board of Supervisors meeting at the County Government Center, Board Chambers, 168 W. Alisal St. in Salinas on Tuesday, June 3.
The purpose of the GMP is to effectively monitor groundwater in the Salinas Valley by gathering data on wells, groundwater levels, groundwater quality (related to seawater intrusion), and groundwater extractions to analyze short- and long-term changes in the hydrologic budget of the Salinas Valley Basin. The SVBGSA relies on this dataset for compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Proposed fees for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 include:
Initial wellhead registration: $163.19 per well
Annual wellhead registration renewal: $31.06 per well
Groundwater extraction monitoring: $68.94 per well
Monitoring groundwater levels: $166.89 per well
Monitoring water quality: $143.37 per well
It’s estimated that 3,500 wells will be billed annually, though some fees will not apply to every well. The MCWRA will review and propose adjustments to the GMP fees annually, considering changes in regulatory requirements, technology, the number of wells subject to monitoring, and action costs to carry out the GMP.
An FAQ about this program is available on the SVBGSA website.