Over 95% of the water used to support families, businesses, and agriculture in the Salinas Valley is sourced from managed groundwater resources. In the 180/400-Foot Aquifer and the Eastside Aquifer subbasins, groundwater is threatened by the gradual inland progression of seawater intrusion driven by declining groundwater levels.
The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) and Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) have partnered to evaluate alternative water supply and infrastructure options to reduce reliance on groundwater, targeting the areas at risk of seawater intrusion and that overlap with agricultural pumping from the Deep Aquifers.
With support from Carollo Engineers, SVBGSA and MCWRA have completed the preliminary feasibility study for a project titled the “New Seawater Intrusion Project (NSIP).” The feasibility study does the following:
- Identify potential source waters for irrigation, including recycled water, industrial wastewater, local drainages, ditches and Salinas River diversions using Permit 11043.
- Prioritize areas and users that would benefit most.
- Assess infrastructure needs including pipes, pumps, storage and treatment.
- Develop alternatives that pair water sources with delivery systems and estimate costs.
Learn more about the NSIP feasibility study and three conceptual scenarios that SVBGSA and MCWRA have identified.