About Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency

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The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was signed into law in 2014 in response to a scientific understanding that groundwater in California is being used faster than it’s being replenished. The act requires designated groundwater basins to form a public agency to develop a groundwater management plan and implement actions that will help local subbasins reach or maintain groundwater sustainability.

In 2017, local GSA-eligible entities jointly formed the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) and manage groundwater in the Salinas Valley according to SGMA. The SVBGSA represents a range of interests including agriculture, cities, public utility, disadvantaged communities, County, and environmental stakeholders.

The Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin includes nine subbasins, six of which fall partially or entirely within the jurisdiction of the SVBGSA. The Department of Water Resources designated all six SVBGSA subbasins as either high- or medium-priority basins. In addition, it designated the 180-400 Foot Aquifer Subbasin as a critically overdrafted basin. In 2020, SVBGSA completed the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the 180/400- Foot Aquifer Subbasin. In 2022, SVBGSA completed GSPs with partner GSAs (Arroyo Seco GSA and Marina Coast Water District GSA) for its remaining five subbasins: the Eastside Aquifer Subbasin, the Forebay Aquifer Subbasin, the Upper Valley Aquifer Subbasin, the Langley Area Subbasin, and the Monterey Subbasin.

As the SVBGSA has successfully met the first mandate of SGMA by having the six GSPs approved by the Department of Water Resources, it is focusing its efforts on implementing the plans to achieve basin sustainability by 2040/2042. The SVBGSA is committed to work with landowners, business and agricultural managers, community representatives, water leaders, technical specialists and other stakeholders to disseminate information, gather input and implement long-range plans for how to address water scarcity.

In addition to the 11-member Board of Directors, the SVBGSA has set in place six Subbasin Implementation Committees that assist on carrying out the GSPs in respective subbasins. The committees monitor subbasin sustainability criteria, prioritize subbasin-specific projects and management actions, seek community input and identify preferred funding mechanisms. The committees advise and recommend actions to the SVBGSA Board of Directors and to provide feedback to staff. The committees do not make final determinations, but rather make recommendations for Board consideration and action.

Agency Background

2015: Stakeholder Issue Assessment Conducted

Local agencies and stakeholders worked with the Consensus Building Institute (CBI) to facilitate groundwater sustainability formation in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin. To kick this off, CBI conducted a Salinas Valley Groundwater Stakeholder Issue Assessment, which included interviews and surveys with key stakeholders.

The CBI Stakeholder Assessment Report outlined the following keys to success for the GSA formation planning process:

  1. Create a transparent, inclusive process that engages interested stakeholders,
  2. Design a governance structure that balances interests, supports a vibrant economy, manages groundwater sustainability, and meets state SGMA requirements.

2016-2017: Collaborative Work Group

The Collaborative Work Group was formed of stakeholders representing a broad range of interests, and met from March 2016 through April 2017 to develop recommendations on GSA formation in the Salinas Valley, including governance structure, voting, and legal structure. These recommendations resulted in the formation of the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency in April 2017.

  • The Groundwater Stakeholder Forum met three times in 2016 and served as a critical element for interested stakeholders and the public to learn about and provide input on GSA formation in the Salinas Valley. The Collaborative Work Group integrated input received at the Stakeholder Forum into its recommendations on GSA formation.
  • The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency Joint Powers Agreement went into effect on December 26, 2016. The inaugural meeting of the Initial Board of Directors was March 9, 2017. The Permanent Board of Directors was sworn in on October 12, 2017.
  • On August 10, 2017, the Agency Board approved the contract with Regional Government Services (RGS) for agency management services. On October 12, 2017, the Board unanimously concurred in RGS’ selection of retiring Public Works Director and Interim General Manager Gary Petersen as the contractual SVBGSA General Manager.

In September 2014, California Governor Jerry Brown enacted legislation that sets forth a path to create local agencies to sustainably manage the state’s groundwater resources. This initiative, known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, shifts planning and management of groundwater resources to newly formed Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, made up of local agencies (cities, counties, water districts) and requires development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans by 2020 for priority basins. The state designated Salinas Valley as a priority basin.

VIsit groundwater.ca for more.

The first step in SGMA implementation was to form a Groundwater Sustainability Agency by June 30, 2017. Under SGMA, an agency or combination of local agencies may form a GSA by using any of the following methods: a joint powers authority (JPA) agreement, a memorandum of agreement (MOU) or other legal agreement.

From 2015 to 2017, stakeholders in the Salinas Valley worked collaboratively to develop recommendations on the formation of the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) as a joint powers authority.

SGMA provides that a local agency, a combination of local agencies, or a county may establish a GSA. Specifically, a local agency is defined as any local public entity that has water supply, water management, or land use responsibilities within a groundwater basin. In short, any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin can elect to be a GSA. A water corporation regulated by the Public Utilities Commission or a mutual water company may participate in a GSA through a memorandum of agreement or other legal agreement. Non-agency parties can be incorporated into the decision-making process for the GSA through advisory bodies or by creating special provisions in the legal formation.

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Brochure

Salinas Valley Basin Map (2019)

Financial Reports