Groundwater provides 95% of the water used in the Salinas Valley, supporting families, communities and a world-class agricultural economy. But decades of heavy pumping have lowered groundwater levels and allowed seawater from Monterey Bay to move inland, threatening wells, crops and drinking water. A “no project” scenario shows conditions worsening by 2040.
To address this challenge, the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) completed a feasibility study of the Brackish Groundwater Restoration Project (BGRP). The project combines coastal extraction wells with advanced water treatment to both stop seawater intrusion and create a new, reliable water supply.
No Project Scenario Chloride Concentration Map 180-Foot Aquifer
No Project Scenario Chloride Concentration Map 400-Foot Aquifer
How the Project Works
- Extraction wells along the coast intercept salty groundwater before it spreads inland.
- Water is treated using reverse osmosis (RO) to remove salt and minerals.
- Treated water can be:
- Delivered to communities and farms, reducing the need for pumping, or
- Injected back into the aquifer, raising groundwater levels and pushing seawater away.
- The leftover brine would be discharged safely through Monterey One Water’s ocean outfall.
Phase 1 Scenarios Analysis
SVBGSA completed the BGRP Feasibility Study Phase 1 Report, Scenarios Analysis and Modeling Results Technical Memoranda in October 2025 (updating the draft completed in December 2024). Building on the initial analysis of the small, medium and large scenarios, in these reports, seven project scenarios are modeled to see how they perform under future conditions, finding that:
- All scenarios are better than doing nothing — they slow or reverse seawater intrusion
- An Injection-Only option — where all treated water is reinjected — was the fastest to meet thresholds, reaching them within 10 years, and users continue to operate existing water systems
- Localized options (such as North of River or Eastside projects) help specific areas, but don’t protect the region from continued seawater intrusion
Injection Only Project Scenario Modeling Results 180-Foot Aquifer
Injection Only Project Scenario Modeling Results 400-Foot Aquifer
Next Steps (by February 2026)
- Anticipated to go to the 180/400-Foot and Eastside Aquifer Subbasin Committees in October 2025 and February 2026
- Refine the Injection-Only Scenario for a preferred project alternative in the feasibility study
- Complete the Brackish Groundwater Restoration Project Feasibility Study following federal (Title XVI) guidelines to qualify for up to 25% federal cost share for future project development
- Prepare a CEQA Initial Study to define environmental review needs