News

The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is offering free home water efficiency assessments for eligible rural properties in northern Monterey County, part of the Water Efficiency Pilot Program for Rural Residents. The home assessment program is available to rural residents who own or rent homes in the Monterey, Langley and 180/400 subbasins in [...]

Water Efficiency Pilot Program for Rural Residents Expanded — Now Offers Home Assessments Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s pilot program aims to serve rural residents SALINAS, Calif. — The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) today announced the expansion of its Water Efficiency Pilot Program for Rural Residents (WEPP) with a new offering: free [...]

The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is partnering with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency to improve the collection and storage of regional groundwater data through the Groundwater Monitoring Program (GMP). The GMP includes well registration, along with groundwater level, groundwater extraction, and groundwater quality monitoring. The required activities are underway now, with [...]

Last Call to take the Water Efficiency Pilot Program Survey The water use efficiency survey is coming to a close! The survey is a part of Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s Water Efficiency Pilot Program, which is focused on rural water users served by small water systems or private wells. Rural residents are encouraged [...]

Water efficiency solutions for smaller rural water systems and private domestic groundwater users Many rural areas in California rely heavily on groundwater. These communities are often more vulnerable to drought due to limited infrastructure and financial resources. Groundwater contamination (e.g., nitrates, arsenic) is a significant concern for rural users, necessitating both quantity and quality management. [...]

Groundwater Sustainability Fee map available The Groundwater Sustainability Fee Map is live! This interactive tool brings transparency to annual fees paid by groundwater users in the Salinas Valley. Fees collected within the jurisdiction of the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency to fund the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program and support efforts to plan for sustainable [...]

Apply now to serve on the SVBGSA Board of Directors, applications due June 5 The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is accepting applications for the Board of Directors’ Public Member seat. The SVBGSA is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors, each with an alternate who can serve in the primary Director’s absence. [...]

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 [...]

In 2016, the County of Monterey and Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) contracted the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to develop a coupled surface water and groundwater model of the Salinas Valley within Monterey County. In April 2025, the USGS publicly released the completed Salinas Valley Integrated Hydrologic Model (SVIHM) and accompanying predictive Salinas [...]

The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) is accepting applications for the Board of Directors’ Public Member seat. The SVBGSA is a Joint Power Authority (JPA) governed by a Board of 11 Directors, each of whom has an alternate who can serve in the primary Director’s absence. Access the online application.