News

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.

The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is excited to launch its Water Efficiency Pilot Program to help rural communities in the Salinas Valley improve water efficiency and support sustainable groundwater management. Part of the program includes a bilingual survey to assess water use patterns in the region and shape water efficiency strategies to achieve [...]

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 launch of its Water Efficiency Pilot Program to help rural residents improve water efficiency and contribute to sustainable groundwater management. The Salinas Valley, like much of California, [...]

Monitoring well update: Final completion report available on new groundwater monitoring wells A final report on the completion of four groundwater monitoring wells in the Salinas Valley, including the first round of groundwater testing from these wells, is now available. These wells, constructed with grant funds, provide valuable data about groundwater elevations and help to understand [...]

A draft preliminary feasibility study of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Project is available for review. ASR is one method for addressing seawater intrusion, which occurs when groundwater is withdrawn faster than it can be replenished. ASR involves injecting treated surface water into the aquifers on the landward side of the seawater-contaminated areas with a goal [...]

One mechanism to potentially address seawater intrusion to inject fresh water into the aquifers on the landward side of the intrusion to raise groundwater elevations and help reduce or push back the intrusion. SVBGSA has evaluated this approach in a Preliminary Feasibility Study of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Project Concepts to Address Seawater Intrusion [...]

Stay informed by attending subbasin committee meetings in 2025 The SVBGSA manages six separate subbasins, each of which has its own committee. These six subbasin committees regularly meet for in-depth discussion, debate and deliberation regarding the implementation of the subbasins’ Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Meeting dates for the subbasin committees as well as other committees are posted on the SVBGSA website. The committees are [...]

New monitoring wells installed to bolster information gatheringThe Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is installing the last set of 10 new monitoring wells as part of the implementation of the Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). The new wells will be added to the existing network of monitoring wells.The SVBGSA was awarded Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management Round 1 and Round 2 Implementation [...]

Dive into the Deep Aquifer StudyAt the Salinas Valley coastline, the groundwater basin in composed of a layered aquifer system. The barriers within that system, called aquitards, create unique aquifers called the 180-Foot, 400-Foot and Deep Aquifers. As seawater intruded into the upper layers — the 180-Foot and 400-Foot Aquifers — both municipal and agricultural [...]