The Upper Valley Aquifer Subbasin includes King City and San Lucas. Covering 371 square miles, the focus of this subbasin has been on a robust set of potential management actions and projects that could be undertaken.
The Upper Valley Aquifer Subbasin Committee meets quarterly on the fourth Monday of the month at 1 p.m. (January, April, July, October). Get meeting information.
Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP):
Groundwater Sustainability Plans provide a long-term framework for managing groundwater in accordance with California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The Upper Valley Subbasin GSP describes groundwater conditions, establishes measurable sustainability goals, and identifies the projects and management actions needed to achieve and maintain groundwater sustainability.
As needed, a GSA may amend its GSP. A GSP Amendment formally revises an adopted GSP when changes are needed to its management approach, sustainability criteria, projects, management actions, or other core elements. Amendments must be submitted to DWR with a Periodic Evaluation that explains and supports the changes. In response to DWR’s required revisions to the sustainability goals, in conjunction with the 2027 Periodic Evaluations, SVBGSA is preparing the Upper Valley GSP Amendment 1 to replace the original GSP. For more information on the 2027 Salinas Valley GSP Amendments and Periodic Evaluations, see the Fact Sheet.
Public comments on the draft GSP amendment received by Nov. 18, 2026, will be included in the agenda packet for the Board meeting on Dec. 10, 2026. At this meeting, the Board will review the comments and provide input on staff recommendations for addressing them. All comments received by Nov. 18, 2026, as well as any subsequent comments, will also be included in Jan. 14, 2027, public hearing record and in the appendix of 2027 GSP Amendment.
Submit comments for inclusion in the public hearing record using this webform.
Submit proposed Projects and Management Actions (PMAs) using this webform.
Submit general questions via email clerk@svbgsa.org
Salinas Valley GSP Amendments and Periodic Evaluations Timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| January-November 2026 | Subbasin committee meetings to review and discuss information and data to be included in GSP Amendments and Periodic Evaluations |
| September 18, 2026 | Draft GSP Amendments published; 90-day notice sent to cities and county |
| October 8, 2026 | SVBGSA Board Meeting to discuss and provide input on Draft GSP Amendments |
| November 18, 2026 | Comments on Draft GSP Amendments due for consideration at December Board meeting |
| December 10, 2026 | SVBGSA Board Meeting to review Periodic Evaluations; and to review the comments on Draft GSP Amendments and provide input on staff recommendations for addressing the comments |
| January 14, 2027 | SVBGSA Board Meeting to approve the Periodic Evaluations and to conduct public hearing for adopting GSP Amendments |
| January 23, 2027 | Submittal of 2027 GSP Amendments and Periodic Evaluations to DWR |
Periodic Evaluations are comprehensive assessments of GSP implementation prepared at least once every five years. They evaluate whether implementation is meeting interim milestones and remains on track to achieve the groundwater sustainability goal. They also consider new information, changes in groundwater conditions, monitoring improvements, and whether revisions to the GSP may be warranted.
- Upper Valley GSP 2027 Periodic Evaluation (anticipated Jan 2027)
- 2027 Periodic Evaluation Combined Appendices (anticipated Jan 2027)
Annual Reports provide a yearly update on groundwater conditions and GSP implementation. They summarize monitoring data from the previous water year, evaluate conditions in relation to the GSP’s sustainability criteria, and report progress on projects, management actions, and efforts to address data gaps. Annual Reports are submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) by April 1 each year.