Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency held a board meeting Thursday, July 22, via all-remote, web- and phone-based access due to the coronavirus prevention guidelines. At the meeting, the board reviewed the draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), a state-mandated planning document that has been the main focus of the board’s work since the agency’s inception four years ago.
After discussing the various sections of the document and proposing minor edits, the board approved the release of the draft GSP for a 60-day public comment period. The draft GSP is available for review and public comments can be submitted on that website.
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Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), one of the key responsibilities of the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (SGMWA) is developing, adopting and submitting a GSP for the Santa Margarita Groundwater Basin (Basin). The Basin forms a roughly triangular area between Felton, Ben Lomond and Scotts Valley. The Basin provides drinking water for the Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley Water Districts, over a dozen small water systems and around 1100 parcels served by private wells. Additionally, the groundwater table influences the surface water in the San Lorenzo River, a primary drinking water source for the City of Santa Cruz and a home to endangered species.
The board also appointed a new Treasurer and a new Auditor for the agency, heard a report on the new website and received an update about the community outreach event the SMGWA held on Saturday, July 31, at Skypark in Scotts Valley. The event, “Drought: Global Challenge — Local Solutions,” highlighted the work done for the GSP and encouraged public engagement.
Learn more about the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency and upcoming events.