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Groundwater Managementin the Kings River Service Area

David OrthKings River Conservation District

WaterPowerEnvironmental StewardshipOverviewFormed in 1951 by special actA leading resource management agency for the Kings River region

*Current Regional ProgramsGroundwater Management Upper Kings Basin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP)Kings Basin Coordinated Groundwater Management GroupCalifornia Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM)Irrigated Lands Regulatory ProgramAgricultural Water Enhancement Program

*Groundwater Policy QuestionsLocal Management or State control?Definition of Sustainability?Transparency? More Data?How to address Nitrates in Drinking Water?How to protect Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems?

Tulare Lake Hydrologic Region: 10.9 million acres, 12 distinct Basins/7 sub-basins

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*Kings Service Area Characteristics

Kings Groundwater Basin976,000 acres93 MAF of storage to 1,000 ft (2003 Bulletin 118)

Tulare Lake Groundwater Basin524,000 acres12 MAF of storage to 300 ft (DWR 1995)

*Critical ConditionOverdraftIncreasing demandReduced Surface Supply reliabilityWater QualityNitrates

*Kings Basin OverdraftRegional Supply Characteristics: closed system, conjunctive use basin.Average annual overdraft (1963 to 2009) approx. 120 TAF.Largest GW depression located near Raisin City, beyond the Kings River place of use.

Groundwater Conditions

*Kings BasinGroundwater FlowPatterns

*Groundwater Policy RecommendationsAssociation of CA Water AgenciesCalifornia Water FoundationNatural Heritage InstituteOthers

*ACWA Groundwater Task ForcePolicy Objectives

*Local ManagementSB 1938 (2002)Amended AB 3030 (January 1, 1993) Local planning/stakeholder involvementEstablish Basin Management ObjectivesGroundwater levelsGroundwater QualitySubsidenceSurface/Groundwater RelationshipImplement Monitoring

23 agencies in the two basins have updated AB 3030 Plans to SB1938 standard

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*Water Board RecommendationsProviding Safe Drinking WaterNew fundingMonitoring, Assessment, and NotificationPrivate well testingNitrogen Tracking and ReportingMass balance trackingProtecting GroundwaterCDFA programs

*Drinking Stakeholder Group Accomplishments

IRWM Plan GoalsHalt, and ultimately reverse, the current overdraft and provide for sustainable management of surface and groundwaterIncrease the water supply reliability, enhance operational flexibility, and reduce system constraintsImprove and protect water qualityProvide additional flood protectionProtect and enhance aquatic ecosystems & wildlife habitat

*Kings Basin Water Authority ParticipationINTERESTED PARTIES (40)Bakman Water Company Biola Community Services District California Native Plant Society, Sequoia ChapterCalifornia State University, FresnoCity of KingsburgCity of Orange Cove City of San Joaquin Community Water Center County of Kings Crescent Canal Company Cutler Public Utilities District East Orosi Community Services DistrictEaston Community Services District El Rio Reyes Conservation TrustFresno County Farm Bureau Hardwick Water Company James Irrigation District Kings River Conservancy Kings River Water Association Laguna Irrigation District Laton Community Service District Liberty Canal Company Liberty Water District London Community Services DistrictMalaga County Water District Mid-Valley Water District MEMBERS (16)Alta Irrigation District City of Clovis City of Dinuba City of Fresno City of Kerman City of Parlier City of Reedley City of Sanger City of Selma County of Fresno County of Tulare Consolidated Irrigation DistrictFresno Metro. Flood Control Dist. Fresno Irrigation District Kings County Water District Kings River Conservation District

Orange Cove Irrigation DistrictOrosi Public Utilities DistrictRaisin City Water DistrictReed Ditch Company Riverdale Irrigation District Riverdale Public Utility DistrictSanger Environmental Fund Self-Help Enterprises Sierra Club, Tehipite Chapter Sierra Resource Conservation District Sultana Community Services District Terranova Ranch, Inc. Tulare Basin Wildlife PartnersUC Cooperative Extension - FresnoOTHER PARTICIPATIONCA Department of Fish & Game CA Department of Water Resources Center for Collaborative Policy Fresno Audubon Society Kings River Fisheries Program Regional Water Quality Control Board Sierra Nevada Research Institute (UCM) State Water Resources Control Board

Inventoried over 100 DACS in the Kings Basin regionClarified for communities water-related issues impacting their communitiesExplored regional solutions and types of collaborationsProvided practical solutions that can be leveraged into IRWMP process5 potential pilot projects identifiedKings Basin IRWM DAC Project

Pilot ProjectsEconomy of Scale AnalysisCommunity SurveyWastewater ImprovementsWater Supply DeficitWater Treatment Improvements

*Kings Basin Water Authority IRWM Report CardAwarded $53.8M in grant funds to implement $87M in projectsDeveloped a regional integrated GW/surface-water model20,000 AF of annual direct recharge capacity addedWater metering projects combined reduce per capita annual consumption by 12,000 AFSurface water treatment projects combined reduce annual need for GW pumping by up to 50,000 AFDisadvantaged Communities (DACs) planning outreach and water resources needs assessmentCoordinated SB-1938 GW Management Plan development and implementation (GW elevations, quality, subsidence)SB-7x6 (CASGEM) plans for Kings and Tulare Lake BasinsOver 100 planned projects with more than 100,000 AF of recharge and conservation benefits

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Update was Grant Funded2010 State Requirements (then 2012 update)Required Sections:GovernanceRegion Description Objectives Resource Management Strategies (RMS) Integration Project Review Process Impact and Benefit Plan Performance and Monitoring Data Management Finance Technical Analysis Relation to Local Water Planning Relation to Local Land Use Planning Stakeholder Involvement **Northern Tulare County - An Economy of Scale Analysis identifies the point at which water systems can capitalize on economies of scale through collaboration. The end goal of the analysis is to provide the water systems with a range of initial efficiencies so they can plan for potential collaborations; allowing the water systems the ability to continue or improve services with the most efficient approach.

Fresno/Clovis & Surrounding Area - Easton Community survey. The Project Team and community members developed a community survey to be conducted as a household survey for a representative sample of the community. It would be completed during an interview with a team member over a 10 to 15 minute period. The survey asked about the propertys well water quality, characteristics and experiences with the private well, and about the participants interest in various options for water supply.

Western Fresno County Lanare Sewer System. The pilot project will identify viable options (not all options) to transition the existing developed properties within the Lanare Community Services District (CSD) from private septic systems to a community sewer collection and treatment system, and preparing the pre-application for planning funding through the Kings Basin Integrated Regional Water Management Group (IRWMG). This will allow Lanare to consider starting outreach and initiate discussions with key stakeholders in their community and Riverdale PUD.

Eastern Fresno County - City of Orange Cove Water Supply Project. Through consensus, the participating representatives determined the highest-priority issue for their communities is the lack of a reliable water source for the City of Orange Cove while the Friant-Kern Canal is off-line. Focusing on this issue, the group selected a pilot project to evaluate the possibility of expanding the existing Orange Cove surfacewater storage capacity and/or developing a regional solution using a groundwater well and interconnection pipelines.

Northern Kings County - Armona CSD and Home Garden CSD Projects. Through consensus, the participating representatives identified two priority issues for their communities. The Armona CSD is surrounded by the KBWA boundary. Therefore, one of the two priorities was to prepare a KBWA application for Armona CSD to become an Interested Party. The application would trigger the KBWA Board to consider adjusting their boundary, and then consider accepting their application for membership. The second priority was to investigate process and solids handling improvement alternatives for Home Garden CSDs (Home Garden) Arsenic Water Treatment Plant (WTP). These two priority issues comprise the Pilot Project for the Northern Kings County Sub-Region.

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