County taking an active role to ensure local control of precious groundwater resources

April 13, 2017

SOLANO COUNTY – In response to landmark legislation requiring the sustainable management of groundwater resources across the state, Solano County, in cooperation with the cities, water agencies and municipal partners, are all working together to ensure the sustainable management of groundwater resources in Solano County, and that it remains locally controlled.

In January 2015, the state enacted legislation requiring the sustainable management of groundwater resources of high or medium priority groundwater basins in California, including groundwater basins in Solano County. This legislation, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), allows certain local agencies to become Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) by June 30, 2017 in order to avoid state management of local groundwater resources.

SGMA legislation was enacted primarily to address the severe long-term impacts due to overuse of groundwater resources in areas that caused land subsidence – the depletion of groundwater aquifers and severe lowering of water tables – most of which occurred in the San Joaquin Valley groundwater basins.

Solano County is fortunate to have had sound and responsible groundwater management practices and has not seen the severe impacts of subsidence experienced in other parts of California.  Water is a critical resource, and, because of this, the County is taking an active role to ensure that groundwater resources remain viable for the long-term.  It is also essential that water resources remain affordable and accessible for residential, agricultural, business and recreational use.

In order to avoid state oversight, Solano County, is collaborating with cities and special districts providing water, working cooperatively together, pursuing the formation of GSAs for the Solano Subbasin.  The County has been working with municipal partners in two GSAs, a multi-agency GSA covering a majority of the subbasin and a two-party GSA with the Solano Irrigation District within the unincorporated region of the Solano Irrigation District jurisdiction.

Over the next several months Solano County is conducting several public meetings to consider the legal agreements formally for the GSAs.