The Monterey Subbasin Committee reviewed draft groundwater plan amendments ahead of January 2027 hearings. Staff outlined Salinas Valley Basin GSA-wide costs through 2042, not yet combined with Marina Coast’s estimates; project cost allocation remains unresolved. Members discussed Corral de Tierra demand management, domestic-well mitigation and recharge; staff could not say whether local measures would suffice. The committee expressed consensus to cancel its December 30 meeting without a vote.
The Forebay and Upper Valley committees questioned a roughly $1.4 billion agency-wide groundwater-plan cost figure and sought clearer sub-basin labels. Members questioned the Upper Valley long-term overdraft description and supported arranging another meeting, though no date was set. Comments received by November 18 will be compiled for the December 10 board review; a revised draft is planned for early January.
Staff is focused on GSP amendments and periodic evaluations due in January 2027. Members discussed how to review project ideas; Harmon suggested revisiting the process in January, but no procedure was approved. Board development, including SGMA education, was raised as a future topic. The committee approved a remote-meeting option, subject to Board authorization renewed at least every six months, the committee’s 2027 quarterly schedule and February meeting minutes.
Five draft groundwater plan amendments are open for comment; Monterey’s is expected October 20. Comments received by November 18 will be included in December board materials; later comments may enter the January hearing record. The board approved an OceanWell study MOU requiring no direct GSA funding and bylaws limiting the chair to three consecutive years, and advanced proposed JPA revisions. Staff discussed deep-aquifer allocation planning and county well policies; no allocations or moratorium were adopted.
The Board chose Portfolio 3A as its preferred portfolio under the Integrated Implementation Strategy. Its modeled 10% agricultural demand reduction across four northern subbasins remains preliminary; no allocations were set. Submit comments on the draft Langley GSP amendment by November 18 to inform revisions. Comments remain open until the January public meeting. Staff calls Langley at risk of overdraft; a commenter cited a differing DWR letter.
