The board discussed a demand management framework that provides a foundation for potential future water use restrictions but doesn't activate any programs immediately, serving as a planning tool requiring extensive additional work. A feasibility study for using excess Salinas River flows revealed major obstacles including limited seasonal availability, expensive storage needs, and complex permitting taking 4-6 years. Additionally, an updated seawater intrusion model was approved...
The board reviewed governance issues including incorrect membership documentation that needs correction and challenges with the environmental representative selection process due to inactive nominating organizations. South County cities requested changes to their board representation method, arguing that non-member cities currently have inappropriate influence over their representative selection. The committee also established new leadership and approved a quarterly meeting schedule while...
The board approved moving forward with a massive $632 million to $1.48 billion seawater intrusion project that would extract and treat brackish water to push back saltwater contamination threatening local groundwater supplies. Board members expressed significant concerns about the enormous local cost burden, which could double irrigation costs for farmers and increase residential water rates by 25-50%. Staff also presented a comprehensive demand management framework outlining potential...
A brackish groundwater restoration project is moving forward with an injection-only approach that treats and injects brackish water back into aquifers to create a seawater intrusion barrier. Seawater intrusion monitoring has intensified due to elevated chloride levels, with water quality testing planned for 2025 and potential corrective actions including relocating wells inland. An interagency working group is developing a management framework for deep aquifers, including data sharing...
The agency continues managing tight cash flow through a 7.5% line of credit while awaiting biannual property tax revenues. Staff face pressure to complete substantial grant-funded projects before hard deadlines at the end of March, with concerns about spending capacity. The regulatory fee billing process was streamlined as the county handles most collections, keeping direct billing to just 126 water systems rather than the expected larger number.
