1. Groundwater Models Updated but Show Concerning Trends in Upper Valley and Forebay The agency's consultant presented updates to two key groundwater models (SVIHM and SWIM) used for planning future projects. The models now show that groundwater levels in the Upper Valley and Forebay areas have been on a slow, steady decline for 25-30 years, contrary to previous assumptions of stability. However, this finding sparked significant debate, with multiple committee members presenting field evidence of rising water levels in their areas, highlighting a disconnect between model predictions and on-the-ground observations. The models do not yet incorporate the recent wetter years, including 2023–2024, and staff and public commenters noted that recharge during this period has not yet been reflected.
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