REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
April 30, 2015
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in the Kings Subbasin between the Kings River Conservation District (KRCD), Alta Irrigation District, Consolidated Irrigation District, Fresno Irrigation District, County of Fresno, County of Tulare, City of Clovis and City of Fresno
Body
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends that the Fresno City Council approve the SGMA MOU.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno and the above-mentioned agencies desire to enter into an MOU to facilitate a response to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which was passed September 14, 2014. The SGMA recognizes that excessive groundwater extraction causes numerous challenges, and requires agencies in high and medium-priority groundwater basins to take specific actions to correct overdraft on an expedited timeline. This MOU is intended to allow the City of Fresno to enter into discussions with other public agencies in the Kings Subbasin to review and evaluate water management opportunities. The MOU is non-binding upon the City. The Administration recommends that Council approve the SGMA MOU.
BACKGROUND
On September 14, 2014, the Governor of California signed into law three bills that are collectively referred to as the SGMA. The SGMA recognizes that excessive groundwater extraction causes overdraft, failed wells, deteriorated water quality, environmental damage, and irreversible land subsidence - all of which exist in the City of Fresno. In January 2015, the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) ranked the San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Basin and the Kings Subbasin, over which the City of Fresno is located, as the 17th most overdrafted groundwater basin in California out of 515 groundwater basins. Accordingly, the San Joaquin Valley G...
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