NEWS RELEASE
Ukiah, California: June 7, 2016
SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT (SGMA)
PUBLIC MEETING ON LOCAL PLANNING EFFORTS
On Tuesday, June 14, 2016, Mendocino County officials and other local groundwater managers will host a public meeting on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA is a new law that offers local opportunities to achieve sustainable groundwater conditions and support Mendocino County’s vital agricultural economy, industry, and domestic and public water uses.
The meeting will provide an overview of SGMA, expected responsibilities and benefits for groundwater users, describe Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) options for the Ukiah Valley Basin and steps towards forming a GSA. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about SGMA and ask questions of local water managers and submit comments.
“SGMA implementation has begun throughout California,” says Supervisor Carre Brown. “We hope groundwater users throughout Mendocino County will attend to learn more. SGMA is an important change in how groundwater is managed and everyone needs to be aware and involved to manage and sustain our precious water resources.”
To support local planning efforts, the County has secured facilitation support from the Department of Water Resources (DWR), hosted workshops to educate the community on SGMA and received a groundwater planning grant through the Water Bond. The County is committed to sharing these resources with local SGMA partners.
“The process of establishing a SGMA compliant groundwater sustainability agency for the Ukiah Valley groundwater basin will hopefully prove to be a collaborative process that will allow for a productive groundwater sustainability plan to be developed in the future for all groundwater users” said Devon Jones, Mendocino County Farm Bureau Executive Director.
The Mendocino County Water Agency SGMA public meeting will be held at the County of Mendocino Administration, 501 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, in Conference Room C. The discussion will begin at 1:00 p.m. This meeting will be open to the public. Stakeholders and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.
For more information, please contact Sarah Dukett at the Mendocino County Executive Office at (707) 463-4441 or duketts@co.mendocino.ca.us.