State regulators watching, Stanislaus water leaders are told

While assuring that California’s new groundwater law gives local communities the power to control their water basins, State Water Resources Control Board member Dee Dee D’Adamo warned Wednesday that state regulators will be watching.

“That strong state presence lurking in the background gives locals the incentive they need” to protect their groundwater resources, D’Adamo told members of the Stanislaus Water Coalition.

California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was signed into law this fall but will take more than 20 years to have full effect.

D’Adamo said the law allows local agencies to determine how to manage their water basins to prevent “undesirable results” from chronic overpumping. She said it gives communities the regulatory tools they need to stop “significant and unreasonable” impacts on groundwater, such as lowering of the water table.

Stanislaus County is gearing up to implement the new mandate, but the state still is developing the act’s specific requirements.

As an initial step, the county Board of Supervisors is expected to vote Nov.25 on a revised groundwater ordinance that would restrict new well drilling in some rural areas.

“It’s in your best interest … to sustainably manage the groundwater basin,” said D’Adamo, without specifically addressing the merits of Stanislaus’ proposed ordinance. She said complying with the state law will require implementing adequate water management plans.

“If you check all the boxes, you’re shielded from state intervention,” D’Adamo said. “But we will be ready to step in, if need be.”

D’Adamo stressed the importance of responsible pumping. “Groundwater functions as a savings account when you use it right,” she said. Some water basins, however, consistently withdraw too much: “We’re seeing water levels in some areas of the San Joaquin Valley dropping 100 feet below historic levels.”

Overpumping of aquifers also can remove water that otherwise would flow into rivers and streams, D’Adamo said, and that’s causing concern.

Stanislaus’ water resources manager, Walt Ward, also shared his views during the coalition meeting. “We don’t have time to waste,” he said. If the drought extends into a fourth year, he predicted that the state may further tighten groundwater regulations. “A suite of other actions will be taken up.”

County Supervisor Terry Withrow was among 20 people attending the coalition’s meeting in Oakdale. He said he will vote for Stanislaus’ proposed groundwater ordinance.

That ordinance will require landowners outside the county’s irrigation districts to “prove their groundwater use will be sustainable before they drill new wells or plant trees,” Withrow said. He said that proposed requirement wouldn’t be applied to properties throughout Stanislaus because “it’s assumed the irrigation districts are policing themselves.”

Several coalition members, however, shared stories about domestic wells going dry because of falling groundwater levels within some irrigation districts.

“It’s kind of scary,” said Neil Hudson, referring to six domestic wells that went dry near Valley Home. Such well problems are putting “an economic strain on lots and lots of people,” he said.

Oakdale Irrigation District General Manager Steve Knell said his district is putting together a plan that may provide funds retroactively to homeowners who had to drill deeper wells.

This story was originally published November 12, 2014 at 5:35 PM with the headline "State regulators watching, Stanislaus water leaders are told."