Resolution No. 3044-16 Alternative Groundwater Sustainability Plan1
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RESOLUTION 3044-16
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
AUTHORIZING STAFF TO SUBMIT TWO
ALTERNATIVE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
UNDER WATER CODE SECTION 10733.6(b)(1) AND 10733.6(b)(3)
WHEREAS, the California Legislature has adopted, and the Governor has signed
into law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 ("Act"), which
authorizes local agencies to manage groundwater in a sustainable fashion; and
WHEREAS, the legislative intent of the Act is to provide for sustainable
management of groundwater basins, to enhance local management of groundwater, to
establish minimum standards for sustainable groundwater management, and to provide
local groundwater agencies with the authority and the technical and financial assistance
necessary to sustainably manage groundwater; and
WHEREAS, the South Tahoe Public Utility District ("District") overlies the Tahoe
Valley South Groundwater Basin (designated basin number 6-5.01 in the California
Department of Water Resources' ("DWR") CASGEM groundwater basin system) ("TVS
Basin"), which has been designated as a medium -priority basin pursuant to the DWR's
initial prioritization; and
WHEREAS, for groundwater basins designated by DWR as medium- and high-
priority, the Act requires adoption of either a groundwater sustainability plan ("GSP") or
an alternative groundwater management plan ("Alternative Plan") by January 31, 2022
or January 1, 2017, respectively; and
WHEREAS, on November 17, 2015, DWR recognized the District as the
exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency for the portion of the TVS Basin within its
service area boundaries and on December 28, 2016, DWR is expected to recognize the
District as the nonexclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency for the portion of the
TVS Basin outside its service area boundaries; and
WHEREAS, the Act identifies several forms of acceptable Alternative Plans,
including an existing Groundwater Management Plan ("GWMP Alternative") and an
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analysis of basin conditions that demonstrates that the basin has operated within its
sustainable yield for a period of at least ten years ("Analysis of Basin Conditions
J I Alternative"); and
WHEREAS, the District adopted a robust groundwater management plan ("2014
GWMP") in 2014, which has successfully and sustainably been used to manage the
TVS Basin since that date; and
WHEREAS, the District has determined that the 2014 GWMP satisfies the
requirements for the GWMP Alternative and the objectives of the Act; and
WHEREAS, The District has developed and compiled a significant historical
amount of information and data on the operation of the TVS Basin; and,
WHEREAS, the District has determined that the TVS Basin has operated within
its sustainable yield for at least ten years and satisfies the requirements of the Analysis
of Basin Conditions Alternative and the objectives of the Act; and
WHEREAS, the District has determined that it is within its best interest, and
within the best interest of the continued sustainable management of the TVS Basin, to
submit both a GWMP Alternative and an Analysis of Basin Conditions Alternative to
DWR for its review and consideration; and
WHEREAS, upon submission, the District will note its preference for acceptance
of the GWMP Alternative over the Analysis of Basin Conditions Alternative; and
WHEREAS, the District has discussed this approach with the twelve -member
I Stakeholder Advisory Group ("SAG") convened under the 2014 GWMP, who all support
this approach; and
WHEREAS, the District desires to submit both the GWMP Alternative and the
Analysis of Basin Conditions Alternative to DWR by the Act's deadline of January 1,
12017; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS FOLLOWS:
1. The foregoing recitals are true and are incorporated by reference.
2. The Board of Directors authorizes staff to submit both the GWMP Alternative
and the Analysis of Basin Conditions Alternative to DWR by the Act's
Resolution No. 3034-16
Page 2
December 15, 2016
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deadline of January 1, 2017, with a preference for acceptance of the GWMP
Alternative over the Analysis of Basin Conditions Alternative.
3. That the direction to submit both the GWMP Alternative and the Analysis of
Basin Conditions Alternative is statutorily exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA")
4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing
Resolution was duly adopted and passed by the Board of Directors of the South Tahoe
Public Utility District as a regularly scheduled meeting held on the 15th day of
December, 2016, by the following vote:
AYES: Cefalu, Jones, Vogelgesang, Sheehan, Wallace
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ATTEST:
Melonie Guttry, Clerk of the Board
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Resolution No. 3034-16
Page 3
December 15, 2016
Randy Vogelgesang, Board President
South Tahoe Public Utility District