HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 06 - Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Groundwater Sustainability Plan Update
Department Name: Utilities
Cost Center: 6001
For Agenda of: December 8, 2020
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: NA
FROM: Aaron Floyd, Utilities Director
Prepared By: Mychal Boerman, Utilities Deputy Director - Water
SUBJECT: SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT (SGMA)
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION
Acting as the City of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency, receive and file an
update on Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Groundwater Sustainability Plan
(GSP) development, including the Draft Communication and Engagement Plan, Draft Data
Management Plan, and Draft Chapters 1-6 of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
REPORT-IN-BRIEF
This report briefly outlines Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requirements related to
the production of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan and briefly describes the first six Draft
Groundwater Sustainability Plan chapters, as well as associated technical memos and supporting
documents. Key initial findings indicate that the portion of the groundwater basin which
underlays the City has not experienced continued lowering of groundwater levels, or other
undesirable results that are generally associated with Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
regulations. However, adjacent portions of the groundwater basin in the Edna Valley area have
experienced continued groundwater level decline and will require groundwater basin
management actions such as reductions in groundwater pumping, increased conservation,
improved irrigation efficiency, agricultural irrigation reductions, and/or water supply
augmentation projects. With continued stakeholder input, quantifiable management actions will
be defined within the upcoming Groundwater Sustainability Plan chapters and will be returned to
the City of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency for adoption in early 2022.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Sustainable Groundwater Management
Act (SGMA) requires sustainable
groundwater management in all high and
medium priority groundwater basins,
including the high priority San Luis Obispo
Valley Groundwater Basin (SLO Basin).
The SLO Basin, which underlays the City
Figure 1 - Overview of the SLO Basin
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and unincorporated areas outside of the City, was designated high priority by the State due to
several factors including the documented lowering of groundwater levels in the eastern portion
of the basin, near Edna Valley, and the relatively large number of people overlying the basin in
the western (City of San Luis Obispo) portion of the basin.
SGMA first required the formation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) by June
2017. The City of San Luis Obispo (City) and the County of San Luis Obispo (County),
completed the GSA formation process, resulting in full coverage of the SLO Basin. The City and
County GSAs are working together to develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) that
covers the entire SLO Basin. This Groundwater Sustainability Plan needs to be adopted by
January 31, 2022. Once adopted by both the City and the County GSAs, and approved by
Department of Water Resources (DWR), implementation of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan
will occur and will include quantifiable objectives and will achieve groundwater sustainability by
2042.
A Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC), comprised of significant potential users of
groundwater in the SLO Basin, was formed as an advisory body to the City and County GSAs.
On the recommendation of this Groundwater Sustainability Commission, this report is intended
to inform the City GSA and public on the progress made to date in the development of the
Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
Figure 2 - SGMA Timeline
Communication and
Engagement Plan
Public engagement and
stakeholder involvement will be
critical to the success of a
Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
The Communication and
Engagement Plan (C&E Plan)
(Attachment A) describes the
planned activities for engaging
interested parties in SGMA
implementation efforts in the
San Luis Obispo Valley Basin.
Figure 3 – SGMA Stakeholders
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It is designed to meet the stakeholder engagement requirements of SGMA and GSP regulations
while ensuring local stakeholders are educated, engaged, and given opportunities to participate
and to provide feedback. The general purpose of the C&E Plan is to facilitate effective
communication and engagement with the multiple and varied stakeholders in the San Luis
Obispo Valley Basin.
The C&E Plan outlines programs designed to engage stakeholders through a series of public
workshops, opportunities for comment at public meetings, education through quarterly digital
newsletters, and the use of a user-friendly Groundwater Communication Portal that acts as a hub
for SGMA related communications and engagement opportunities. Although COVID-19 related
closures have impacted the ability for in-person workshops, public participation has increased
through the utilization of virtual meetings during the pandemic.
Data Management Plan
Development of a Data Management System (DMS) is required to ensure adequate groundwater
data tracking per SGMA regulations. This data includes well locations, water level data, and well
construction information. The City GSA and County GSA opted to draft a Data Management
Plan (DMP) (Attachment B) to capture SGMA data handling requirements, identify data needs
and sources, describe the data structure that will be used, and outline the process for collection,
review, and upload of data. Since each groundwater basin that is subject to SGMA has twenty
years to achieve sustainability, well thought out and well documented data management will be
essential to achieving compliance as an organization experiences technological and staffing
changes over time.
Brief Summary of GSP Chapters 1-6
The chapter summaries presented in this report are draft chapters and are subject to change as
comments are received from local agencies and the public regarding the contents. Full chapters
are provided as attachments to this staff report and are as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP (Attachment C)
Chapter 2: Agency Formation (Attachment C)
Chapter 3: Description of Plan Area (Attachment D)
Chapter 4: Basin Setting (Attachment D)
Chapter 5: Groundwater Conditions (Attachment E)
Chapter 6: Water Budget (Attachment F)
Chapter 1: Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP
Chapter 1 is largely administrative in nature and is designed to give the reader background
information related to why the GSP is being developed. This chapter outlines the purpose of
developing the GSP, a high level description of the SLO Basin, and an explanation of how the
Department of Water Resources prioritizes basins throughout the state and why the SLO Basin is
categorized as a high priority basin. The reader will find information in this chapter that will set
the stage for a better understanding of the need for a GSP.
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Chapter 2 - Agency Formation
Chapter 2 of the GSP outlines agency information and management structure, including
information related to the creation of the City Groundwater Sustainability Agency and the
County of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency. This chapter also discusses the
formation of the Groundwater Sustainability Commission, which acts as an advisory body to the
City GSA and County GSA, as well as the development of a Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) between the two agencies (Attachment G). The MOA’s purpose is for the City GSA and
County GSA, with input from other GSC members, to coordinate in the preparation of a single
GSP for the entire SLO Basin. Figure 4 below demonstrates the governance structure outlined in
the MOA. It is important to note that the City GSA and County GSA are responsible for
independently adopting the GSP and implementing the GSP within their respective service
areas1.
Chapter 3: Description of Plan Area
Chapters 3 provides an introduction to the SLO Basin with a description of the jurisdictional
areas that overlie the basin, details about existing City and County land use plans, density of
groundwater wells within the basin, and a detailed description of active groundwater and surface
water monitoring and management programs. Not unlike Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, this chapter
helps document information that will assist in decision making as subsequent GSP chapters are
developed.
1 City and County GSP adoption requires a simple majority vote.
Figure 4 – Local SGMA Governance Structure
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Chapter 4: Basin Setting
Chapter 4 of the GSP is a technical chapter that describes the regional and local basin geology,
groundwater aquifer information, and surface water body information. This chapter defines the
physical extent and limitations of the SLO Basin as well as the importance of how surface water
and groundwater interact locally. Various maps within the chapter document details about the
groundwater basin such as infiltration rates within different areas of the basin, bedrock
elevations, and land subsidence risk. Additionally, this chapter provides a series of cross-
sectional diagrams that document the various types of geologic layers of different parts of the
SLO Basin.
Chapter 5: Groundwater Conditions
Following SGMA regulations, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies must develop and
implement a Groundwater Sustainability Plan for managing and using groundwater without
causing six specific undesirable results. These undesirable results are defined as: the chronic
lowering of groundwater elevations, groundwater storage reductions, seawater intrusion, land
subsidence, the depletion of interconnected surface waters, and the degradation of groundwater
quality. These undesirable results are also referred to as sustainability indicators. The
organization of Chapter 5 aligns with the six sustainability indicators specified in the GSP
regulations.
Chapter 5 describes the current and historical groundwater conditions in the SLO Basin,
including a series of maps showing groundwater flow direction and groundwater level contours
over several decades, allowing for the visualization of changes in groundwater elevation over
time. These maps document that areas within City limits have not experienced significant
reductions in groundwater elevation, and thus groundwater storage, over the examined period of
time. On the contrary, areas within the Edna Valley area of the SLO Basin have experienced
significant, continual declines in groundwater elevation over time. The stability in groundwater
elevation within City limits can be attributed to the City’s increased surface water use for potable
needs, a reduction in total water demand, and the substantial reduction in groundwater use since
the early 1990s. On the contrary, the Edna Valley area’s declining water levels can be largely
attributed to increases in agricultural operations over time.
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Figure 5- Changes in Groundwater Elevation from 1997 - 2011
Just as pumping groundwater for domestic and agricultural uses can remove water from a
groundwater basin, infiltration of rain, subsurface inflow from surrounding bedrock, and
percolation of streamflow from local creeks can return water to the groundwater basin. This
chapter qualitatively describes these, and other various groundwater recharge and discharge
types within the SLO Basin.
Following discussions related to the connection between groundwater and stream flows, the
chapter addresses groundwater quality within the basin. While SGMA is not designed to resolve
any specific groundwater contamination issues, it is important that the actions within a GSP not
allow for the worsening or exacerbation of groundwater quality issues.
Chapter 6: Water Budget
Chapter 6 takes the description of water flowing in and out of a basin and attempts to quantify
this flow volumetrically. The purpose of a “water budget” is to provide an accounting and
assessment of the total annual volume of groundwater and surface water entering and leaving a
basin. A water budget identifies and quantifies various components of the hydrologic cycle
within a user-defined area, in this case the SLO Basin. Water circulates between the atmospheric
system, land surface system, surface water bodies, and the groundwater system, as shown in
Figure 6.
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Figure 6 – The Hydrologic Cycle. Source: Department of Water Resources (Water Budget BMP, 2016)
This chapter of the GSP provides an accounting and assessment of the total annual volume of
groundwater and surface water entering (inflow) and leaving (outflow) the SLO Basin for
historical and current conditions, as well as future conditions with climate change and
management actions. The current water budget developed for this chapter was prepared for the
two subareas that cover the SLO Basin, the San Luis Valley subarea and the Edna Valley
subarea, both individually and combined into a single water budget for the entire Basin. This
water budget results in estimates of the preliminary sustainable yield and overdraft, or surplus,
for both subareas and for the entire Basin which are outlined in Table 1 and Table 2 below. The
water budget equation used within this chapter to account for available water is as follows:
Table 1 – Preliminary Sustainable Yield Estimate (Acre-Feet / Year)
San Luis Valley Subarea 2,500
Edna Valley Subarea 3,300
Basin Total 5,800
Table 2 – Estimated Overdraft (Acre-Feet / Year)
San Luis Valley Subarea -700*
Edna Valley Subarea 1,100
Basin Total 400
*Surplus water available
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Next Steps
Through the first six GSP chapters, no major decisions have been made regarding long-term
management of the SLO Basin. The first six chapters have largely served to define an effective
governance structure, ensure all stakeholders are included in the GSP development process, and
to compile data that will help to better understand local basin geology and groundwater
conditions. Chapters 7 and 8, which are currently being drafted, set goals for where groundwater
levels should be maintained in the SLO Basin and establish a groundwater monitoring network
which will be used to track progress toward meeting these goals. These management goals will
become the basis for defining what sustainability looks like in the SLO Basin.
In 2021, Chapters 9 and 10 will be drafted, which identify the projects and management actions
that will need to be undertaken in order for the basin to achieve sustainability by 2042. These
projects and management actions may consist of strategies such as reductions in groundwater
pumping, conservation, irrigation efficiencies, agricultural irrigation reductions, and water
supply augmentation efforts. Figure 7 below summarizes the five major steps to the GSP
development process and where we are currently in the drafting process.
Figure 7 – GSP Development Steps
As Chapter 9 is drafted, augmentation projects will look at all locally available water to
potentially supplement supplies in the Edna Valley area. It is likely that delivery of a portion of
the City’s recycled water supplies will be examined as one of many potential projects and
management strategies. When examining augmentation projects and other management actions,
it is important to remember that while SGMA goals are not required to be met until 2042, they
will need to be perpetually maintained after 2042. Thus, the City must ensure that any
participation in management actions, does not prohibit the City from meeting future in-City
water demand, even after 2042.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to the recommended action,
because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACTS
Budgeted: NA Budget Year: NA
Funding Identified: NA
There is no fiscal impact with the actions before Council. Staff time dedicated to the SGMA
effort are incorporated in the annual budget appropriations.
ALTERNATIVES
Request staff return to the City Council, acting as the GSA, with additional information
regarding GSP development.
Attachments:
a - Draft Communication and Engagement Plan
b - Draft Data Management Plan
c - COUNCIL READING FILE - Draft GSP Chapters 1-2
d - COUNCIL READING FILE - Draft GSP Chapters 3-4
e - COUNCIL READING FILE - Draft GSP Chapter 5
f - COUNCIL READING FILE - Draft GSP Chapter 6
g - COUNCIL READING FILE - City and County GSP MOA
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Draft Communication & Engagement Plan for San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin – June 5, 2019
DRAFT
Communication and Engagement Plan
for Groundwater Sustainability Plan Development
in the San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin
Prepared for San Luis Obispo County
June 5, 2019
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Draft Communication & Engagement Plan for San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin – June 5, 2019
ii
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin 2
2. Goals and Desired Outcomes 5
3. GSP Participants and the Decision-Making Process 6
4. Stakeholder Groups 10
5. Stakeholder Survey 12
6. Venues and Tools: Opportunities for Engagement 13
7. Evaluation and Assessment 16
8. Appendices 17
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The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires local governments and water agencies
in California’s high- and medium-priority groundwater basins, as defined by the California Department
of Water Resources (DWR), to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and operate under a
Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by the year 2022. Basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft
must begin to manage groundwater under a GSP sooner – by January 31, 2020.
This Communication and Engagement Plan (C&E Plan) describes the planned activities for engaging
interested parties in SGMA implementation efforts in the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin. It is designed to
meet the stakeholder engagement requirements of SGMA and the GSP Regulations. The ultimate
purpose of the document is to facilitate effective communication and engagement with the multiple and
varied stakeholders in the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin.
Structure of this C&E Plan
DWR defines the purpose of its Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Guidance Document (C&E
Guidance Document) to:
• Demonstrate how a GSA can effectively communicate and engage with multiple and varied
stakeholders
• Identify the methods and tools to support communication and engagement
• Identify how a GSA can conduct meaningful engagement to develop a GSP
The C&E Guidance Document describes DWR’s seven-step process for communication and engagement:
1. Set Goals and Desired Outcomes
2. Identify Your Stakeholders
3. Stakeholder Survey and Mapping
4. Messages and Talking Points
5. Venues for Engaging
6. Implementation Timeline
7. Evaluation and Assessment
This C&E Plan is organized to follow the steps suggested above and shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Engagement Steps from DWR GSP Stakeholder and Engagement Guidance Document
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1. Introduction to the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin
The San Luis Obispo Valley Basin (Groundwater Basin 3-009 1) is situated in the San Luis and Edna Valleys
in central to southwest San Luis Obispo County. The basin overlies an area of approximately 12,700
acres and is part of the Central Coast Watershed. It is bound on the northeast by the Santa Lucia Range,
on the southwest by the San Luis Range, and on all other sides by contact with impermeable Miocene
and Franciscan Group rocks. A rise in bedrock south of the San Luis Obispo Airport has created two
separate subsurface drainage systems known as the San Luis Valley subbasin and the Edna Valley
subbasin. The Edna Valley subbasin covers approximately 4,700 acres and is entirely within the
unincorporated San Luis Obispo County (County). The San Luis Valley subbasin spans approximately
8,000 acres and includes both the unincorporated county and city of San Luis Obispo (City).
• City of San Luis Obispo. The City of San Luis Obispo is located near the intersection of Highway
101 and Hwy 1. A portion of the City is located within the basin. The City’s land uses consist
primarily of commercial and residential areas.
• San Luis Obispo County. San Luis Obispo County is located in the southern region of California
between approximately San Miguel and Santa Maria. The entire basin is located within the
County. The County’s land uses consist of commercial, agricultural, residential, and
undeveloped lands.
The primary sources of water supply for uses in the basin include groundwater from the San Luis Obispo
Valley Basin and surface water from the Whale Rock Reservoir, Salinas Reservoir, the Nacimiento Water
Project, and recycled water through the City’s Water Recycling Program.2
Water users in the basin include municipalities, communities, rural domestic residences, and industrial,
environmental, and agricultural users. The major water purveyors are the Edna Valley Growers Mutual
Water Company, Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company, Edna Ranch Mutual Water Company, and
Golden State Water Company.
Figure 2 shows the location of the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin and the GSA boundaries.
1 As identified and delineated in California Department of Water Resources Bulletin 118
https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Groundwater-Management/Bulletin-118
2 https://www.slocity.org/government/department-directory/utilities-department/water/water-sources/recycled-
water
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Figure 2. San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency Boundary
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2. Goals and Desired Outcomes
The goal of this C&E Plan is to describe the planned activities for engaging interested parties in SGMA
implementation efforts in the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin and to provide opportunities for interested
parties to participate in GSP development. This plan serves as a roadmap to support achieving the
desired outcomes identified below.
• Educate the public about the importance of the GSP and the value of their input. Stakeholder
input is a critical part of the GSP development process. Basin stakeholders define the values of
the local community and priorities for groundwater management. This valuable input identifies
the unique concerns of the stakeholders and guides decision-making and development of
projects and management actions. The C&E Plan is designed to encourage stakeholder
participation and to disseminate information about GSP development.
• Engage a diverse group of stakeholders. The C&E Plan is developed with thoughtful
consideration about how to engage the diverse array of stakeholders in the basin. One size does
not fit all when it comes to stakeholder engagement. The C&E Plan outlines multiple venues for
communication with varied audiences.
• Make stakeholder participation easy and accessible. One way to increase engagement is to
make participation easy for the stakeholders. The opportunities for stakeholders to engage in
GSP development should be clear and easily accessible. The C&E Plan provides methods to make
engagement easy for stakeholders.
• Allow interested parties the opportunity to provide meaningful input. Aligning the
engagement schedule with the GSP development schedule allows stakeholders to engage at key
decision points in the GSP development process. Public meetings will inform interested parties
about what decisions need to be made, provide relevant technical information, and request
feedback.
• Provide a roadmap for GSA leadership. The C&E Plan provides a clear roadmap and schedule
for GSA leaders to follow, keeping engagement efforts consistent among stakeholders and on
track throughout the duration of the project.
The goal and desired outcomes listed above are the drivers for this planning document. They inform and
shape the remainder of this C&E Plan.
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3. GSP Participants and the Decision-Making Process
Everyone in the basin has a role to play in GSP development. Generally, participants fall into one of the
following groups.
• GSA Leadership
• Technical Experts
• Interested Parties
Each of these groups provide a unique contribution to the GSP.
GSA Leadership
To comply with SGMA, two GSAs were formed to manage the groundwater resources of the San Luis
Obispo Valley Basin in a sustainable manner as directed under a GSP that must be prepared by 2022 and
implemented for the next 40 years
• City of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency
• San Luis Obispo Valley Basin - County of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency
In January 2018, the City and the County entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the
Edna Valley Growers Mutual Water Company, Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company, Edna Ranch
Mutual Water Company, and Golden State Water Company to prepare a single GSP for the San Luis
Obispo Valley Basin, establishing the Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC or Commission). The
GSC serves as an advisory committee to the San Luis Obispo City Council and County of San Luis Obispo
Board of Supervisors.
The GSC has five members as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Commission Membership
San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Sustainability Commission Members
• One member representing the City
• One member representing the County
• One member representing Edna Valley Growers Mutual Water Company
• One member collectively representing Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company and Edna Ranch
Mutual Water Company
• One member representing Golden State Water Company
All meetings of the Commission are open to the public and interested parties are encouraged to attend.
The Commission will make recommendations to the City Council and County Board of Supervisors
regarding GSP development (e.g., recommendation to adopt). A public Notice of Intent to adopt the GSP
and a public hearing will be held prior to adoption of the GSP. The final decision-making power to adopt
the GSP will be executed separately by the City Council and County Board of Supervisors.
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Technical Experts
Technical experts are there to provide subject matter expertise on highly complex issues about the basin
and surrounding basins and to inform the Commission and interested parties about the benefits and
consequences of potential projects and management actions identified in GSP development. Technical
experts may include outside consultants or staff of agencies that are signatories to the MOA. Section 3.2
of the MOA outlines how the City and County will retain consultant services.
Interested Parties
Interested parties consist of beneficial users of groundwater, stakeholders, and anyone
affected/impacted by groundwater in and around basin. The interested parties may represent
environmental interests, Native American tribes, agricultural interests, urban groundwater users, etc.
GSA Leadership and Technical Experts provide information to interested parties through the
engagement venues and tools described in this plan. The interested parties provide input regarding the
priorities and values of the community and the likelihood of the success of proposed project concepts
and the hurdles that must be overcome to achieve groundwater sustainability. Interested parties may
also include agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, with an interest in sustainable
groundwater management in the basin. Interested parties can participate in the GSP development
process by attending public meetings, commenting on draft documents, and participating in workshops.
More information on interested parties is included in Section 4. Stakeholder Groups.
GSP Chapter Review Process
The San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs formulated a process for reviewing draft GSP chapters, as
illustrated in Figure 3. GSA leadership, technical experts, and interested parties have an opportunity to
provide feedback on each chapter of the GSP at varying stages of the review process.
The individual chapters will be prepared by the consulting team with input from GSA staff. After the
draft chapters have been approved by the Commission they will be posted on the Portal to begin a
minimum 30-day comment period. Specific dates will be provided for each draft document to allow for
adequate review. Public comments will be submitted through the Portal and all comments received will
be available for review. The comments will be reviewed by the technical experts and be considered for
inclusion in the draft GSP.
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Figure 3. GSP Chapter Review Process
GSP Review Process
Comments collected during public review of draft chapters will be considered when revising the
chapters for the Draft GSP. After the draft GSP has been approved by the Commission it will be posted
on the Portal to begin an additional minimum 30-day comment period. The roles of the GSP participants
in preparation of the Final Draft GSP will follow the steps shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4. GSP Review Process
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GSP Adoption Process
Once the GSP has been finalized, the Commission will make a recommendation to the GSAs to adopt the
GSP. The City of San Luis Obispo City Council and San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will then
consider adoption of the GSP. The GSP participants with responsibilities in this phase are shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 5. GSP Adoption Process
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4. Stakeholder Groups
Pursuant to California Water Code sections 10723.8 and 10723.2, the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs
will consider throughout the project the interests of all beneficial uses and users of groundwater, as well
as those that are responsible for implementing the actions developed within the basin’s GSP. The San
Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs are committed to an open public review and feedback process, including
active and open discussions with all interested parties during the GSP development process. Appendix A
includes the initial list of interested parties submitted to the California Department of Water Resources
at the time of the GSA’s formation. The list includes parties grouped by the categories below.
• Agencies
• Water corporations regulated by PUC or a Mutual Water Company
• Agricultural users
• Domestic well owners
• Municipal well operators
• Public water systems
• Local land use planning agencies
• Environmental users of groundwater
• Surface water users
• Federal government
• California Native American tribes
• Disadvantaged Communities
Stakeholder Group Identification
The stakeholder list provided in Appendix A was used to form the Basin’s initial interested parties list.
The interested parties list was expanded by adding information collected via the SGMA interest e-mail
list hosted on the County’s website.3 The SGMA interest e-mail list has been online for more than one
year and over 280 parties have indicated interest in being added to the Basin’s mailing list.
Once signed up for the interest list, parties are contacted via email when events related to GSP
development are scheduled for the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin. The interested parties list will continue
to expand as people answer the stakeholder survey (Section 5) and are encouraged to sign up for
communications via the Groundwater Communication Portal described below.
Groundwater Communication Portal
A web-based outreach tool called the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Groundwater Communication Portal
(Portal) electronically notifies interested parties when the GSAs host events regarding groundwater
management. The Portal is used to grow and maintain the interested parties list described above.
Interested parties can add themselves to the interest list and access draft chapters for review at any
time by registering for portal access at [to be added once domain name has been purchased].
3 https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Committees-Programs/Sustainable-Groundwater-
Management-Act-(SGMA)/San-Luis-Obispo-Valley-Groundwater-Basin.aspx
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The Portal will track outreach engagements such as Commission meetings and communications with
individuals or groups of stakeholders involved in the development of the GSP and store the information
in a database for GSA retrieval. The database will include meeting dates, locations, times, and
documents such as meeting agendas. A description of the Portal and its functions is provided in
Appendix B.
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5. Stakeholder Survey
DWR created a stakeholder survey template hosted at the Communication and Engagement Digital
Toolkit4 webpage. The survey is designed to learn about stakeholder interests, issues, and challenges.
The survey may include the following questions:
• Are you familiar with SGMA regulations?
• Are you currently engaged in activity or discussions regarding groundwater management in this
region?
• Do you own or manage land in this region?
• Do you manage water resources? If yes, what is your role?
• What is your primary interest in land or water resources management?
• Do you have concerns about groundwater management? If so, what are they?
• Do you have recommendations regarding groundwater management? If so, what are they?
• What else do you want us to know?
• Who else should we listen to?
The survey has been customized for San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSP development and is included as
Appendix C. The survey is scheduled to be distributed to interested parties in Summer 2019. The results
of the survey will be used to inform this plan and will be included in the Final C&E Plan submitted with
the Final GSP.
4 https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Groundwater-Management/Assistance-and-Engagement
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6. Venues and Tools: Opportunities for Engagement
The San Luis Obispo Valley GSAs aim to encourage stakeholders with diverse social, cultural, and
economic backgrounds to be actively involved in the GSP development. To achieve this goal, focused
engagement and thoughtfully selected venues and tools should be employed.
Focused Engagement
The initial list of interested parties that was imported into the Portal from the County’s SGMA email
interest list included 290 entries. To support the diversity of elements and ensure we engage with
potentially underrepresented communities on the list, the groups below will be given focused attention
when choosing venues and tools for engagement.
• Disadvantaged Communities. The City is recognized as a Disadvantaged Community (DAC).5
Meetings will be held in proximity to this area to allow easy access for interested parties.
Information about GSP development and meeting dates/times will be posted in areas that the
City has found to be successful in reaching underrepresented populations in previous outreach
efforts. These areas include public events such as the Farmer’s Market, City kiosks at City
facilities such as the finance office where utility bills are paid, the parks and recreation
department where after-school programs are coordinated, and other City facilities such as the
Senior Citizens Center.
• Bilingual Residents. The GSAs will gather information regarding the languages spoken in the
communities within the basin and provide translation services for the languages as appropriate
per the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Service Act.
• Tribal Governments. Per SGMA §10720.3(c), any federally recognized Indian tribe may
voluntarily agree to participate in the planning, financing, and management of groundwater
basins. There are no federally recognized Native American tribes within the geographic
boundaries of the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin. However, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council
community encompasses the County area. Therefore, the San Luis Obispo Valley GSAs will refer
to DWR’s Engagement with Tribal Governments Guidance Document and will contact the tribal
representative to invite participation in GSP development.
Stakeholder Workshops
Stakeholder workshops are designed to create opportunities for stakeholders and other interested
parties to provide meaningful input during GSP chapter development. The workshop schedule is aligned
with the GSP development schedule (Appendix D) for this purpose. The workshops will be led by
technical experts such as consultants or GSA staff. Workshop dates will vary based on when input is
deemed most useful. Suggestions for optimizing the benefit of the workshops are listed below.
• Choose workshop venues, dates, and times to maximize stakeholder participation.
• Use the Portal to inform interested parties about workshops during GSP development.
5 Per DWR Disadvantaged Communities Mapping Tool at https://gis.water.ca.gov/app/dacs/; accessed May 28,
2019
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• Announce the Portal at stakeholder workshops and encourage attendees to sign up.
Groundwater Sustainability Commission Meetings
Regular meetings of the Groundwater Sustainability Commission provide an opportunity for City and
County staff, participating parties, and their consultants to present updates on the status of GSP
development. Meetings are scheduled every three months (quarterly). See the GSP development
schedule (Appendix D) for planned dates. An interested party may sign up on the emailing list using the
Portal to receive updates on meeting dates and times. Meetings of the Groundwater Sustainability
Commission are subject to the Brown Act and are open to the public.
Public Notices and Hearings
Meeting notices will be sent in advance of stakeholder workshops and Commission meetings. SGMA
requires a publicly noticed hearing at three distinct points in GSP development:
• At GSA formation §10723(b) – this process is complete
• When a GSP is adopted or amended (§10728.4)
• Before imposing or increasing fees
Public Draft GSP Documents
When draft GSP component documents (e.g., chapters) are released by the Commission, they will also
be posted to the Portal and will be open for public comment. A comment form will be available on the
Portal to submit comments on draft documents by chapter and section. These comments will be
considered when revising the public draft documents and finalizing the Final Draft GSP chapters.
Tools for Communication
Initially, the GSAs anticipate producing the informational materials listed below.
GSA Website
The County has a webpage dedicated to SGMA implementation in the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin. Both
the City and County websites point to this page 6 to share information on GSP development. The site will
be supplemented by the Portal as discussed below.
Groundwater Communication Portal (Portal)
The GSAs will use the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Portal as a tool to communicate with interested
parties. The Portal will store interested party information and distribute e-mail invitations for events
posted to the calendar, these events may include GSC meetings, workshops, and other outreach events.
There are additional tools within the Portal that will be used to enhance communication. These tools
include the following:
• E-Blast. E-mails will be sent to interested parties for those who sign up for email notifications on
the Portal using the e-blast tool. E-blasts will be effective for sending reminders of upcoming
deadlines, such as the close of a survey or comment period.
• Public Comment Form. During public comment periods, a form will be available on the Portal
for interested parties to submit comments on draft GSP documents. The form allows comments
6 https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Committees-Programs/Sustainable-Groundwater-
Management-Act-(SGMA)/San-Luis-Obispo-Valley-Groundwater-Basin.aspx
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by chapter and automatically stores the information for GSA review, reducing the risk of
misplaced comments.
Direct Mailing
Communications about GSP development will be sent only in digital format. For those who don’t have
access online or prefer to receive direct postal mailings, the agenda and agenda packet will be mailed to
those who request it. There may be times when a direct postal mailing is appropriate. The County sent a
mailer in May 2019 to provide information about the next two Commission meetings. The mailer also
includes a request form for the recipient to fill out and return to the County if he/she desires to receive
notification of future events via postal mail. A copy of the mailer is provided as Appendix E.
Outreach Materials
Given previous outreach efforts within City limits, the City does not believe a direct mail piece would be
effective in reaching community members or the DAC population. To reach these community members,
the City plans to direct outreach efforts for SGMA meetings to online resources, public events such as a
Farmer’s Market, and with outreach at several City kiosks at City facilities including the finance office
where utility bills are paid, the parks and recreation department where after-school programs are
coordinated, and at other City facilities such as the Senior Citizens Center.
FAQ
A frequently asked questions (FAQ) document will be created and updated periodically throughout the
GSP development. The FAQ will address questions about SGMA, San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs, and
the development of the GSP. Updates to the FAQ will be posted on the Portal and on the County and
City websites.
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7. Evaluation and Assessment
The activities identified in this C&E Plan are designed to meet the goals and objectives identified in
Section 2. Below, Table 3 lists tasks compiled from the contents of this C&E Plan. This is a working list
that will be modified and updated as needed throughout GSP development.
Table 3. Outreach Tasks
C&E
Plan
Section
Task Description
4 Launch Groundwater
Communication Portal (GCP)
Link to Portal from existing website, announce URL at
Commission meeting, post future meetings to calendar,
send invitations
5 Conduct Stakeholder Survey Modify DWR's stakeholder survey for this basin, collect
stakeholder feedback via custom survey (Appendix C)
6 Assess need for translation
services
Document the GSA determination of what constitutes a
substantial number of non-English speaking people per
the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Service Act and the level
to which translation services will be provided
6 Public Postings Post information about GSP development and meetings
in public spaces within the City limits such as Farmer’s
Market and City facilities
6 Conduct Stakeholder
Workshops
Conduct stakeholder workshops per the GSP
Development Schedule (Appendix D)
6 Public Notices Send meeting notices in advance of stakeholder
meetings, including Commission meetings
6 Direct Mailing Send direct mail to land owners in unincorporated areas
of the basin to announce GSP development and
Commission meetings. Stakeholders who request it may
have the agenda and agenda packet sent to them
6 Hold a public hearing for GSP
adoption
Per SGMA § 10728.4, give 60-day notice and hold a
public hearing to adopt the final GSP before submitting
to DWR
6 Include GCP URL on printed
materials
Educate public about where they can find information
and updates related to groundwater management in the
basin
6 Announce GCP at public
meetings
Educate public about where they can find information
and updates related to groundwater management in the
basin (GCP)
Like the list above, this C&E Plan is a living document to be updated as needed throughout GSP
development. Successful use and implementation of the task list and C&E Plan will indicate success.
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8. Appendices
Appendix A. Stakeholder lists submitted at time of GSA formations
Appendix B. Groundwater Communication Portal (GCP)
Appendix C. San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Stakeholder Survey
Appendix D. GSP Development Schedule
Appendix E. Postal Mailer: Groundwater Sustainability Plan Update
Appendix F. References
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Appendix A.
Stakeholder lists submitted at time of GSA formations
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Appendix B.
Groundwater Communication Portal (Portal)
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San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Groundwater Communication Portal (Portal)
GEI Consultants developed a tool to help our clients with
their SGMA outreach efforts. The tool, referred to as the
Groundwater Communication Portal (Portal), can be
customized for any groundwater basin to track engagement
efforts. The GCP is a web-based tool where you can post
events and automatically inform interested parties with the
click of a button. Interested parties can register with the GCP
to stay informed about events related to GSP development
and register for individual events to receive updates.
The GCP serves as a repository for all information about GSA
meetings and interested parties. Storing all stakeholder
engagement information in one place will be beneficial both
for creating the communications section of the GSP and for
continued tracking of outreach efforts moving forward to
GSP 5-year updates and implementation. The Portal’s
administrative functions include report generation, so you
can easily generate your list of interested parties or details
about events (e.g., who was notified). Administrators may
also add attachments to the events, including items such as
meeting agendas, minutes, and sign-in sheets.
Portal Features
• Maintain the GSAs’ list of
interested parties
• Allow interested parties to self-
register
• Post meeting details and
documents
• Automatically notify interested
parties with the click of a button
• Track who was notified and who
replied to your invitation
• View a calendar of events
• Send e-mail blasts
• Track outreach efforts with a
communication log
• Upload project documents and
collect public comments
Draft design for the San Luis Obispo Valley GCP
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Appendix C.
San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Stakeholder Survey
(not included in this draft)
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Appendix D.
GSP Development Schedule
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Appendix E.
Postal Mailer: Groundwater Sustainability Plan Update
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Appendix F.
References
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Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Guidance Document for Groundwater Sustainability
Plan, Department of Water Resources, January 2018
Engagement with Tribal Governments Guidance Document for Sustainable Management of
Groundwater, Department of Water Resources, June 2017
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DRAFT
San Luis Obispo Valley Basin
Data Management Plan
Data Management System to
Support Implementation of the
Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act
Prepared for:
County of San Luis Obispo GSA
City of San Luis Obispo GSA
Prepared by:
GEI Consultants
2868 Prospect Park Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95670
August 31, 2020
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 SGMA DMS Requirements .................................................................................................. 2
2. Data Needs for SGMA .................................................................................................................... 3
3. Data Sources ................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Data Structure ................................................................................................................................. 7
5. Data Import ...................................................................................................................................... 9
5.1 Data Compilation (STEP 1) ................................................................................................. 9
5.2 Data Formatting and Review (STEP 2) ............................................................................... 9
5.3 Data Upload (STEP 3) ....................................................................................................... 11
6. SGMA Data Viewer ....................................................................................................................... 12
7. DMS User Types ........................................................................................................................... 15
8. Data Retrieval ................................................................................................................................ 16
Figures
Figure 1. Groundwater Basins in San Luis Obispo County ........................................................................................ 3
Figure 2. DWR’s Sustainability Indicators and Metrics ............................................................................................... 4
Figure 3. DMS Tables ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Figure 4. Template Import Process for Local Data ..................................................................................................... 9
Figure 5. Example Template (Well Pumping) ........................................................................................................... 11
Figure 6. Design for Data Viewer ............................................................................................................................. 12
Figure 7. SLO County Exports Page Design ............................................................................................................ 16
Tables
Table 1. Monitoring data for the SGMA sustainability indicators ................................................................................ 5
Table 2. Data Sources to Populate the DMS ............................................................................................................. 6
Table 3. DMS Table Descriptions ............................................................................................................................... 8
Table 4. Well Data Templates .................................................................................................................................. 10
Table 5. Station Data Templates .............................................................................................................................. 10
Table 6. Independent Data Templates ..................................................................................................................... 10
Table 7. Map Viewer Navigation ............................................................................................................................... 12
Table 8. Reference Data Not Stored in the DMS Database ..................................................................................... 13
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1. Introduction
The purpose of this Data Management Plan (DMP) is to describe the planned Data Management
System (DMS) and the process for collection, review, and upload of data used to develop a
Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin
(SLO Basin). This document does not provide final specifications for a complete DMS. Rather, it
describes the data needed to comply with SGMA, the method to be used for data collection, and
the plan for DMS development.
1.1 SGMA DMS Requirements
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires development of a DMS. The
DMS stores data relevant to development of a groundwater basin’s GSP as defined by the GSP
Regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Division 2, Chapter 1.5, Subchapter 2).
The GSP Regulations give general guidelines for a DMS:
§ 352.6. Data Management System
Each Agency shall develop and maintain a data management system that is
capable of storing and reporting information relevant to the development or
implementation of the [Groundwater Sustainability] Plan and monitoring of the
basin.
Note: Authority cited: Section 10733.2, Water Code.
Reference: Sections 10727.2, 10728, 10728.2, and 10733.2, Water Code.
§ 352.4. Data and Reporting Standards
(c) The following standards apply to wells:
(3) Well information used to develop the basin setting shall be maintained in the
Agency’s data management system
Note: Authority cited: Section 10733.2, Water Code.
Reference: Sections 10727.2, 10727.6, and 10733.2, Water Code.
§ 354.40. Reporting Monitoring Data to the Department
Monitoring data shall be stored in the data management system developed
pursuant to Section 352.6. A copy of the monitoring data shall be included in the
Annual Report and submitted electronically on forms provided by the
Department.
Note: Authority cited: Section 10733.2, Water Code.
Reference: Sections 10728, 10728.2, 10733.2, and 10733.8, Water Code.
To comply with SGMA, the SLO Basin DMS will store data that is relevant to development and
implementation of the GSP as well as for monitoring and reporting purposes.
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2. Data Needs for SGMA
The SLO Basin is in San Luis Obispo County, California. The county spans multiple
groundwater basins – 6 of which are engaged in SGMA activity. Each basin complying with
SGMA is required to store data in a DMS. Rather than host several systems, a county-wide DMS
will be implemented to support county data initiatives for SGMA and other non-SGMA data
initiatives.
Figure 1. Groundwater Basins in San Luis Obispo County 1
SGMA defines sustainable groundwater management as “the management and use of
groundwater in a manner that can be maintained during the planning and implementation horizon
without causing undesirable results.”2 Furthermore, SGMA outlines six undesirable results as
follows:3
One or more of the following effects caused by groundwater conditions occurring
throughout the basin:
(1) Chronic lowering of groundwater levels indicating a significant and
unreasonable depletion of supply if continued over the planning and
implementation horizon. Overdraft during a period of drought is not sufficient to
1 Source: California Department of Water Resources, SGMA Data Viewer, accessed August 14, 2020.
2 §10721(v)
3 §10721(x)
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establish a chronic lowering of groundwater levels if extractions and
groundwater recharge are managed as necessary to ensure that reductions in
groundwater levels or storage during a period of drought are offset by increases
in groundwater levels or storage during other periods.
(2) Significant and unreasonable reduction of groundwater storage.
(3) Significant and unreasonable seawater intrusion.
(4) Significant and unreasonable degraded water quality, including the migration
of contaminant plumes that impair water supplies.
(5) Significant and unreasonable land subsidence that substantially interferes
with surface land uses.
(6) Depletions of interconnected surface water that have significant and
unreasonable adverse impacts on beneficial uses of the surface water.
The presence or absence of the six undesirable results in a groundwater basin is determined by
monitoring and reviewing data for six sustainability indicators (one for each undesirable result).
A set of associated measurable objective and minimum threshold will be assigned for each
indicator and will be included in the DMS.
There are multiple metrics by which the sustainability indicators may be observed. The
sustainability indicators and their respective metrics, as defined in the GSP Regulations and
described by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in the Sustainable
Management Criteria Best Management Practice (BMP) document,4 are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. DWR’s Sustainability Indicators and Metrics
4 https://water.ca.gov/LegacyFiles/groundwater/sgm/pdfs/BMP_Sustainable_Management_Criteria_2017-11-06.pdf.
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Table 1 describes the types of data that may possibly be monitored for each sustainability
indicator. Sustainability indicators do not need to be tracked by every available monitoring type.
Table 1. Monitoring data for the SGMA sustainability indicators
Sustainability Indicator
Monitoring Data Types Water Level Extensometer GPS InSAR Water Quality Stream stages Well and/or Site Data Chloride ±10 constituents Lowering groundwater levels
Reduction of storage
Seawater intrusion
Degraded quality
Land subsidence
Surface water depletion
The DMS will accommodate data relevant to each sustainability indicator. The monitoring data
types listed in Table 1 represent the various data sets required to populate the DMS for tracking
sustainability indicators. However, there is additional data that is readily available and may be
included in the DMS to assist with preparation of GSPs and to support annual reporting.
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3. Data Sources
Table 2 illustrates the data sources that will be used to populate the DMS to support GSP
development, sustainability indicator monitoring, and annual reporting. The data categories listed
below inform the design of the DMS and support the data needs presented previously in Table 1.
Table 2. Data Sources to Populate the DMS
Data Category State and Federal Data Sources Local Data Sources California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Well Logs California Data Exchange Center (CDEC) Geotracker Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) United States Geological Survey (USGS) Irrigated Lands Program Participating Agencies Other Groundwater Users* Well and Site Info
Lithology
Water Level
Water Quality
Subsidence
Precipitation
Land Use
Surface Water
(Diversions, Stream Gages)
Pumping
*Private parties and mutual water companies
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4. Data Structure
The DMS will be comprised of a database plus an online web viewer. Data stored in the DMS
will be separated by categories into tables. The tables shall contain columns and rows of data.
Each field will hold a specific type of data, such as a number, text, or date. The planned DMS
data tables are shown as Figure 3. The figure is color-coordinated to show the relationship
between tables:
• Main tables (Blue) – Each dataset will be associated with EITHER a well or a station
(e.g., extensometer). These are the main tables and include point data with unique
identification and locations.
• Sub tables (Green) – Sub tables are related to the main tables and hold additional details
about a well or site (e.g., correlation of a well with a water level measurement).
Figure 3. DMS Tables
Main Tables
Well_Info Station_
Info
Sub Tables
Diversion_
Data
Gage_
Data
Precipitation_
Data
Subsidence_
Data
Sustainability_
Indicator
Water_
Quality
Water_Level Well_
Lithology
Well_
Pumping
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A brief description of the main and sub tables is provided as Table 3.
Table 3. DMS Table Descriptions
Table Description
Main Tables
Station_Info Information about type of station (recharge site, diversion, gage, extensometer,
GSP) and location information
Well_Info General information about well, including well construction and screen information
Sub Tables
Diversion_Data Diversion volume measurements for a diversion site or managed recharge
Gage_Data Measurements collected at river or stream gages
Precipitation_Data Volumetric measurements collected at precipitation monitoring stations
Subsidence_Data Measurements collected at subsidence monitoring stations (e.g., extensometer)
Sustainability_Indicator Minimum Thresholds and Measurable Objectives set for monitoring network sites
tracking Sustainable Management Criteria for SGMA compliance
Water_Quality Contains water quality data for wells or any other type of site
Water_Level Water level measurements for wells
Well_Lithology Lithologic information at a well site
(each well may have many lithologies at different depths)
Well_Pumping Pumping or recharge measurements for wells
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5. Data Import
Importing data to the DMS consists of three steps, as shown on Figure 4 and listed below:
1. Data compilation
2. Data review and formatting
3. Upload data
The DMS shall be designed to use this process to import data for all basins in San Luis Obispo
County. The DMS development team will upload data to support the SLO Basin GSP. Data for
other basins will be loaded by other teams’ GSP efforts.
Figure 4. Template Import Process for Local Data
5.1 Data Compilation (STEP 1)
Historical data must be gathered to populate the DMS. Select state and federal data (as provided
earlier in Table 2) for the SLO Basin will be compiled by the GSAs and their consultant(s).
Participating agencies and other stakeholders will compile local data and data for other basins in
the County.
5.2 Data Formatting and Review (STEP 2)
After the data is compiled, it shall be normalized by use of Microsoft Excel templates designed
exclusively for the DMS. Each of the main and sub tables, described previously in Section 4,
will have a template.
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The tables below list and describe the templates planned for the DMS. There are three types of
data templates:
• Groundwater well data templates: for data associated with a well.
• Station data templates: for data associated with a station. A station is defined as any site,
that isn’t a groundwater well, tracking DMS data (e.g., extensometer).
• Independent data templates: for data that is not associated with a single well or station.
Table 4. Well Data Templates
Template Description
WELL_INFO Well site information including construction and location
WELL_SCREEN Screened intervals associated with a well site
WELL_AQUIFER Aquifers associated with a well site
WELL_LITHOLOGY Lithologic information at a well site (each well may have many
lithologies at different depths)
WELL_WATER_LEVEL Water level measurements taken at wells
WELL_PUMPING Pumping or recharge measurements for wells
WELL_WATER_QUALITY Water quality data collected at well sites
WELL_SUST_INDICATOR Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives, and Interim
Milestones set for wells (not stations)
Table 5. Station Data Templates
Template Description
STATION_INFO Information about a non-well station (e.g., recharge site) and
location information
STATION_PRECIPITATION_DATA Volumetric measurements collected at stations such as
precipitation monitoring sites
STATION_SUBSIDENCE_DATA Measurements from subsidence stations
STATION_GAGE_DATA Measurements collected at river and stream gages
STATION_WATER_QUALITY Water quality data collected at non-well stations
STATION_DIVERSION_DATA Diversion volume measurements for a diversion site or managed
recharge
STATION_SUST_INDICATOR Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives, and Interim
Milestones set for stations (not wells)
Table 6. Independent Data Templates
Template Description
AGENCY Addresses and other identifying information about the source
agencies for data in the system
WATER_YEAR Water year type (e.g., dry)
DOCUMENT Document information including file type, name, and file path
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The data templates will include rules restricting formatting and alphanumeric properties to
provide quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and to prevent errors and duplication when
importing. The templates include pop-up windows to describe the type of data that should be
entered in each column. If a specific filter must be applied, then only values that meet the criteria
will appear in a drop-down list. Figure 5 provides a screenshot of an example Excel template.
Figure 5. Example Template (Well Pumping)
When data is compiled it must also be reviewed for accuracy. The template restrictions described
above provide one level of QA/QC. As a second level of QA/QC, the initial set of compiled
historical data will be reviewed by the consulting team before it is migrated into the database.
This review will be focused and limited in scope. It will include the following manual checks:
• Identifying outliers that may have been introduced during the original data entry process
• Identifying potential duplication of data
• Removing or flagging questionable data
• Visualizing data in various software platforms outside the DMS to further assess the
quality of the data
After the historical data is populated, future data will be reviewed by the County before it is fully
imported to the DMS.
5.3 Data Upload (STEP 3)
Once the data is formatted and reviewed it will be uploaded to the DMS and displayed with a
visualization tool (described in the next section). When loading the data, an automated check will
be run by the DMS to capture errors or duplicates, if any, and a response will be generated to
indicate errors so they may be corrected.
The upload templates will be available for download in the DMS interface to load future data.
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6. SGMA Data Viewer
The DMS will include a user-friendly web viewer to display the SGMA data including the
SGMA-specific sustainable management criteria (SMC) information such as representative
monitoring sites, minimum thresholds, measurable objectives, and interim milestones.
The DMS SGMA data will display both with a map view and a detail view. Clicking on a point
on the map will reveal details of the selected well or feature. The viewer will generate a
hydrograph for points with water level data, and time-series graphs for water quality and
subsidence data. The visual design of the Data Viewer (with test data) is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Design for Data Viewer
The types of data to be visualized on the map and available via the map’s navigation menu are
listed in Table 7.
Table 7. Map Viewer Navigation
Menu Navigation Description
Groundwater Levels Water level data and associated wells with well completion reports.
Groundwater Storage GSA groundwater storage monitoring network sites.
Water Quality Water quality well and station data for greater than 100 constituents.
Land Subsidence Subsidence data from extensometers and other stations plus InSAR data.
Interconnected Surface
Water
Data related to the interconnected surface water sustainability indicator such as
proximity wells, river and stream gages, precipitation stations, and more.
Seawater Intrusion Sites tracking the SGMA seawater intrusion sustainability indicator.
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Hydrogeologic Conceptual
Model (HCM)
Data useful for development of a hydrogeoglogic conceptual model of the basin
including suitability of soil for recharge, geologic maps, and fault maps.
Boundaries GSA and other relevant boundaries.
There are two categories of data displayed on the map viewer: data stored in the DMS and
reference data drawn directly from outside sources that is useful for groundwater management.
All the data discussed in the previous sections, 3. Data Sources and 4. Data Structure, referred
to data to be stored in the DMS database. Table 8 below displays a list of reference data that is
available for display in the map viewer but is tied directly to an external source (such as CDEC),
not to the data stored in the DMS.
Table 8. Reference Data Not Stored in the DMS Database
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Navigation
Data Title Source
Groundwater
Levels
DWR Periodic
Groundwater
Measurements
• California Natural Resources Agency Open Data Platform
https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/periodic-groundwater-level-
measurements
• Water Data Library http://wdl.water.ca.gov/waterdatalibrary
DWR Continuous
Groundwater
Measurements
• https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/continuous-groundwater-
level-measurements
• http://wdl.water.ca.gov/waterdatalibrary
USGS Periodic
Groundwater
Measurements
• https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/gwlevels
Seasonal Groundwater
Level Reports
DWR Enterprise Water Management database (EWM), which
includes water level data previously stored in the DWR Water
Data Library and CASGEM databases.
Well Completion Reports • https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/well-completion-reports
• https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Environment/i07
_WellCompletionReports/FeatureServer
• https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Environment/i07
_WellCompletionReports/MapServer
Water Quality Water Quality Portal
(WQP)
• https://www.waterqualitydata.us/
Land
Subsidence
DWR Extensometers • https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/wdl-ground-surface-
displacement
USGS Extensometers • https://waterservices.usgs.gov/rest/Site-Test-Tool.html
TRE ALTAMIRA InSAR
Dataset
• Image Server:
https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgisimg/rest/services/SAR
• Download @OpenData: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/tre-
altamira-insar-subsidence
NASA JPL InSAR
Dataset
• Image Server:
https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgisimg/rest/services/SAR
• Download @OpenData:
https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nasa-jpl-insar-subsidence
Interconnected
Surface Water
CDEC Stations • http://cdec.water.ca.gov/
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Menu
Navigation
Data Title Source
Water Budget Statewide Crop Mapping
2014
• Feature Server:
https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Planning/CropM
apping2014/FeatureServer
• Map Server:
https://gis.water.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Planning/CropM
apping2014/FeatureServer
• Download and API @OpenData:
https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/crop-mapping-2014
Hydrogeologic
Conceptual
Model
UC Davis SAGBI • California Soil Resource Lab at UC Davis and UC-ANR.
Soil Survey Geographic
Database
• https://services.arcgis.com/P3ePLMYs2RVChkJx/ArcGIS/re
st/services/DownloaderBasinsv2/FeatureServer/0
• http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=c2b408ba5c0a4fe
1a79377906935c1a4
CGS Geologic Map -
750k Generalized
• Metadata:
https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/metadata/GDM_002_
GMC_750k_v2_metadata.html
• Webmap: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/gmc/
• Service:
http://spatialservices.conservation.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/service
s/CGS/GeologicMapCA/MapServer/21
Quaternary Surficial
Deposits
• Project Website:
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fwgp/Pages/sr217.aspx
• Metadata:
https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/metadata/QSD_metad
ata.html
• Webmap: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/qsd/
• Service:
https://spatialservices.conservation.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/servic
es/CGS/GeologicMapCA/MapServer
Fault Activity Map of
California
• Metadata:
https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/metadata/GDM_006_
FAM_750k_v2_metadata.html
• Webmap: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fam/
• Service:
https://spatialservices.conservation.ca.gov/arcgis/rest/servic
es/CGS/FaultActivityMapCA/MapServer
Boundaries GSA Boundaries • DWR Bulletin-118 basin boundaries or as provided by client
County Boundaries • https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/california-counties
Canals and Aqueducts • https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/canals-and-aqueducts-local
Disadvantaged
Communities Blocks
• https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/census-block-group-2010
Disadvantaged
Communities Places
• https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/census-place-2016
Disadvantaged
Communities Tracts
• https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/census-tract-2010
Water Agencies • https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/water-districts
CASGEM Groundwater
Basins Prioritization –
2019 -
• https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/ca-bulletin-118-
groundwater-basins
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7. DMS User Types
All data stored in the DMS will be accessible by administrative users, based on user permissions.
Some sensitive data, such as private well data, may require a higher level of permission to
retrieve. These permissions will be determined by the client.
Monitoring sites and their associated datasets are added to the DMS by managing entity
administrators. In addition to user permissions, access to the monitoring datasets is controlled
through assigning one of three options to the data type as follows:
• Private data – Private data are monitoring datasets only available for viewing,
depending on user type, by the entity’s associated users in the DMS.
• Shared data – Shared data are monitoring datasets available for viewing by all users in
the DMS, except for public users.
• Public data – Public data are monitoring datasets that are available publicly that can be
viewed by all user types in the DMS; public datasets may also be published to other
websites or DMSs as needed.
Managing entity administrators can set and maintain data access options for each data type
associated with their entity.
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8. Data Retrieval
Data may be retrieved in several ways: via the map viewer, by table, or by report type.
• Map Viewer: The map viewer will be used to retrieve small amounts of data currently
displayed on screen.
• By Table: The Exports page will allow for export of entire DMS tables as comma-
separated values (CSV) files. Figure 7 illustrates the design for the Exports page.
• By Report Type: Reporting templates will be created to extract the specific group of data
required for annual reporting to DWR.
Figure 7. SLO County Exports Page Design
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