The Monterey Subbasin Committee approved its April minutes 6-0. Staff outlined new aquifer data and partial barriers to groundwater flow in the Corral de Tierra area. A dataset of 55 qualifying wells is incomplete, and members sought clarification of agricultural-well classifications. Members discussed conservation and project options; no pumping allocations or cutbacks were adopted.
The Advisory Committee reviewed three groundwater portfolios with preliminary capital costs of roughly $620 million to $1.5 billion. Portfolio 4 did little to curb seawater intrusion, and all three modeled agricultural demand management. Members requested fuller financing and local-impact estimates before a possible July recommendation for August board consideration. The committee approved the May 15 minutes but did not select a portfolio.
Staff shared updated geology and water quality analyses for the Forebay and Upper Valley subbasins, finding no statistically significant link between pumping and evaluated water-quality constituents (including nitrate and gross alpha). AEM surveys refined subsurface mapping; no immediate management changes were proposed. Draft GSP amendments are planned for early August Board review and a 90-day comment period, with staff discussing a return around November.
The board directed analysis of GSA's legal authority/options to impose an interim moratorium on new deep aquifer wells and/or caps/limits on extractions, with a report back within 90 days, responding to a roughly 12-fold increase in agricultural pumping since 2009. A brackish groundwater restoration feasibility study was approved for federal submission to preserve funding eligibility, CEQA review was paused. A motion to accept the jointly prepared Deep Aquifers Management Memorandum failed.
The board is expected to select a preferred implementation path by late August in response to DWR's request for additional information on seawater intrusion in the 180/400-Ft subbasin. Staff said the brackish groundwater restoration project is the one standalone project identified that can meet the seawater intrusion minimum threshold. Draft GSP amendments for all six subbasins are targeted for late summer/early fall before a mandatory 90-day public comment period and January 2027 submission.
