The Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) unanimously approved and adopted the final Napa Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on January 11, 2022, and the GSP was submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on January 31, 2022. The completion of this plan, following an 18-month stakeholder-driven planning process, is a major step forward in the County’s efforts to achieve sustainable groundwater management for the Napa Valley subbasin.
“The approval and adoption of the GSP is a strong endorsement of the public process,” said David Morrison, Director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services. “The final GSP reflects the concerns of a diverse array of stakeholders and I’m confident the adopted plan is the County’s best tool for achieving sustainability and protecting this vital natural resource for all the residents of Napa County.”
The Napa Valley GSP was required to be developed as part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) for the purpose of assessing the conditions of the groundwater basin, analyzing the subbasin’s sustainability over a 50-year period, and identifying projects and actions needed to ensure the basin is sustainable by 2042.
Recognizing the importance and urgency of protecting groundwater resources, the County began implementation immediately upon adoption of the GSP. Many activities are ongoing or have been initiated since GSP adoption, including:
- Formation of a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) to work on GSP implementation
- Development of the eighth Annual Report for the County and the Subbasin for Water Year 2021, due to DWR by April 1, 2022
- Ongoing groundwater monitoring, including expansion of the groundwater monitoring network
- Development of a workplan for addressing data gaps and uncertainty regarding interconnected surface waters and groundwater dependent ecosystems
- Development of a Water Conservation Plan, Groundwater Pumping Reduction Plan, and Storm Water Resource Plan
- Ongoing public outreach
The final GSP, including an executive summary available in English and Spanish, are posted here. A printed copy of the adopted GSP is being printed and will be available for review at:
- Planning, Building, and Environmental Services, 1195 Third Street, Second Floor, Napa, CA 94559
DWR has up to two years to review the final GSP.
For news and information on GSP implementation activities, sign up here. For general questions, contact Jamison Crosby, Natural Resources Conservation Manager, at [email protected] .