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Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Management Plan Northeastern San Joaquin County Section 1 Groundwater Banking Authority 36 Introduction continued to promote the goals of the Plan through the support of other agencies, the facilitation of the Advisory Water Commission and the Authority. San Joaquin County Groundwater Monitoring Program – Since 1971, the San Joaquin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District has monitored groundwater levels and groundwater quality on a semi-annual basis. Over 300 wells are sampled by the District, and data from an additional 200 wells are incorporated into the groundwater level database. Groundwater levels are published in both the spring and fall reports. Groundwater quality data is collected once a year in the fall months for publication in the Fall Groundwater Report. In 2000, the County completed an evaluation of the existing groundwater monitoring program in order to identify its adequacy. The evaluation concluded that the groundwater monitoring program is relatively adequate for groundwater levels, but does not collect enough saline water intrusion data. The recommendation was to increase the groundwater quality monitoring effort and perform an extensive hydrogeologic investigation of the Groundwater Basin in the region of the saline front. In 2002, the County worked with the DWR to drill two multiple depth well clusters in the City of Stockton along the projected saline front. Additionally, a joint study with the US Geologic Survey, the DWR, and member agencies of the Authority could further the efforts to better understand saline groundwater intrusion and the overall hydrogeology of the Basin. Mokelumne River Water Right Applications – In 1990, the Mokelumne River Water and Power Authority (MRWPA) filed with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Water Right applications for unappropriated wet year flows on the Mokelumne River and obtained a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Preliminary Permit to further study the associated power generation potential. The application sought to capture water behind a new on-stream dam located at Middle Bar upstream of Pardee Reservoir or at a site off-stream at the proposed Duck Creek Reservoir. The Application also included the ability for County interest to divert wet year flows off of the Lower Mokelumne River from Camanche Dam to Interstate 5. In 2003, the MRWPA retained the services of HDR Engineering, Inc. to move forward the Mokelumne River Regional Water Storage and Conjunctive Use Project (MORE WATER Project) and prepare the necessary environmental documentation to perfect the water right applications and obtain all necessary permissions. The MORE WATER Project could potentially bring 60,000 – 100,000 af/yr to the Basin. American River Water Right Applications – In 1990, the County also filed an application for unappropriated flows on the American River. The Application seeks to divert and store water between December 1 and June 30 from Nimbus Dam via the Folsom South Canal on the Lower American River and from the South Fork of the American River via a series of proposed pipelines and reservoirs. The County has amended its application in order to divert American River water from the Sacramento River at Freeport as well. The size of the Freeport diversion limits the amount of potential water delivered San Joaquin County under the amended application. The potential annual average yield to the County using the Freeport Project capacity is estimated at 44,000 af/yr. 1.6.4 Overview of Groundwater Management Outside the GMA Calaveras County Water District – Calaveras County Water District’s (CCWD) boundaries coincide with the boundaries of Calaveras County. Approximately 70 square miles of the Camanche and Valley Springs areas in Calaveras County overly the Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Sub-basin. In 2001, CCWD adopted an AB 3030 Groundwater Management Plan