SR0084717_SSNL - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Management Plan Northeastern San Joaquin County Section 4 Groundwater Banking Authority 81 Groundwater Management Options 4 Groundwater Management Options 4.1 Conjunctive Use Options Conjunctive Use, as defined by the DWR 2003 Draft Bulletin 118, is: “The coordinated and planned management of both surface and groundwater systems in order to maximize the efficient use of the resource; that is, the planned and managed operation of a groundwater basin and a surface water storage system combined through a coordinated conveyance infrastructure. Water is stored in the groundwater basin for later and planned use by intentionally recharging the basin during years of above-average water supply.” In order to successfully implement a conjunctive use program that will meet the goals of this Plan, the Authority must first identify and develop a list of water management options. An option, in the context of this Plan, is the method, program, or policy suitable for the broader conjunctive use program for Eastern San Joaquin County. The following section defines the concepts for the acquisition of new and maximization of existing surface water supplies, groundwater recharge techniques, and other options dealing with demand management and water reuse. 4.1.1 Surface Water Options 4.1.1.1 New Surface Water Supplies Opportunities to obtain new surface water rights within California are limited. The SWRCB has designated most rivers in the region as generally fully appropriated in the summer months when demands for water are at their peak. Methods to acquire new surface water are described below. Wet Year Flows Wet year water, also known as flood-flows or unregulated flows, are defined as either releases made from upstream storage reservoirs to maintain adequate flood storage capacity or flows in excess of in-stream flow requirements. Developing cost effective methods to capture and store flood water is a major challenge due to the intensity and infrequency of major storm/runoff events. Capturing flood-flows are often associated with new or expanded reservoir storage either off-stream or on-stream. Major rivers and streams accessible to Eastern San Joaquin County have generally unappropriated flows in the late fall through spring months and are subject to water right permit approval by the SWRCB. Water Transfers from Out-of-Basin Water transfers have become a key component in water resources planning throughout the State. Entities import water from willing sellers to supplement their supplies. Water transfers often benefit both parties by helping sellers recover water development costs at prices often far below the cost of developing new supplies. The water rights of the sellers are not impacted by water transfers, which is an incentive for entities to promote conservation and water use efficiency. An example of a water transfer agreement in California is the transfer of Colorado River water from Imperial Irrigation District to the City of San Diego in return for irrigation system improvements and compensation for lost revenue due to land fallowing. Water transfers are subject to approval by the SWRCB except in the case of existing Pre-1914 water rights. Exercise of Area of Origin Priority The system of appropriated surface water rights in California is based on a system of hierarchy