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Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Management Plan Northeastern San Joaquin County Executive Summary Groundwater Banking Authority 14 ES-9 Groundwater Contamination Groundwater contamination and the continued degradation of groundwater quality is a global threat to all groundwater users. The Authority recognizes that the long-term sustainability of the underlying Basin cannot be accomplished without adequate groundwater quality protection, contamination prevention, and remediation programs. The Authority has discussed the issue of managing groundwater protection and contamination programs in Eastern San Joaquin County. A major concern of the Authority is that undertaking regulatory oversight will only duplicate the existing efforts of other regulatory agencies while financially burdening the community beyond its abilities. Increased coordination with regulatory agencies and a concerted effort to ensure its activities do not degrade water quality is potentially less resource intensive for the Authority and a more efficient method of protecting groundwater quality throughout the Basin. The Authority will continue to lead the pursuit against saline groundwater intrusion. The following policies reflect the Authority’s desire to address groundwater contamination and groundwater quality degradation: 1. Coordinate with local, State, and Federal agencies to ensure the underlying Basin is adequately protected against groundwater contamination and to ensure all contaminated sites are documented and mitigated by the responsible parties. 2. Continue to manage efforts to combat saline groundwater intrusion. 3. Strive to improve groundwater quality when technically and economically feasible. Authority actions degrading groundwater quality are not acceptable. 4. Require recharge projects to identify and evaluate impacts to groundwater quality and the potential for mobilization of soil and source water contaminants. 5. Consider current and future water quality standards in the planning and design of projects identified in this Plan. ES-10 Groundwater Monitoring and Science Program Since 1971, the San Joaquin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (County) initiated the collection and management of groundwater data and the production of semi-annual groundwater reports. Currently, the County is undertaking the development of a Web-based interactive tool in order to make groundwater data collected over the years available to the public over the internet. The tool has been coined the San Joaquin County Groundwater Data Center (GDC). The GDC would become the repository for groundwater data and would facilitate groundwater analysis essential to the groundwater management objectives of San Joaquin County. The GDC is not only a technical tool, but also a public outreach tool as well. Through the internet, water users including County and agency staff, industry professionals, decision makers, and the general public will have access to groundwater data and historic semi- annual reports. The overall goals and objectives of the GDC are: 1. Create and maintain a working groundwater database for San Joaquin County. 2. Develop the tools necessary to analyze groundwater data. 3. Make groundwater information available to decision makers, agency staff, and the general public through the internet.