Conjunctive Use Planning & Documents
“Conjunctive” water use refers to the coordinated use of surface water and groundwater supplies to efficiently manage water consumption and natural storage through wet- and dry-climatic conditions. In 2019, SLVWD conducted technical evaluations to analyze a wide range of alternative scenarios for conjunctively managing its surface water and groundwater sources to improve the reliability of its water supplies while also maintaining or improving flows and habitat quality for steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (O. kisutch) in the San Lorenzo River watershed.
In January 2019, a Water Availability Assessment (WAA) was prepared, identifying options for increasing water supply reliability and dry season streamflows through the conjunctive use of available surface water and groundwater resources (Exponent 2019; Appendix A). The report presented and evaluated 22 alternative scenarios for optimizing the conjunctive use of current and potential water sources using existing and potential infrastructure.
In November 2019, a Fisheries Resource Considerations report was prepared to evaluate and summarize the expected effects to fisheries resources of the prioritized conjunctive use scenarios from the WAA (Podlech 2019; Appendix B). The Fisheries Resource Considerations report recommended a combination of scenarios that, if implemented together over time, would promote watershed-wide improvements to instream flows.
The 2019 studies concluded that increasing the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water supplies within the San Lorenzo River watershed has the potential to improve water rights compliance, instream flows, and groundwater storage. Based on the 2019 studies, SLVWD selected four conjunctive use scenarios to advance to a Conjunctive Use Plan. The plan has been developed concurrently with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) being prepared by the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency and the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) being prepared by the City of Santa Cruz. SLVWD coordinated with both agencies in the process of developing and finalizing the Conjunctive Use Plan.
CEQA Process:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD and Lead Agency) plans to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Notices will be posted here upon completion.
Previously a Draft Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) for the project was prepared but not adopted. Those previous documents can be viewed below.