TO: Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency
FROM: Brian D. Bordona - Director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Jamison Crosby - Natural Resources Conservation Manager
SUBJECT: Acceptance of DWR California Stream Gage Improvement Program grant funding
RECOMMENDATION
title
Rescind Resolution No. 2025-01 (NCGSA) and adopt the proposed updated Resolution for the Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency authorizing staff to develop a funding agreement with the Department of Water Resources to accept grant funds under Department of Water Resources’ California Stream Gage Improvement Program to provide funding to reactivate five stream gages within the Napa Valley. (Fiscal Impact: $1,060,000 Revenue; Groundwater Special Revenue Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
body
BACKGROUND
On February 25, 2025 NCGSA adopted Resolution 2025-01 in substantially the same form as the attached updated Resolution. However, after its adoption, DWR staff requested NCGSA adopt a new resolution that designates a specific individual to execute a funding agreement and take additional actions listed in the updated version.
The California Stream Gage Improvement Program (CalSIP) is funded by the Budget Act of 2023 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 189, Section 43) and managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The intent of the Program is to improve the stream gaging network statewide following the recommendations in the SB19 recommendations (SB19 2022 Technical Report). While there are approximately 1,000 active stream gages across the state sharing information publicly, many watersheds are lacking vital information on their water resources. Through the CalSIP program, state agencies are actively improving California’s stream gage network by funding and partnering with public agencies to upgrade existing gages, reactivating historical gages, or installing new gages on natural waterways across the state. A stream gage is a set of instruments installed beside a river or stream which measures, records, and transmits (via satellite or cellular network) data about the temperature and water levels. Water agencies and the public rely on the data stream gages provide for multiple purposes, including:
• Planning, forecasting, and warning about floods and droughts.
• Monitoring environmental conditions to protect aquatic habitats including data on low flows.
• Planning for safe and enjoyable recreational activities.
• Analysis of groundwater recharge and streamflow depletion.
Eligibility for this grant funding requires that real-time data collected at these stream gage sites be made publicly available through the California Data Exchange Center (CDEC; https://cdec.water.ca.gov/) managed by DWR.
Under the CalSIP grant, as per the funding agreement which will be developed, Napa County will reactivate five historical US Geological Survey (USGS) gages on Conn Creek, Dry Creek, Milliken Creek, Redwood Creek, and the Napa River in Calistoga. The tentative grant award is for $1,060,000. The final amount will be determined during the agreement process and may decrease if economies of scale can be realized which would reduce the funding need. These sites were selected because they represent locations of former stream gage sites with historical data and/or are the locations of an existing Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Flood Control) telemetry system (OneRain) for existing flood monitoring. By collocating these sites with existing stream gage infrastructure, the County will save on installation and maintenance costs by using Flood Control’s OneRain telemetry to report stream gage data to CDEC as required by the grant.
Reactivation of these five stream gage sites will enable the County to collect vital data on flow conditions throughout the year, including low flows in the summer months. Currently, there are only two active stream gages that capture low flows which are located on the mainstem of the Napa River. Increased monitoring of flow, especially low-flow conditions and conditions on tributaries, provides critical data for water availability, ecosystem and habitat considerations, and surface water-groundwater interactions. Expanding monitoring and data collection of flow conditions within Napa Valley and within the Napa Valley Subbasin at these sites will make data available to county, state and non-governmental organizations for decision making. The term of funding will extend from execution of the agreement through March 2027.
The CalSIP grant requires the NCGSA to bear the cost of ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M) of these sites to after the grant ends in March 2027. The current minimum life expectancy for the stream gage sites is five years after March 2027. Preliminary O&M costs for maintenance of all five sites is estimated at approximately $100,000 per year. These costs will be included in future fiscal year budget requests for the NCGSA.
If the resolution presented today is adopted, staff will work with DWR to develop a funding agreement and will return to the Board of Directors of the NCGSA to seek their approval for the agreement which would allow the NCGSA to accept the grant funds. Grant funds will not be received until Fiscal Year 2025-26. A CEQA determination for the installation and maintenance of the stream gages themselves will be included in that future item.
Requested Action:
Rescind Resolution No. 2025-01 (NCGSA) and adopt a Resolution authorizing staff to develop a funding agreement with DWR which, upon approval by the NCGSA, will allow acceptance of the grant funds from the California Stream Gage Improvement Program (CalSIP).
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
|
Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
|
Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
|
Where is it budgeted |
Grant funds would be applied to Groundwater Special Revenue Fund (SRF, 272000). |
|
Discretionary justification |
This resolution is the first step to accepting grant funding of approximately $1,060,000. |
|
Is the General Fund affected? |
No |
|
Future fiscal impact: |
TBD. Operations and maintenance costs are estimated at $100,000 per year starting in March 2027 |
|
Consequences if not approved: |
If not approved, NCGSA will be unable to expand surface water stream gage network utilizing DWR grant funding. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.