TO: Technical Advisory Group for the 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: Update on the Water Conservation and Groundwater Pumping Reduction Workplans Implementation
RECOMMENDATION
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Technical Advisory Group (TAG) members will receive a presentation on the revised version of the NCGSA Water Certification Partnership document. In addition, the TAG will also receive an update on the extended replanting concept. This is intended to spur discussion, questions, and provide feedback to staff and participants.
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Procedure
Staff introduces.
Questions and answers with the TAG.
Public comments.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (NCGSA) is implementing the Water Conservation (WC) and Groundwater Pumping Reduction (GPR) Workplans (March 2024). The WC Workplan identified a suite of water conservation practices and the GPR Workplan developed an implementation plan to achieve measurable groundwater pumping reductions and overall water savings in the Napa Valley Subbasin (Subbasin). GPR implementation includes a voluntary, incentive-driven program for growers and other water users/industries in the Subbasin to adopt and expand water conservation practices. Mandatory measures are also included if the voluntary incentive-driven programs are insufficient. Napa Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) implementation also includes evaluation of on-farm practices to increase infiltration (recharge).
The TAG has received information and presentations regarding WC, GPR, and certification program concepts, incentives, outreach, and benchmarking from NCGSA staff and consultants at TAG meetings in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. A water conservation certification program concept was presented at prior TAG meetings, including an overview of the program concept and an update on revisions to the program concept in response to TAG and other stakeholder comments. Based on feedback from these meetings, the certification program concept has been revised. Modifications to the program concepts include: (i) editorial changes to the document, (ii) modifying/clarifying water conservation practices, (iii) updating verification requirements, (iv) expanding potential program partnerships, (v) examples for how the program could be implemented, and (vi) participant and partner incentives. The revised program will be presented for TAG and other feedback.
The TAG will also have an opportunity to review progress toward other GPR implementation elements, including the extended vineyard replant concept. The conceptual program would offer incentives for extending the fallow/idle period between when an old vineyard is removed, and a new vineyard is (re)planted. The program would achieve water savings by extending the idle period, which could include options such as an idle period of one or more years, one replant cycle or multiple cycles, integration with other practices to increase infiltration, and other co-benefits (e.g., cover cropping, habitat, land repurposing, and recharge efforts. An updated overview will be presented for the TAG.
Question/Prompts for TAG Discussion
Two (2) questions were identified for this TAG meeting:
1. Does the TAG have additional suggestions for today’s discussion as we transition the certification partnership towards implementation?
• Additional context: After feedback and subsequent revisions, the NCGSA Water Conservation Certification Partnership is ready to be implemented. The next phases will likely consist of developing an RFQ and releasing it to gather proposals.
2. Will the extended replant concept gain traction with grape growers, and what else can be done to improve the program to encourage enrollment?
• Additional context: The extended replant program concept is a form of voluntary demand management, incentivizing vineyard managers to save water by extending the fallow period. Understanding the range of factors impacting the replant decisions of vineyard owners and managers can improve program development and increase participation once implemented.
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.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
A. ERA Economics PowerPoint Presentation: GPR Workplan Implementation Update, April 2025
B. NCGSA Water Conservation Certification Partnership Document, April 2025
C. NCGSA Extended Replanting Concept Note, April 2025