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: Approve and authorize Temporary Monitoring Access Agreement No. 8694
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize Temporary Monitoring Access Agreement No. 8694 (NCGSA) with Realty Income Inc. in order to conduct monitoring for the implementation of the Interconnected Surface Water and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Workplan for the Napa Valley Subbasin at Bale Slough adjacent to the subject properties. (No Fiscal Impact; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (NCGSA) adopted the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) in January 2022 and it was approved by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on January 26, 2023. The County subsequently developed and the NCGSA approved four (4) Workplans in March 2024 designed to implement the GSP over the coming months and years:
• Interconnected Surface Water (ISW) and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDE) Workplan
• Stormwater Resource Plan (completed May 2023)
• Napa County Water Conservation Workplan
• Groundwater Pumping Reduction Workplan
The ISW and GDE Workplan includes ecologic and hydrologic background data, develops and implements a prioritization approach for intensive study site selection for biological surveys, assesses the ecohydrology of the intensive sites, and provides a study plan to understand the linkage between groundwater levels, surface water flow, and GDE health.
In 2024, monitoring occurred on four of the six sites outlined in the ISW and GDEs Workplan: Napa River at Calistoga, Napa River at St. Helena, Napa River at Yountville, and Sulphur Creek. Access to the remaining two sites (Napa River at Oak Knoll and Bale Slough) was not obtained until after the 2024 field season. The Bale Slough site is the subject of the Temporary Monitoring Access Agreement in this item. If the Agreement is approved, all six sites will be surveyed in 2025.
Surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025 will collect the following types of data and information:
• flow connectivity studies;
• test of effectiveness of Infrared (IR) drone imagery to identify wet/dry reaches and document stream temperature;
• fish habitat and fish population (June and July);
• continuous water quality measurements for temperature and dissolved oxygen;
• two surveys for aquatic wildlife (one in May and one in July);
• eDNA sampling for northwestern pond turtle and foothill yellow-legged frog (May);
• California freshwater shrimp in the Calistoga Reach of the Napa River; and
• groundwater-dependent vegetation community health and composition.
Requested Action:
Approve and authorize Temporary Monitoring Access Agreement No. 8694 (NCGSA) with Realty Income Inc. in order to conduct monitoring for the implementation of the Interconnected Surface Water and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Workplan for the Napa Valley Subbasin at Bale Slough adjacent to the subject properties.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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.