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: Napa Valley Subbasin GPR Implementation: TAG Review of Vineyard and Winery Certification Program Framework
RECOMMENDATION
title
Technical Advisory Group (TAG) members will receive a presentation of the current proposed framework for the NCGSA Water Conservation Certification Program minimum requirements and preview the vineyard benchmarking program. This will 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) has developed and is implementing the Water Conservation (WC) and Groundwater Pumping Reduction (GPR) Workplans. The WC Workplan identified a suite of water conservation practices and the GPR Workplan includes an implementation plan and anticipated timeline for a broad program to achieve measurable reductions in groundwater pumping in the Napa Valley Subbasin (Subbasin). GPR implementation anticipates a voluntary program that incentivizes growers and other water users/industries in the Subbasin to adopt and expand water conservation practices. Water conservation actions include those that reduce total groundwater pumping and those that may additionally reduce net depletion of groundwater (total groundwater pumping less usable groundwater that returns to the aquifer).
One opportunity identified in the GPR implementation plan for encouraging voluntary adoption of water conservation practices is certification programs. Certification programs require producers to meet specified standards to become certified. In exchange, certified businesses can demonstrate to peers and others good stewardship of resources, meet regulatory standa...
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