TO: Technical Advisory Group (TAG) 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 Interconnected Surface Water (ISW) and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) Workplan Implementation and the California Environmental Flows Framework
RECOMMENDATION
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Provide an update on the Interconnected Surface Water (ISW) and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) Workplan implementation with a focus on California Environmental Flows Framework (CEFF) steps.
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Procedure
Staff introduces.
Questions and answers with the TAG.
Public comments.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Monitoring groundwater dependent ecosystems in the Napa Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) occurs through a combination of shallow monitoring wells and remotely sensed vegetation health. Data gaps associated with this monitoring identified the need for additional shallow monitoring wells, which was addressed in 2023 through the installation of dual-completion ISW monitoring wells at 8 additional sites, and the development of the ISW and GDEs Workplan that called for biological field assessments, review of existing data, investigations of stream habitat conditions, and evaluation of listed species. The Workplan was completed in March 2024 and implementation began in May 2024.
The Workplan identified six intensive survey sites: four on the Napa River (Napa River at Calistoga, Napa River at St. Helena, Napa River at Yountville, Napa River at Oak Knoll) and two tributary sites (Sulphur Creek and Bale Slough). Access to four of the sites was obtained for summer 2024 (Napa River at Calistoga, Napa River at St. Helena, Napa River at Yountville, and Sulphur Creek). Access was recently obtained to the Napa River at Oak Knoll site, and access permissions are still in progress for the Bale Slough site.
Surveys conducted...
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