HydroVisions Fall 2019

ISSUE THIRTY SEPTEMBER 2019

The 2019 Fall Issue

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HYDROVISIONS is the official publication of the Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA). GRA’s mailing address is 700 R Street. Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95811. Any questions or comments concerning this publication should be directed to the newsletter editor at editor@grac.org or faxed to (916) 231-2141.

The Groundwater Resources Association of California is dedicated to resource management that protects and improves groundwater supply and quality through education and technical leadership Editor John McHugh editor@grac.org Editorial Board Adam Hutchinson David Von Aspern Tim Parker

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS President Steven Phillips U.S. Geological Survey Tel: 916-278-3002

John McHugh Santa Clara Valley Water District Tel: 408-630-3105 Thomas Harter Dept. of Land, Air, and Water Resources University of California Davis Tel: 530-752-1130

Secretary R.T. Van Valer Roscoe Moss Company Tel: 323-263-4111

Timothy K. Parker Parker Groundwater Tel: 916-596-9163

Treasurer Robert Gailey Consulting Hydrogeologist Tel: 415-407-8407

J. Paul Hendrix Mid-Kaweah GSA Tel: 559-686-2466

Immediate Past President Chris Petersen GEI Consultants Tel: 916-631-4597 Administrative Director Sarah Erck Groundwater Resources Association of California Tel: 916-446-3626

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James Strandberg Woodard & Curran Tel: 925-627-4122

Vice-President Abigail Madrone West Yost Associates Tel: 530-756-5905

Officer in Charge of Special Projects Murray Einarson Haley & Aldrich, Inc. Tel: 510-879-4546

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DIRECTORS Bradley Herrema Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Tel: 310-500-4609

Christy Kennedy Woodard & Curran Tel: 925-627-4122 Sam Boland-Brien State Water Resources Control Board Tel: 916-322-9633 Lisa Porta Montgomery & Associates Tel: 916-661-8389 To contact any GRA Officer or Director by email, go to www.grac.org/board-of-directors

The statements and opinions expressed in GRA’s HydroVisions and other publications are those of the authors and/or contributors, and are not necessarily those of the GRA, its Board of Directors, or its members. Further, GRA makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the absolute accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this publication and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents. No warranty of any kind, implied or expressed, or statutory, is given with respect to the contents of this publication or its references to other resources. Reference in this publication to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the GRA, its Board of Directors, or its members.

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REGISTER TODAY | 3 DAYS | MULTI-TRACK SESSIONS THE LEADING TECHNICAL CONFERENCE FOR OUR BROAD GROUNDWATER COMMUNITY

September 17-19, 2019 | Sacramento, CA

Don’t Get Lost In Space TEXT WGC2019 TO 797979 TO GET STARTED

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WWW.GRAC.ORG

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GRA LEADERSHIP

President’s Message

President’s Message

By Steve Phillips

Besides being GRA’s President Steven is a hydrologist with the USGS California Water Science Center. Over his 33-year career he has focused primarily on groundwater basin characterization and development of simulation models to better understand these basins, and to help manage these integrated hydrologic systems.

Before I get to the big upcoming event, I’ll share some photos from a recent trip (just for fun), recap the GSA Summit, and describe another great event coming in November.

My latest bucket-list trip was a cruise along the fjords of Norway and the far-north (about 80 degrees) archipelago called Svalbard. The scenery was stunning and shifted from steep slopes with abundant greenery in southern Norway to the stark, rugged snowy slopes of Svalbard, as seen in the first photo. The second photo shows a large bull walrus swimming just below the surface, which was quite the sight.

Events The 2nd Annual GSA Summit was held in Fresno on June 5–6 and was very well received. The focus was on a broad range of SGMA topics, and a great deal of time was devoted to interaction among the panelists and the audience, which was interesting, eye-opening and dynamic. GSA representatives were again very involved in the planning and execution of the Summit, so the content was timely and relevant. Many thanks to the organizing committee and to the chair, Rob Gailey, Consulting Hydrogeologist and GRA Treasurer, for making this a compelling and successful event!

Upcoming Events In 2019 Include GRA’s 2nd annual Western Groundwater Congress September 17–19 in Sacramento - Registration is open, and

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the full agenda is available, so check it out at the link below! Similar to last year, there are 4 tracks of impressive technical presentations available, an exciting keynote speaker, plus a variety of workshops, fun options, and plenty of networking time built in. Christy Kennedy of Woodard & Curran, and GRA Director, is the enthusiastic chair of this event – many thanks to Christy and her amazing team!

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GRA LEADERSHIP

Optimization of Remediation Systems and Long-Term Monitoring, Nov. 13–14 in Santa Ana - It is now open for registration (see link below)! Many thanks to Jim Strandberg of Woodard & Curran, and GRA Director, for chairing this event, and to Rob Wilhelm and other members of the organizing committee for stepping up! I look forward to attending and seeing a great turnout for this interesting topic.

See announcements and links for more information on these events in this issue and at this site.

Opportunity to Join GRA’s Board of Directors When this issue of HydroVisions comes out, there will already have been a call for nominations (also included in this issue) for GRA’s Board of Directors. There will be multiple Director seats available, so if you find GRA to be interesting and rewarding, please consider applying! Please feel free to contact me and/or other Directors if you have questions.

Membership If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, please go to GRA’s website, and click the membership tab. There are many resources there, and we’ve enabled auto-renew for your convenience.

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As always, we welcome ideas on future events and directions. If you are not a GRA member, please consider joining, and engaging in all that is offered!

Cheers,

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President’s Message

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President’s Message

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FEATURE ARTICLE

(Ground)Water Management

(Ground)Water Management in the West Part 2: Colorado

By Abhishek Singh and Shaden Musleh

Abhishek Singh, PhD, PE, has over 15 years of research and consulting experience in the areas of water resources planning and management.

Dr. Singh leads INTERA’s California Operations.

Shaden Musleh, PE, a principal water resources engineer with extensive experience in water resources engineering, planning, and management has led and managed projects providing management solutions to complex water resources problems.

It would not be an understatement to say that the story of the American West is written more in water than ink. Water has driven both growth and conflict in this region. This series of articles aims to provide perspectives on water (with an emphasis on groundwater) management practices, challenges, and lessonslearned from the Western United States, with the goal being to compare and contrast these with the (evolving) system in California.

Our first article focused on Oregon, drawing some key distinctions between Oregon’s groundwater management framework based on public ownership of water resources and California’s management regime based on overlying and appropriative rights. In the second article of this series, we turn our lens on Colorado – a state that is joined at the hip with California through shared water (Colorado has Colorado River Compact allocations second only to California) and recurrent droughts.

History of Water Rights Administration

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Water rights in Colorado are administered pursuant to the prior appropriation doctrine under which the first in time is the first in right which means that a senior water right (majority of surface water rights) is entitled to its water before a junior right (majority of groundwater rights).

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FEATURE ARTICLE

In 1957, Colorado groundwater law established the requirement to obtain a permit for drilling a well from the State Engineer’s Office. In 1969, the Water Right Determination and Administration Act was enacted which mandated that surface water and alluvial groundwater is one connected system and therefore required that wells are administered in priority identical to surface water rights and also introduced the concept of plan for augmentation, which is explained below. However, administration of surface water and groundwater as one connected system was not entirely enforced until the worst drought on record occurred in 2002, when senior surface water rights were impaired due to extremely low river flows and stream depletions caused by well pumping.

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Water Right Appropriation and Administration

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In Colorado, a water right is required to divert water from a stream or an aquifer. In order to appropriate a water right, the applicant (public agency, private person, or business) is required to demonstrate that there is available water to be appropriated, water will be put to beneficial use and the applicant has a plan to divert, store, or otherwise capture and control the water.

The applicant for a ‘non-tributary’ groundwater right must provide an engineering basis to demonstrate that pumping would not impact surface water in 100 years. The Applicant for a ‘tributary’ (i.e. having surface water baseflow contributions) groundwater right must obtain a plan for augmentation, demonstrating that stream depletions from well pumping are replaced by other supplies in place, time and amount whenever a downstream water right is not fully satisfied. The augmentation plan is obtained through a defined water court process needing an engineering report (prepared by an expert) showing that the subject application would not cause injury to other vested water rights (who may be ‘objectors’ to the application).

Water rights in Colorado are administered by the State Engineer. An unsatisfied water right can place a call on the river (or aquifer) to curtail upstream junior water rights to allow for enough supplies to become available for the calling right.

The priority of the call can change multiple times during the day. The State Engineer decides how far upstream a calling right would curtail other water rights given the location of the calling right and return flows that would accrue from upstream locations.

Designated Groundwater Basins Designated groundwater basins (Figure 1) are areas within Colorado where most of the water has been derived from groundwater (i.e. there is little available surface water). The designated basins have their own rules for appropriating rights to groundwater in both alluvial aquifers and non-tributary aquifers. Unlike the rest of the state that is managed by the State Engineer’s office, the designated basins are overseen by both the Colorado Groundwater Commission and Groundwater Management Districts that are located within the basins. Any well drilled outside of the designated basins would need to be included in a plan for augmentation unless the applicant can demonstrate that pumping from the well would not impact surface water in 100 years.

Water Use Measurement and Reporting The State Engineer requires water right owners to measure and report water use. All surface water diversions, groundwater diversions and recharged water should be measured daily and reported monthly to the State Engineer.

Diversion from wells are required to be measured by totalizing flow meters. Whenever a flow meter is malfunctioned, diversions are estimated from power records.

(Ground)Water Management

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Available Tools and Data Colorado has developed a decision support system that includes numerous modeling tools and spatial databases such as basin-wide large groundwater models, water rights allocations models and online GIS databases that can be used by anyone to view and analyze surface water and groundwater conditions. To analyze impact of groundwater pumping on surface water, applicants develop their own numerical and analytical models to support their water right applications.

Discussion Related to California California law distinguishes between surface water and groundwater, with different administrative frameworks and priorities for each. However, under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) are required to

‘manage groundwater to avoid significant and undesirable adverse impacts of beneficial uses and users of the surface water’. Compared to California, Colorado’s surface- and groundwaterrights are more tightly linked through the State’s water rights administration system. Surface water and groundwater are, essentially, considered equivalent, with any water appropriator (be it of surface water or groundwater) needs to obtain a water right to divert the water without impacting more senior water rights. Surface water users, in general, have a more senior water right to groundwater pumpers. Hence, groundwater appropriators must demonstrate either no impact on surface water bodies or augment any surface-losses from pumping impacts. With the SGMA, however, California has moved one step closer to considering surface water and groundwater as part of the integrated hydrologic cycle. It remains to be seen how GSAs will resolve potential conflicts between existing groundwater and surface water rights, while maintaining basins at sustainable conditions.

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(Ground)Water Management

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Chemist’s Corner

by Bart Simmons, Ph.D., retired DTSC Bart Simmons is the Principle at Simmons Consulting and provides Consulting and expert witness testimony for environmental litigation

My Swan Song

1. There are four sources of uncertainty in environmental measurement: random error, systematic error (bias), blunders, and fraud. Generally, the greatest source of uncertainty is environmental variability. Modern statistical methods, including those in EPA’s Pro UCL, have helped to analyze variability which does not follow a neat statistical model. Fraud, although rare, can have a devastating impact on environmental projects.

2. To be legally defensible, data must be relevant and reliable.

In its landmark ruling in Daubert v. Merrell-Dow, the U.S. Supreme Court changed the rules for acceptability of scientific evidence in litigation. A judge can accept any data that are relevant and reliable, and the Supreme Court provided guidance for a judge to make those determinations.

3. The Chemical of the Week phenomenon is alive and well. I plead guilty to helping this trend. As test methods become more sensitive and more reliable, the media will carry stories on an endless list of chemicals of concern.

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4. Association between chemical exposure and disease does not prove causation. A chemical, once accused, is presumed guilty unless proven innocent. And proving a chemical innocent is a near impossibility.

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5. Scientists should estimate risk, and an individual should decide what is safe. I cannot overemphasize how much people want to control their own lives, and they consider pollution as an invasion on their safety.

Chemist’s Corner

After 23 years, I have decided to hang up my keyboard and end “Chemist’s Corner.” I do so for no particular reason; I’m in good health, there are still many things to write about, but it is time. I take this opportunity to make a few observations based on earlier columns:

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FEATURE ARTICLE

6. Risk assessment is a flawed process.

The National Academy of Sciences has given U.S. EPA guidance to improve the risk assessment process, but it is slowly influencing the environmental field.

EPA “Uncertainty Factors” multiply the apparent risk.

7. The dose makes the poison. This phrase, attributed to Paracelsus (he apparently did not write it), still carries a large element of truth.

8. Naturally-occurring chemicals pose more of a threat than industrial chemicals. Bruce Ames, emeritus professor of Biochemistry, published a series of studies showing that naturallyoccurring chemicals create more risk than industrial chemicals. However, the environmental agencies, the media, and the public have ignored those studies.

9. Green chemistry is better chemistry. In a book of the same title, Paul Anastas and John Warner laid out the principles of green chemistry, which emphasizes fewer toxic processes and toxic products.

When Dow and Du Pont conducted pilot projects using these principles, their bottom lines improved. End of debate.

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10. The interaction between chemicals and the environment are largely unknown, but critical to make sound decisions.

One example is how copper is chelated

by Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM), thus largely eliminating its toxicity.

DOM is like tannins in wine – everyone agrees they are important, but they are complex and difficult to understand.

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Enough said.

Chemist’s Corner

GRA EVENTS

November 13-14, 2019 DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Ana/Orange County Airport

The GRA remediation conference you don’t want to miss! Learn about the latest remediation technologies that can help you optimize your site cleanups and long-term monitoring programs.

Presentations from consultants, regulators, and corporate remediation professionals on: • • • • • • • • •

Regulatory Perspectives-Program & Policy Updates Combined Remedies-Soil, Soil Vapor & Groundwater Complex Site Solutions Long-Term Monitoring Strategies In-Situ Treatment Technologies Remote Monitoring Applications Data Management Tools Operations & Maintenance Programs Remediation Funding & Cost Savings

Network with leading experts, colleagues, business partners, and clients!

Poster Abstract Deadline Extended!

If you are interested in presenting a poster, please submit your abstract online.

Limited Sponsor/Exhibitor Opportunities Still Available!

View the sponsor and exhibitor opportunities and register online.

THANK YOU to our Early Supporters:

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Wells and Words

by David W. Abbott, P.G., C.Hg. Consulting Geologist

Mr. Abbott is a Geologist with 45+ years of applied experience in the exploration and development of groundwater supplies; well location services; installation and design of water supply wells; watershed studies; contamination investigations; geotechnical and groundwater problem solving; and protection of groundwater resources.

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Beginning in the 1950s, historical anecdotal evidence from the operators of a large municipal water supply system suggested that a cause and effect relationship exists between muddy and highly turbid river water observed and turbid water pumped from two different Well Fields (WF) adjacent to the river. The WF have a combined yield of 1,700 gallons per minute (gpm) and are a major water source to the local community. Peak production is between 3.0 and 3.5 million gallons per day (mgd). As a precaution, several boil water notices were issued by the Dept. of Public Health (DPH). This unreliable anecdotal information suggested that the WF could be tapping groundwater under the direct influence (GWUDI) of surface water which precipitated further investigations. Hence, the WF operators may be required to adhere to additional regulatory directives including treatment by the DPH under the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWTR). Compliance with the SWTR would require treatment (two facilities needed for this system) through filtration and disinfection at a significant cost to the purveyor and its customers.

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Wells and Words

Turbidity and Source: “Are things what they seem?�

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Elevated turbidity from water supply wells adjacent to a river, in-and-of-itself, is not a health hazard but is one of the criteria (others include: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, insect parts, algae, and large pathogens) that DPH uses to indicate the potential for direct transmission of the giardia lambia cyst, cryptosporidium, legionella, or other pathogenic bacteria or viruses from groundwater sources drawing on essentially riverbank infiltration. In addition, elevated turbidity levels: • cause apparent excessive metal concentrations (colloidal rather than dissolved); • reduce the effectiveness of chlorination treatment and disinfection efficiency; • incur unnecessary wear and tear to pumps and conveyance structures; • may cause potential well and ground failure; • are aesthetically displeasing to customers; • shorten the life expectancy of the well; and • reduce the well efficiency.

Elevated turbidity from a water well can result from many causes relating to the installation, drilling, construction, design, development, completion, operation, and maintenance of the well and may include:

Table 1 – Well and Hydraulic Parameters of each Well Field WF-A

WF-B

3 wells

5 wells

• incomplete well development;

Well Diameter (inch)

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12 to 16

• ineffective foot-valves on pumps;

Well depths (ft)

53 to 106

48 to 55

Screened depths (ft)

20 to 62

20 to 44

Static water level (ft)**

18 to 20

13 to 20

Horizontal distance (ft)***

130 to 285

100 to 205

Specific Capacity (gpm/ft

41 to 129

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Transmissivity (gpd/ft)

82,000

265,000

• incorrect filter pack design and screen locations; • non-laminar or turbulent near well groundwater flow;

*individual wells yields range from 500 to 675 gpm. **generally correspond to river level elevation. ***horizontal distances from well to the edge of the river.

• deeper pumping water levels causing cascading water; and HYDROVISIONS

A supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system was installed on each WF system and operated in excess of 17 months. SCADA included software and hardware elements that allowed certain water quality data to be monitored and gathered from remote locations and transmitted (in real-time) to the water purveyor’s operation center. The parameters were measured continuously with SCADA and included: turbidity, pH, and electrical conductivity. The two WF (both located on fluvial floodplains and tap older underlying alluvial sediments of the river) are about 4-river-miles from each other. Beneath the alluvium are well-consolidated Cretaceous- to Jurassic-age sedimentary rocks. Table 1 summarizes the well and hydraulic parameters of each well field.

WF-A (influenced by a nearby seasonal dam) is located on a larger floodplain and has a greater alluvial thickness than WF-B.

Number of Wells*

• inappropriate well screen and aperture size;

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However, elevated turbidity levels can also be related to ineffective subsurface filtration of induced surface water to the well from a surface water source, or inadequate sanitary seals with subsequent vertical leakage of water along the side of the casing.

• improper pump design causing excessive well discharges and high entrance velocities.

Each well at each WF is tied into a single manifold that conveys the water to the municipal distribution system. The SCADA system was installed on the downstream side of the WF

Wells and Words

manifold so that individual well performance (including well discharge) could not be assessed; resulting in composite values for turbidity, EC, and pH for each WF. Figure 1 (top two curves) shows a 5-month period of the turbidity for each WF; continuous turbidity data was collected but presented here are the daily minimum and maximum values. For reference, the DPH primary (1 NTU) and secondary (5 NTU) drinking water standards (DWS) (NTU = nephelometric turbidity unit) are shown on the graphs. Additional hydrogeologic data included daily instantaneous stream flow (at 0800 hour) in cubic feet per second (cfs) and daily precipitation (bottom bar chart) data in inches from a nearby rainfall station. The stream flow gauge is located near WF-B and the stream flow data have been transformed to a logarithmic scale.

Turbidity of Well Field A (downstream)

Turbidity of Well Field B (upstream)

5 NTU Secondary DWS

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• Response 2 (Dec. on these graphs) shows a clear relationship between increased precipitation and increased river discharge corresponding with extreme (equal to or greater than 5 NTU) turbidity from WF-B but not from WF-A. The origin of most of the elevated turbidity here probably is ineffective subsurface filtration from riverbank to the pumping wells located at WF-B. Four additional significant elevated (≥ 5 NTU) turbidity/storm flow peak events were confirmed for WF-B over the 17-month monitoring period; but none were observed in WF-A. These observations helped the water purveyor to develop a well and WF operation program to reduce or avoid elevated turbidity and to begin a program of well maintenance (and rehabilitation), well replacement with properly designed and developed water supply wells, and changes to the conveyance system.

Endnotes

1 NTU Primary DWS

California Department of Public Health – Office of Drinking Water, 1991. Surface Water Treatment Staff Guidance Manual.

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Instantaneous discharge of Adjacent River (Log cfs) Data not presented

Turbidity is the state, condition, or quality of opaqueness or reduced clarity of a fluid, due to the presence of suspended matter and is the measure of the ability of suspended material to disturb or diminish the penetration of light through a fluid; this is not to be confused with color. (Gary et al. eds., 1977, Glossary of Geology, AGI, Washington DC).

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Response 1

Daily Precipitation (inches)

Dec

Aug

Sept

Oct

Response 2 Nov

Dec

Figure 1 – Strip Chart of Correlation Factors: turbidity (NTU), river discharge (cfs), and precipitation (inches).

WF-A: Wells 1, 2, and 4 (1.96 mgd or 1,361 gpm or about 455 gpm/well); distance to edge of river – 130 to 285 ft.

WF-B: Wells 1 – 5 (2.62 mgd or 1,820 gpm or about 364 gpm/well); distance to edge of river – 100 to 205 ft.

Figure 1 shows a portion of the available record and demonstrates two distinctive patterns for these two WF: • Response 1 (mainly in Oct. on these graphs) shows relatively little precipitation and no significant change in river discharges but elevated and persistent turbidity levels from WF-A and a smaller amount of turbidity from WF-B. This suggests that most of the elevated turbidity from WF-A is from the individual wells rather than poor filtration capacity from the river. WF-B also has a well problem but not as serious as WF-A. The origin of the turbidity could be from one or more wells in each WF.

Clark, Viessman, and Hammer, 1977, Water Supply and Pollution Control, 3rd edition, Harper and Row, NY. 3

Abbott, David W., Sum 2019, Notes on Well Development and collecting useful hydraulic information in the process, Wells and Words published in HydroVisions a Quarterly publication of the Groundwater Resources Association of CA. 4

Ray, Chittaranjan, G. Melin, and R.B. Linsky, 2002, Riverbank Filtration: Improving Source-Water Quality, Kluwer academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 364p.

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Ray, Chittaranjan, T.Grischek, J. Schubert, J.Z. Wang, and T.F. Speth, Apr. 2002, A perspective of Riverbank filtration, Journal of the American Water Works Association, pp. 149160.

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Wells and Words

The Groundwater Resources Association is comprised of a diverse group of experts in the groundwater industry and related fields.

GRA unites these experts through collaboration, education and networking in an effort toward ensuring sustainable groundwater for all. WE ARE GRA! John McHugh is an engineer at the Santa Clara Valley Water District where he conducts asset management planning.

I am John McHugh and I am GRA! I was talking to my Membership and Communications Committee Co-Chair, Abigail Madrone, last year and said “I am GRA” to make it clear that I take responsibility for GRA. Abigail made it a campaign slogan. The first “I am GRA” HydroVisions article introduced Lyndsey Bloxom in the summer issue.

I started my career at CH2M Hill in 1990 (Oakland and Santa Ana), conducting hydrogeologic investigations, then in 1993 joined the Alameda County Water District where I regulated hazardous release sites and managed monitoring well installation and groundwater sampling programs.

In 2003 I joined the Santa Clara Valley Water District and continued to regulate hazardous release sites and worked on various water resources and water quality projects. In 2016 I started conducting asset management. Currently I am responsible for the pipeline asset management program, and a raw water master plan.

My GRA experience started in 2004 helping my friend and coworker, Tom Mohr, with GRA’s first Dry Cleaners Conference. Since then I participated in four more conference planning committees.

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Between 2009 and 2017, I chaired or co-chaired the GRA’s Technical Committee. In 2015, I served a two-year-term as the San Francisco Branch President and joined the Board of Directors. I started editing the quarterly newsletter, HydroVisions, in the fall of 2017.

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I walked the Avon Walk Against Breast Cancer seven times with my wife. In my free time I run and bicycle. You can often see me shopping at the Berkeley Bowl since I like to cook, especially Thai food. This summer my wife and I had a great trip with REI Adventures hiking in the Czech Republic where the photograph was taken.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

The Federal Corner

The Federal Corner

By Jamie Marincola, U.S. EPA

Jamie Marincola is the California Water Division Coordinator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9. For more information on any of the topics, please contact Jamie at 415-972-3520 or Marincola.JamesPaul@epa.gov.

US EPA Contaminated Sediments Virtual Workshop - October 21, 30, November 13, 20, 2019. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in cooperation with the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) is sponsoring a 4-part virtual workshop series to address current challenges at contaminated sediment sites. The aim of the virtual workshop is to provide interactive discussions between subject matter expert panelists and workshop participants. Consequently, each virtual session will feature brief topic introductions by panelists followed by facilitated panelist/ participant discussions which will include opportunities for questions and answers, brainstorming, identification of concerns and research needs, and quick spot surveys. For more information and to register, see https://clu-in.org/live.

USGS Publishes Method for Installation, Removal, and Downloading Data from the Temperature Profiling Probe (TROD). Using heat as a tracer to estimate the rate of groundwater flow has long been recognized. Recent technology advances provide new opportunities to estimate hydrologic fluxes in a wide range of environmental conditions. A new USGS publication provides a brief method overview on the deployment and removal of the temperature profiling probe developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2015 and referred to as SensorRod or temperature rod (TROD).

To learn more about this method, visit: https://doi.org/10.3133/ ofr20191066

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FEATURE ARTICLE

2019 National Brownfields Training Conference in Los Angeles, December 11-13. The National Brownfields Training Conference is the largest event in the nation focused on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment.

Held every two years, the National Brownfields Conference attracts nearly 3,000 stakeholders in brownfields redevelopment and cleanup to share knowledge about sustainable reuse and celebrate the EPA brownfields program’s success.

The event is co-hosted by ICMA and US EPA. For more information and to register, see https:// brownfields2019.org.

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USGS Releases Evaluation of Land Subsidence and Ground Failures at Bicycle Basin, Fort Irwin National Training Center, California, 1992–2017.

Groundwater has been pumped in the Bicycle Basin at Fort Irwin National Training Center since the 1960s, and the amount pumped has generally increased since the 1990s. After a large crack (approximately 0.5-kilometer long) formed at the surface of Bicycle Lake playa during 2005– 06, a monitoring study was initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey to help determine the cause.

Results from numerical experiments simulating water table decline at depth indicated that the material deposits in the desaturating capillary fringe zone might not be able to transmit large enough stresses up through the overlying soil to cause cracks at the land surface. Results from simulations of desiccation in the presence of a regional tectonically induced stress field, however, tended to support the hypothesis that the combined processes could control the formation of giant desiccation macropolygons in certain areas, such as Bicycle Lake playa.

Read more here: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/ publication/sir20195015

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The Federal Corner

S&P M&M R&P WDR

Studies & Planning West Yost provides comprehensive investigation, modeling, analysis and testing to plan for the future of your water supply and storage.

CM ASR

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DAVIS • CARLSBAD • IRVINE • PLEASANTON SACRAMENTO • SANTA ROSA • WALNUT CREEK

we are water 25

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Sacramento Branch

by David Von Aspern, Branch Officer

The Sacramento Branch was delighted to host a Saturday field trip to Lava Cap Winery, located just outside Placerville, CA in western El Dorado County. The special, approximate half-day event was held August 10, 2019 at near capacity with 48 attendees.

Lava Cap Winery (Winery) is comprised of roughly 100 acres of rolling farmland and has an on-site tasting room, bottling line, fermentation tanks building, barrel storage and grape processing facility. The “connection” to GRA is the unique geology and groundwater regime that occur at the Winery. The Winery founders as well as some of the current owner-operators are geologists, who specifically selected this location for its prime volcanic soils that are particularly well suited to growing fine wine grapes. This field trip was graciously hosted and led by Kevin and Emit Jones, grandsons of the farm founder. The Jones had even excavated a shallow “test trench” for the benefit of the field trip attendees.

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The Winery tour began near the hilltop edge of one of the vineyard blocks, mere tens of feet away from the tasting room picnic area. There the local soils were revealed within the test trench to a depth of approximately twofeet below grade where “lava cap” was encountered, hence the Winery name. Farmers call it “bedrock” but more specifically the rock is a unit of the Mehrten Formation. The farm soils generally are sandy to clayey loams having formed in place by weathering of the Mehrten.

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Kevin Jones did most of the presenting and indicated that across their vineyard the depth-to-bedrock ranges from 2.5 to 12 feet below grade, with the deepest soils occurring in the swales. Kevin provided the attendees with an excerpt from a larger paper that his father, who was a USGS geologist, wrote regarding vineyards, soils and geology of El Dorado County. “El Dorado County is unique in that more different varieties of wine grapes are grown here than in any other appellation. The mountainous topography provides an abundance of microclimates, and one may surmise that the different soils will have some critical influence on grape flavors,” according to the excerpt.

The Sacramento Branch

David Von Aspern, was a GRA Director from 2012 to 2014, Served as both the Treasurer and Bookkeeper and was the first editor of HydroVisions

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FEATURE ARTICLE

The geology of the site also has a profound effect on groundwater flow in the vineyards. The area is fortunate to have a countywide gravityflow irrigation system that provides water costeffectively when needed. But Kevin explained that irrigation is infrequently needed since the on-farm soils above “bedrock” retain much precipitation received in the previous winter.

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Kevin shared anecdotal evidence regarding the uncultivated fallow field across the road and uphill from his family’s vineyard, where he believes depth to bedrock is even shallower.

Precipitation hits that shallow bedrock and re-emerges as a spring within a swale on the family property. That spring has been running for the past approximate 100 years! Some of the attendees gasped aloud upon hearing and seeing this first-hand evidence that surface and groundwater really are connected, in spite of so much contradictory information in the public domain. That spring became an instant hit with the attendees, a smaller group of which asked to go look at the on-site “spring house” after lunch.

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Kevin and Emit proceeded to take the group through the awe-inspiring barrel house, fermentation building and destemming operation.

Information was provided regarding winemaking in general, as well as the current efforts of the Jones to implement sustainable practices including no-till agriculture, cover-cropping and sending stems and other organic wastes back to the fields from which they originated. Numerous questions were posed by attendees and our gracious hosts answered them all. At this point most attendees had opted for a delicious box lunch that could have been pre-ordered via GRA’s event registration process. The lunches were consumed at the Winery picnic area; attendees were also provided with wine tastings.

The Sacramento Branch

2019 WGC CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT: 2019 WESTERN GROUNDWATER CONGRESS DoubleTree Sacramento | September 17-19, 2019

SEPTEMBER 17th |12:00-1:30PM | Networking Lunch HYDROVISIONS

Students! Did you sign up to join our Student/Professional Networking opportunity? It’s not too late! See registration staff to add your name to the list! Here’s a great opportunity for students and professionals to network over lunch. Sit down at a table of other students and young professionals while teams of industry professionals stop by each table to meet and greet and provide their unique insights into the industry and what it takes to break into and advance as a groundwater professional!

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By Rob Gailey

Rob Gailey has been a practicing hydrogeologist since 1985 and currently works as a consultant R. M. Gailey Consulting Hydrogeologist

Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Summit in Fresno on June 5 and 6, 2019. As a follow-up to the successful original event held in 2018, even more panel discussion was included as an alternative to traditional presentations. The summit included seven panel sessions and two presentations that provided information for GSAs working to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) as progress continues in preparing Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) due in 2020 and 2022.

The panels:

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GSA/GSP Collaboration and Coordination was moderated by Tara Moran and included a researcher (Anita Milman), attorney (Valerie Kincaid), engineer (Lisa Porta) and GSA manager (Patty Poire).

Panelists discussed the challenges and successes that GSAs have experienced in developing and coordinating management at the basin-scale, including addressing jurisdictional overlaps between GSAs, ensuring representation in “white” areas, gaining public agency representation, and other legal and technical aspects of plan development. It was noted that having a trusted lead agency with strong community relationships is helpful in guiding the various elements of the process.

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Demand Management Actions and Water Markets was moderated by Thomas Esqueda and included a researcher (Ellen Bruno), a county resource manager (Stephanie Anagnoson), and two GSA managers (Gary Petersen and Bryce McAteer). Perspectives on the use of water markets and demand management tools to achieve compliance with SGMA were presented. The challenges encountered during GSP development were discussed with agreement that the planning and design of such tools requires an active, transparent, and adaptable stakeholder engagement process. Other attributes of successful implementation include high quality information, trust among stakeholders, as well as a clear and common definition of the problems that can be solved with markets and demand management.

Second Annual GSA Summit

Second Annual GSA Summit

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Land Use Planning was moderated by Marcus Trotta and included three county resource managers (Julianne Phillips, Sierra Ryan and Lisa Hunter) and a consultant (Tony Morgan).

Discussion focused on the interplay between land use planning and GSP development in several basins that represent many diverse regions of the State and are in various stages of GSP development. Topics addressed included well permitting and metering, balancing surface water and groundwater uses, streamflow depletion, seawater intrusion, considerations related to adjudicated water rights, land fallowing, importance of data management, and managing stakeholder expectations on what the GSPs will and will not address.

Recharge Projects was moderated by Brian Lockwood and included a researcher (Meredith Goebel), a state regulator (Sam Boland-Brien), a GSA manager (Aaron Fukuda) and a consultant (Tom Barnes). The discussion of various aspects of groundwater recharge projects for sustainable water management included a geophysicalmethods review and case study for finding suitable locations as well as a discussion of CEQA and water-rights permitting. Discussion closed with tips for success in water rights permitting.

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Finance was moderated by Tim Parker and included two GSA representatives (Ron Kicinski and Ann DuBay) and a consultant (Leslie Dumas).

The panel discussed approaches for raising funds to cover administrative, legal, public outreach, GSP preparation and implementation and other costs. These approaches include pumping fees and in-kind contributions from GSA member agencies. Cost ranges for different elements of SGMA compliance were presented based on panelist experience as well as real-time polling of Summit attendees.

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Sustainable Management Criteria and Drinking Water were also addressed.

Second Annual GSA Summit

The presentations: In the opening keynote address, Ellen Hanak summarized a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California that considers challenges and opportunities for the San Joaquin Valley with the implementation of SGMA. The report addresses the requirements for and implications of sustainably managing groundwater in the region. Topics considered include potential impacts to agriculture and the regional economy, water quality and public health, planning approaches, and balancing benefits to people and the natural environment.

For the lunch keynote address, James Workman discussed his perspectives on the potential for groundwater markets to assist in successful groundwater management. Drawing on personal field research experience involving freshwater and marine fisheries markets, Mr. Workman described many long-standing, local exchanges around the world and emphasized that transparent transactions and trust make it possible for these systems to continue.

Finally, it was suggested that application of modern technology may enhance the success of groundwater management in California.

Event attendance was lower than last year, likely the result of approaching deadlines for GSPs due in 2020; however, interaction among the panelists/ presenters and attendees was lively and insightful!

GRA plans to hold the GSA Summit again next year with Sacramento as the likely location.

GRA is grateful for support by a grant from the Water Foundation the contributions of the organizing committee for this event (Eric Averett, Sam Boland-Brian, Michael Burns, Terry Erlewine, Rob Gailey, Paul Hendrix, Adam Hutchinson, Matt Kennedy, Brian Lockwood, Dane Mathis, Bryce McAteer, Tara Moran, Eric Osterling, Tim Parker, Amanda Peisch, Gary Petersen, Steve Phillips, Jim Strandberg and Marcus Trotta).

Developments from the Membership and Communication Committee Building Member Value Exciting developments and improvements are on the horizon for Organization and Corporate Members to take effect in 2020 and beyond. This Fall we will be rolling out a more streamlined renewal and sign-up process for our Organization and Corporate Members and provide enhanced value through increased visibility and unique sponsorship programs. Stay tuned for more details to come.

Enhancing Communication During the coming weeks, we will be conducting a comprehensive membership survey.

We are conducting this survey to gain a better understanding of member satisfaction, priorities, event focus and engagement with GRA. Your opinions and insights are important to us, and this survey is your chance to let your voice be heard. We will use the survey results for three purposes: 1. enhance membership value and benefits 2. align initiatives and events with member interest and priorities 3. improve communication and overall satisfaction with GRA The survey is being managed by an independent survey company. This company will host the survey on the internet and collect your responses online. We appreciate your future participation and value both your membership and continued support of GRA. HYDROVISIONS

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by Christy Kennedy

Christy Kennedy is the Chair of the 2019 WGC, a Sr. Water Resources Engineer and Hydrogeologist at Woodard & Curran, GRA Director, and Supermom who likes to run on trails, drink strong coffee and commute with her kids on the cargo bike.

It’s busy days in the world of groundwater – here is the official 2019 WGC Listicle to help as you prepare and attend the WGC in Sacramento, September 17-19, 2019.

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1. Commit to being there! Right now, after you read this article - block your calendar for the WGC dates and register. Even better, block it from 5pm – the night before (September 16th) through 5pm on September 19th and specifically set Outlook to say “Busy!”.

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The Official WGC Prep Listicle!

Get the Most Out of the 2019 Western Groundwater Congress – The Official WGC Prep Listicle!

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2. Plan to hold a project meeting onsite at the WGC. There are various business centers, open spaces, patios and even an exhibit hall and ballroom available to you at the WGC. Plan a project meeting with your team in the late afternoon and have them stay to join the happy hour socials that are open for all for networking. Conference meetings can be powerful. People are in a different brain space amidst all the technical knowledge sharing, are excited about new ideas, and have been thinking on their feet with the long treks between ballrooms and technical session rooms (if you attended in 2018 you know what I’m talking about!). Ever wonder why strategic planning is typically held “offsite”? You and your team will think differently when your heads are together using the lobby couches or around the table at the bar. Take advantage of the built-in offsite space and the colleagues from near and far to meet with.

3. Take part in the Well Being Activities such as the 5k Darcy Dash on the second morning of the WGC. This will help you meet new friends as you suffer together shaking off the late evening and prepare you and your mind for another full day of learning and engaging.

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4. Try something new! Maybe it’s a chair massage or belting out a show tune at karaoke. Get outside of your normal routine and anchor your technical learning with a memorable experience with your fellow groundwater professionals.

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The Official WGC Prep Listicle!

5. Review the program in advance. There are four separate technical tracks peppered with world class speakers. Unless you’ve borrowed Hermione Granger’s time turner necklace allowing you to be in two places at once, you’ll have to make some tough choices for talks and workshops. Should you attend the Cannabis & Groundwater Nexus, Stream Gaging, PFAs Sampling or Professional Speaking Tips Workshop?

Make your roadmap in advance using our conference “Guidebook App” so you don’t miss out.

6. Say “Thank You” to the staff running the registration table. They get up at 4am each morning and spend 18 hours trouble shooting at 100 miles per hour for several days straight. If you learn anything new or have any fun, you have them to thank for the experience.

7. Catch a speaker at a break or during a social. Let them know you enjoyed their talk and tell them what one thing you latched onto. Ask a follow-up question and explore a broader dialogue together in a 1-1 setting.

8. Ask a student about their research – it’s likely the next cutting-edge technology you’ll be applying on projects in five years’ time. Find out about the most interesting talk or workshop they attended – what is of interest to our next generation of groundwater professionals.

9. Enjoy time with old friends and colleagues you haven’t seen in years. Make a point to go for a walk together down by the river or skip a session and enjoy some coffee talk and catch up. GRA is the most unique group of professionals – it’s heartwarming to sit near the registration table on Day 1 and hear the exclamations of joy and chatter as old acquaintances surprise each other with attendance and embrace. We are a unique profession, born of camaraderie through field trips, field camps, and endless strike and dip measurements. No other profession is forged in teamwork and collaboration the way hydrogeology is. Celebrate the collaborative spirit of the WGC and take full advantage of the networking breaks and unscheduled time.

10. Make one new awesome friend. In the wise words of Amy Poehler “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” Commit to followup with a new professional relationship formed at the WGC because there is power in your peer group. Have each of you pull out your phones and put a follow-up meet up to discuss what you’ve brought back and implemented since the WGC in 60 days’ time. Bonus points if your agreed meet-up place is the next GRA Branch meeting in your area.

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Call for Nominations for 2020 GRA Directors Nominations Due Friday, October 4, 2019

GRA is now soliciting nominations for GRA Board of Director candidates. Board member terms are for three years and will commence service January 1, 2020. The Nominations Task Force established the following criteria for nominating and selecting candidates for the final ballot that will be presented to GRA membership for voting:

Minimum Qualifications for Director Nominees • Active member of GRA at the time of nomination • Experience in a groundwater-related field (i.e. staff or board members of consulting firms, public municipal or agricultural water agencies, private water companies, non-governmental organizations, resource management agencies, regulatory agencies, and groundwater sustainability agencies) • Prior role(s) in a GRA Branch, committee or other GRA activity, or like experience with a similar organization.

Nominating Guidelines and Procedures • Directors and members of GRA may nominate themselves or another member as a prospective candidate to run for the Board • Nominations must be submitted online to GRA and accompanied by: • A statement from the nominee addressing the following questions: • Why are you interested in serving on the GRA Board of Directors?

• What qualifications and experience do you have for serving as a Board member?

• What specific skills or expertise do you bring to GRA and the GRA Board (e.g., leadership skills, fund-raising, financial management, etc.)?

• What experience do you have serving on similar Boards?

• What level of time commitment can you make to GRA? • Current curriculum vitae • A letter of recommendation from a current Director or Regular Member • The Nominations Task Force will review all nominations, evaluate the nominees based upon their response to the above questions and their qualifications, and will conduct interviews, if deemed necessary

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• The Nominations Task Force will recommend a slate of nominees to the GRA Board of Directors for approval

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• The approved slate of nominees will be presented to GRA membership in ballot form in accordance with GRA Bylaws.

To nominate yourself, or to nominate someone else, please complete the online nomination form. [https://www.grac.org/forms/2020-gra-director-nomination-form-1/?mc_cid=fd02f7e8e8&mc_ eid=ab106d6734]

Statement of Inclusivity GRA seeks to foster a community that encourages understanding, appreciation and acceptance of all persons involved in GRA membership and activities. GRA believes that broad representation and participation on the Board adds significant value to the association and that GRA’s relevance and effectiveness are enhanced by embracing diverse backgrounds.

Nominations must be received no later than October 4, 2019.

Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Sarah Erck, GRA Administrative Director at (916) 4463626, or Chris Petersen, Nominations Task Force Chair, at (916) 631-4597.

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by Vicki Kretsinger Grabert

Vickie Kretsinger Grabert was the founding president of GRA and Board member from 1992 to 2014, currently she is the President and Senior Principal Hydrologist at Luhdorff & Scalmanini, Consulting Engineers

Contemporary Groundwater Issues Council (CGIC) members, featured panelists, and other guests participated in the Groundwater Resources Association of California’s (GRA) 9th annual CGIC workshop, held at the University of California Davis (UCD) on May 23, 2019. The workshop was sponsored by UC Davis’ Robert M. Hagan Endowed Chair for Water Management and Policy.

This year’s workshop focused on water resources monitoring— however, this workshop was not about current protocols and methods for monitoring. Rather the focus was to explore insights and perspectives on approaches and techniques to help identify the types of future monitoring and measurements that will be necessary or promising in California that support water resources sustainability and resiliency. This includes addressing weather extremes, land use and water resources planning challenges, regional integration, water quality improvements, and ecosystem protection.

The conversation also emphasized the critical need to broaden

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Groundwater Issues Council Workshop

9th Annual Contemporary Groundwater Issues Council Workshop Water Resources Monitoring: Future Strategies to Support Water Resources Sustainability

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collaborative partnerships, share unconventional data (examples include monitoring data related to ocean conditions, fire weather stations, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data packages, including data pertaining to atmospheric river events) and ensure the data necessary for integrated systems analyses are accessible and well-maintained.

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Panel Addresses Water Resources Monitoring The morning featured five expert panelists (see sidebar) who provided an overview of current research, agency projects, and their perspectives on the workshop theme. Key aspects included the monitoring data and analyses that could be developed or improved to understand and differentiate anthropogenic versus climateinfluenced effects on California’s water resources.

The panel also spoke about the need to further integrate and synthesize hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecosystem data to better inform strategies for meeting future challenges that anthropogenic and climatic influences may create.

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Jay Jasperse described how his agency is investing in science and technology and working with meteorologists and atmospheric scientists to better understand and forecast seasonal precipitation, the early stages of atmospheric rivers, and how the “water in the sky links to the water in the ground.” An example is the work on Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) that Sonoma Water is managing with a number of partners through the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes. Jay believes new multi-disciplinary, inter-agency relationships need to be developed among hydrologists, reservoir operators, meteorologists, ecologists, and public safety agencies to collaborate and share costs by building multi-benefit data networks—he sees this happening in Sonoma County as a result of the 2017 wildfires.

Importantly, these strategic relationships help demonstrate value to the public, especially when expressed in terms of public safety.

CGIC Co-Chairs Vicki Kretsinger Grabert, Luhdorff & Scalmanini, Consulting Engineers, GRA Emeritus Director Thomas Harter, UCD, Robert M. Hagan Endowed Chair, GRA Director Tim Parker, Parker Groundwater, GRA Director Susan Hubbard, Associate Lab Director for Earth & Environmental Sciences Area at Berkeley Laboratory and an Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management.

Josué Medellín-Azuara, Acting Associate Professor at UC Merced, Associate Director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, research scientist at the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, and managing partner of Pacific Agroecology & Economics.

Jay Jasperse, Chief Engineer and Groundwater Manager for Sonoma Water and Plan Manager for Groundwater Sustainability Planning in Sonoma County.

Eric Reichard, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center (USGS-CAWSC).

Abdul Khan, Supervising Engineer with the California Department of Water Resources, key member of the California Water Plan Update 2018 team, AB 1755 implementation team and provides support to Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) implementation.

Eric Reichard emphasized the role of collaboration among the USGS and state and local agencies, and he listed several USGS programs that may benefit groundwater professionals in California, including the Next Generation Water Observing System, Water Prediction Work Program, and modernizing the National Water Information System. Eric encouraged data and tools that provide a better 3-dimensional understanding of the subsurface that is not cost-prohibitive and increased examination of how changes in water resources’ utilization impact surface water/groundwater systems and land subsidence.

Josué Medellin-Azuara suggested creation of a long-term business plan for acquiring, organizing, maintaining, and storing data. Josué also sees a need for improving the consistency of evapotranspiration (ET) estimates provided in models. He described a two-season-methods study he led at UC Davis that included a blind comparison of seven independent methods where researchers found a wide range of evapotranspiration estimates. Further work would improve agreement among these estimates and benefit water balance accuracy. Josué also sees a need for improved land use information for calibrating models, particularly related to wetlands, native vegetation, and forests.

Susan Hubbard discussed new approaches to monitor and predict how mountainous watersheds respond to perturbations - such as droughts, floods, wildfires and early snowmelt - and the associated impacts on downstream water availability and water quality. She described new ‘4D watershed’ approaches to monitor hydrobiogeochemical processes occurring across bedrock through canopy compartments of a large mountainous watershed in Colorado. She illustrated the value of mechanistic modeling and machine learning approaches for predicting California watershed behavior. Susan emphasized the value of identifying and using ecosystem ‘functional zones’ to inform monitoring strategies and predictive models, rather than relying on traditional data interpolation or upscaling approaches. She also described advanced environmental data cyberinfrastructure that is transforming the way scientists store and use diverse watershed hydrological, geochemical, and microbiological datasets. While recognizing that developing groundwater monitoring systems needed for SGMA is challenging, Susan emphasized that California’s ambitious renewable energy and emission goals are driving the need for strategies that monitor variables important for both water and energy systems and their interdependencies.

Small Groups Brainstorm During Breakout Sessions Workshop participants rotated through three afternoon breakout sessions. Afterward, the attendees joined together again to summarize and discuss key findings and recommendations.

Breakout Session A focused on “Changing Climate and Preparing for Future Sustainability.” Topics included the increase in extreme weather events and improving advanced weather forecasting, and data needed to understand the influence of climate on groundwater recharge and discharge to stream systems. The group acknowledged that integrated monitoring networks are necessary for achieving the multiple objectives of systems, regions, and watersheds. Participants suggested that water management institutions become less specialized with special purpose entities merging to encourage multi-objective approaches and eliminate competing goals such as flood management versus water storage. The group also recommended establishing a peer evaluation process to assess which activities for addressing climate change are most effective.

Groundwater Issues Council Workshop

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Abdul Khan, who is part of the team implementing the Open and Transparent Water Data Act (AB 1755), described the transparent process for implementing the Open Water Data Platform, including goals that data be sufficient, accessible, useful, and used in meaningful ways.

He also mentioned several DWR monitoring/ analysis efforts, such as snowpack monitoring at higher altitudes, decision scaling analysis, and periodic streamflow reconstruction data. Abdul acknowledged there are some incredible data records available from DWR and the State Water Board—CASGEM, CEDC, OSWCR, GAMA—but there has been no systematic effort to integrate and synthesize these data.

Abdul challenged the council to champion the concept of designating at least two experimental watersheds—one in the Sierra and one in the Central Valley—to serve as centers of excellence where analysis would go beyond modeling by incorporating physical research and best practices that could inform decision making in other watersheds. Through physical experiments, extensive monitoring, and analysis, we could gain a deeper understanding of the physical integration of water resource systems.

Jay Lund, Director of UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, had proposed the “center of excellence” idea a few years ago, and Abdul pointed to the United Kingdom’s Centre for Ecology & Hydrology as a real-world example of this approach.

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Breakout Session B focused on “Watershed Scale Planning, Monitoring, Research, and Policy Considerations.” Topics included the sufficiency of 3-dimensional monitoring; geologic, well construction, and other data needed to characterize groundwater quality in shallower and deeper formations; and stream gauging adequacy.

Collaborations in mutually beneficial activities were themes of the group’s discussion. The group recommended adaptive management approaches and improved hydrologic quantification to reduce water budget uncertainty. The group suggested conducting an external periodic review of SGMA implementation to understand what is working or not, if there are constraints on funding, and what projects are resulting in regional or statewide benefits.

• Cultivate multi-disciplinary inter-agency relationships to view data needs and analysis approaches in new ways that facilitate future water resources resiliency.

• Transition from upscaling approaches for data analysis, and instead subdivide watersheds into functional zones to facilitate monitoring and spatial extrapolation of measurement data.

• Further integrate hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecosystem data to better inform strategies for meeting future challenges that anthropogenic and climatic influences may create.

• Collaborate to maximize sharing of data, analysis, and costs.

• Commit to long-term, consistent data collection—data we have collected and accumulated may be used in the future in ways we cannot yet anticipate.

• Invest in science and technology to better and earlier predict seasonal precipitation and atmospheric rivers, integrate seasonal climate predictions to maximize high flow/surplus water capture, and to more efficiently manage water resources under weather and climate variability.

• Work towards less specialized governance models to facilitate multi-objective and multi-benefit approaches.

• Develop at least two experimental watersheds to serve as centers of excellence to improve understanding of physical processes through monitoring, analysis, and data archival.

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Breakout Session C focused on “Data Collection, Curation, Archiving and Sharing, and Data Integration for Decision Support,” including data management and transparency, data integration to support decision making at local and state levels, and data privacy and security. The group’s overall recommendation was to avoid perfectionism that would hinder development of the federated water data platform under AB 1755. They also proposed devising incentives to encourage local and regional entities to report and share data statewide, clarify the state’s and other interests’ roles in curating and sharing data, and establish mechanisms for feedback on data, including reporting data errors.

Key take-aways and recommendations from the Council workshop included:

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Groundwater Issues Council Workshop

2019 WGC CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT: 2019 WESTERN GROUNDWATER CONGRESS DoubleTree Sacramento | September 17-19, 2019

SEPTEMBER 17th | 5:00-8:00PM | PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION HYDROVISIONS

Houston, we have ENTERTAINMENT! Got the right stuff?

Try your luck at Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette.

Use your WGC bucks to play games or trade them in for additional raffle tickets!

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GRA Technical Committee Review 2017 GPS Survey of the Sacramento Valley Subsidence Network

by James West, Seth Lawrence and others

This report details the methods used and results obtained from a 2017 survey of the Sacramento Valley Subsidence Network. In 2008, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) designed and built a sophisticated network of over 300 subsidence benchmarks in the trough of the Sacramento Valley to National Geodetic Survey standards and worked with 25 local agencies to conduct a baseline survey. Nine years later, DWR worked with 18 local agencies to conduct the first subsidence study using the network and produced a subsidence map of the valley. This map shows a large area of concern for land surface subsidence extending roughly from Colusa and the Sutter Buttes to Dixon. The largest vertical displacement is -2.14 ft near Arbuckle. This is at the northern end of a large subsidence trough (more than -1.00 ft) west of the Sacramento River roughly between Williams and Woodland. A smaller area roughly between Stony Creek and Willows subsided -0.20 to -0.60 ft.

The long time between surveys and lack of recording extensometers means important information like the timing, rates, causes, maximum subsidence and rebound cannot be determined.

Technical Committee Perspective Most land-surface subsidence in California is caused by groundwater overdraft. Damage to California’s canals, roads, pipelines and other infrastructure from land-surface subsidence is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. There is currently no comprehensive land-surface subsidence monitoring program in California.

Recommendations • DWR should develop a plan to regularly repeat this subsidence survey.

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• DWR should incorporate recording extensometers into this subsidence monitoring network.

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• This is a good model of what could be done to monitor land-surface subsidence in other subsidence-prone areas in California.

2017 GPS Survey

Synopsis

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HYDROVISIONS ADVERTISING & ARTICLE SPECIFICATIONS

Logo & Ad Specs:

Your ad must be in the requested dimensions (no rotating) and sent as a 300dpi PDF. You must send your logo in an EPS or AI vector format with outlined fonts.

If you do not have an EPS version of your logo, please ensure what you send is a high-resolution transparent PDF. Logos pulled from websites are not suitable for printing. Design or logo questions? Contact David Garrison, GRA Creative Director at dgarrison@smithmooreassoc.com Vertical Ad: 4.25w X 11h Full Page Ad: 8.5w X 11h

Do you need help designing your ad?

GRA is happy to help in designing a simple ad for you using your company logo for a nominal fee. Please email dgarrison@smithmooreassoc.com for more information.

Sponsored Article

Sponsored Articles in HydroVisions are an ad in article-form. They are clearly marked to readers as sponsored. In these articles you can broadcast the message of your organization’s mission or product.

Authors (Both Sponsored and Non-Sponsored):

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• Please provide an unformatted Word document of your story without embedded images. You can signify where you’d like a submitted image using brackets.

• Images you wish to be included with your article must not be embedded in the Word document; send them separately and labeled with names corresponding to where you’d like them used in the Word document.

• Articles must have a brief title and a byline.

• Supply a 300dpi headshot of the author.

• Article length must be between 500 - 1000 words.

• Please include an “About the Author” post script, to provide our audience with the context of your perspectives.

• Avoid using diagrams or graphs in your article, words are preferable.

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ARTICLES BOTH SPONSORED AND NOT ARE DUE FOUR WEEKS BEFORE PUBLISHING

RATES

HALF PAGE AD:

1= $250 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off

FULL PAGE AD:

1= $400 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off

SPONSORED ARTICLE:

1= $625 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off

ARTWORK FILE IS DUE THREE WEEKS BEFORE PUBLISHING

Where business, law and politics converge.

Providing premier water counsel across the state for over 50 years, we are proud to support the Groundwater Resources Association of California.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Parting Shot

By John Karachewski

John Karachewski is a geologist for the California EPA (DTSC) in Berkeley. He is an avid photographer and often teaches geology as an instructor and field trip leader.

Lava Beds National Monument and the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge are in northern California near the Oregon border. The Tule Lake basin is in a fertile and intensely farmed area. The U.S Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lease reclaimed land of the former lakebed to potato, onion, horse radish, alfalfa, and cereal grain farmers.

The Tule Lake basin lies within the Modoc Plateau near the northwestern margin of the Basin and Range province. The geology of the Tule Lake Basin has been shaped primarily by tectonic, volcanic, and lake processes. The Tule Lake Basin is a graben bounded by late Cenozoic normal faults. Lava flows from the Medicine Lake Highlands, a large shield volcano, form the southern end of the basin.

Sediment cores that reached 1,100 feet below the current basin floor reveal that lakes have been intermittently present in the Tule Lake basin for about the past 3 million years. At its maximum extent, late Pleistocene Lake Modoc covered an area of 1,096 square miles and achieved a maximum lake depth of 210 feet. In contrast, reclamation and diversion of surface water to the Klamath River at the beginning of the 20th century resulted in the drying of Tule Lake and creation of new farmland. By 1923, the lake area had been reduced to about 2% of its 1907 extent of 98,600 acres.

Groundwater is present in an upper unconfined aquifer in the old lake sediments and a lower confined aquifer in the underlying volcanic rocks. Salinity is medium to high for the upper aquifer and low for the confined aquifer. Basin residents have long noted the poor quality of groundwater in shallow wells.

The refuge is a significant staging area for migrating waterfowl during spring and fall migrations.

Recreational opportunities include: wildlife viewing and photography, education, and hunting. A 10mile auto tour route allows for wildlife observation throughout the year.

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Photographed by John Karachewski along the Gillem Bluff Trail in Lava Beds National Monument.

Estimated GPS coordinates of photograph are 41.822° and -121.562°.

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GRA’s David K. Todd Distinguished Lecturers for 2020 GRA proudly announces the speakers for the tenth year of the David Keith Todd (DKT) Distinguished Lecture Series. Theresa Dunham and Graham E. Fogg have enthusiastically accepted the 2020 David Keith Todd Lectureship. The objective of this program is to foster interest and excellence in applied groundwater science and technology through GRA-sponsored lectures at California universities, local GRA meetings, and statewide GRA events. These lectures further a key GRA objective: to develop scientific educational programs that promote the understanding and effective implementation of groundwater assessment, protection, and management. The 2020 DKT Lecture Series will provide a broad perspective on groundwater beyond the typical focus by engineers and hydrogeologists.

GRA held Dr. David Keith Todd in the highest esteem for his enormous contributions to groundwater science and technology, and in 1999 awarded him GRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. We named the series in his honor to pay tribute to his legacy as groundwater science and education leader. The nomination and evaluation process for lecturers ensures that highly-qualified individuals are selected to represent GRA and David Keith Todd’s legacy.

Traditionally, the DKT Lectures have been assigned either a northern California or southern California lecture circuit. However, Theresa Dunham and Graham E. Fogg are available to give presentations throughout California pending their availability. Each will provide a minimum of five lectures, including lectures at two GRA Branch Meetings, two academic institutions, and the Second Annual Western Groundwater Congress. Lecture Series funding comes from sponsors; voluntary support from the lecturer’s institution, organization, or firm; and universities hosting the lecturer.

Universities and GRA Branches interested in hosting a lecture by either of these speakers should contact the GRA Education Committee (dkt2019@grac.org) no later than December 31, 2019.

Look for the Lecture Series schedule to be posted on GRA’s website.

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GRA’s David K. Todd Distinguished Lecturers

by Events, Education & Affiliates Committee

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Theresa “Tess” Dunham Managing Shareholder, Somach Simmons & Dunn

Lecture Title: The State’s Three Legged Stool for Improving Groundwater Quality: Porter Cologne, SGMA and The Recycled Water Policy – How Do They Work Together?

Abstract:

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The Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act was adopted in 1969 and is the state’s primary authority for addressing water quality issues in both surface waters and groundwater. Since then, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and the regional water quality control boards (regional water boards) have adopted permits and various policies to protect groundwater. However, despite these efforts, groundwater quality in many parts of California has declined due to industrial, agricultural, and municipal discharges of pollutants that are associated with human habitation. The two most pervasive pollutants are salt and nitrate.

Left unchecked, rising salt and nitrate levels in California’s groundwater basins will impact our ability to safely use groundwater for drinking, and will impede agricultural production. In response, some regional water boards have spent decades developing and implementing comprehensive salt and nitrate management plans through existing authority under Porter Cologne.

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Then enters the State Water Board’s Recycled Water Policy. Just as water-short-California looked to increase water availability in part through water recycling, treatment of municipal wastewater increased for a variety of reasons.

Municipal wastewater agencies, and others,

quickly recognized the value of highly treated effluent as a water resource. However, with recycled water comes salt and nitrate. To encourage recycled water use, make permitting of such projects more efficient, protect public health, and address salt and nitrate that comes with recycled water, the State Water Board adopted the Recycled Water Policy. The policy was first adopted in 2009, amended in 2013, and was then amended again in 2018. A key component in the Recycled Water Policy are requirements for the management of salts and nutrients through the development of comprehensive salt and nutrient management plans. While some regional boards were well ahead of these requirements, others are still working to comply with such requirements.

In 2014, the California legislature adopted and Governor Brown signed into law the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). While the primary focus of SGMA is to address our limited groundwater supplies, it includes a requirement that pertains directly to groundwater quality and groundwater sustainability agencies must consider water quality standards when setting minimum thresholds. Thus, the groundwater sustainability plans that are in development must, at least in part, address groundwater quality impacts.

In light of these multiple (but sometimes disparate) efforts to address salt and nitrate levels in groundwater, many people question how regional water boards, dischargers and groundwater sustainability agencies are to work together to each meet their legal mandates and, more importantly, how to improve and protect groundwater quality. In this lecture series, Tess will explore the different legal and regulatory mandates and the creative solutions that stakeholders are developing to address these complex issues. She will also identify the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing the multiple efforts and how all three are essential to improving and protecting California’s groundwater resources.

Speaker Bio:

Tess is managing shareholder at Somach Simmons & Dunn, one of the largest boutique water law firms in the West. Her practice has been focused on California’s water quality laws for more than 20 years, during which she has become known statewide for expertise on the Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the Clean Water Act, and other related regulatory schemes. Tess works closely with publicly owned treatment works, stormwater agencies, agriculture, industry and others on a variety of water quality issues In her role as attorney/consultant for the Central Valley Salinity Coalition (CVSC), she served as one of the chief architects of the Central Valley Salt and Nitrate Management Plan, which is designed to deal with the problem of salt and nitrate in Central Valley groundwater basins. Tess actively participates in the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) Executive Committee along with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, environmental justice advocates, state agencies, federal agencies and others. In addition to CV-SALTS, Tess provided regulatory strategy and facilitation services to a special project under the Central Valley Clean Water Agencies (CVCWA), a 15+ year collaboration with lead policy staff from six of the Central Valley’s larger publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Most recently, Tess was selected by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority to assist in providing water quality regulatory and facilitation services to the Basin Monitoring Task Force, which oversees implementation of the Santa Ana region’s historic salt and nitrate management plan.

Tess earned her J.D. from McGeorge School of Law and studied history at Boston University as an undergrad. She is a graduate of the California Agriculture Leadership Program and received a certificate in Executive Leadership from the University of California, Davis. Beyond her law practice, Tess enjoys time with her family and continues the family agriculture business of rice farming.

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David K. Todd Distinguished Lecturers

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Graham E. Fogg Professor of Hydrogeology, Hydrogeologist in the Agricultural Experiment Station - Department of Land, Air and Water Resources Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences - UCD Director, UC Water Security and Sustainability Research Initiative

Lecture Title: Flood-MAR and a Roadmap to Water Resiliency

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Abstract:

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Water security or resiliency hinges on water storage. Yet California’s historical reliance on surface water storage fed by snowmelt is showing increasing vulnerability due to climate change and the consequent extremes of drought and flood. This, together with existence of massive, unused ‘space’ underground for water storage, amounting to more than three times the surface reservoir capacity of the state, makes Flood-MAR (managed aquifer recharge) an attractive option in some basins. A FloodMAR case study in the American-Cosumnes basin shows that through reservoir reoperation, diversion of high-magnitude flows, and economically optimized recharge on farmlands and on strategic geologic formations, about 5.4 million ac-ft (MAF) of recharge during a 20year period, averaging 270,000 ac-ft per year can be accomplished, while maintaining Delta outflow requirements in the American River.

Of the 5.4 MAF, 3.7 MAF go into groundwater storage and the remainder augments stream baseflows and groundwater in adjacent basins.

The study shows that keys to successful FloodMAR will include the incentivization of recharge over broad areas of the landscape and the exploitation of subsurface geologic features that can increase recharge dramatically. Applied to many hydrologic basins, Flood-MAR and other groundwater management strategies

could strongly boost water resiliency, but only if California invests in some essential soft and hard infrastructure, including (1) better information on amounts of water available for recharge, both from hydrologic and legal/ regulatory perspectives, (2) better information on the subsurface geology, or ‘aquifer anatomy,’ as related to recharge potential, (3) modernized groundwater models and data systems, (4) economic mechanisms for incentivizing recharge by thousands of landowners, (5) operation of surface reservoirs in concert with groundwater ‘reservoirs’ to more fully leverage both kinds of storage and (6) repair and development of conveyance structures for delivering water to appropriate recharge locations. Cost of such infrastructure would be small relative to the cost of building and maintaining additional surface reservoirs. Lastly, a case will be made that massive increases in recharge will be essential for reversing the ongoing degradation of groundwater quality.

Speaker Bio:

Graham E. Fogg received a B.S. in Hydrology from the University of New Hampshire, an M.S. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. in Geology from The University of Texas at Austin. He has more than 40 years’ experience researching and teaching subsurface water flow and pollutant transport processes and water resource sustainability. He teaches courses at UC Davis in groundwater hydrology, groundwater modeling, applied geostatistics, and water resources.

His research focuses on massive increases in groundwater storage through management of flood flows and exploitation of subsurface geologic features that maximize opportunities for relatively rapid recharge. He has also worked extensively on modeling contaminant transport in groundwater both at the plume and basin scales. Dr. Fogg is a Fellow in the Geological Society of America, was the Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished lecturer in 2002, and received the O.E. Meinzer Award in 2011.

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Groundwater Issues Council Workshop

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ISSUE THIRTY

30

SEPTEMBER 2019