Agency updates groundwater-dependent-ecosystems work and annual-report edits

The agency’s general manager reported the penultimate meeting of a grant-funded groundwater-dependent-ecosystems (GDE) study, which aims to identify and characterize potential GDEs across pressure and East Side areas of the Salinas Valley and to establish monitoring methods.

Staff described methods under consideration—GIS analysis, desktop assessments and targeted field monitoring—and said the next step is to pilot monitoring at a small number of shallow wells to better characterize interactions with surface features. The general manager said the GDE work will go to the advisory committee in April or June and that he will provide the board with a copy of the final report when it is available.

Separately, staff noted edits and recommended insertions to the agency’s annual report and flagged an unresolved question about including a Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP) section; staff will follow up with the Salinas Valley Basin GSA on the appropriate language and inclusion.

No formal vote was taken on the GDE work or annual report edits; staff will return with final materials.