BWD
Passes 3/1 Groundwater Mitigation Requirement for New Development
At its meeting on 22 June 2005, the Borrego Water District Board of Directors adopted a Groundwater Management Plan that requires applicants for new water service to supply new sources of water, reduced water usage, and/or in-lieu fees to be exclusively used for mitigation of the overdraft at a ratio of 3:1 (see below). The Board is to be recognized and congratulated for adopting this policy.
The Borrego Water District will now develop a detailed implementation plan that will be reviewed in public meetings and submitted for approval to the Board of Directors. They should waste no time in doing so. Given the building boom that our town is experiencing, any delay in implementing this good policy risks having it overtaken by events and diminishing its effectiveness.
The necessity for timely implementation of the policy, however, in no way takes away from the significance of the Board’s adoption of it. (But see: BWD Backpedals on Groundwater mitigation)
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BORREGO WATER DISTRICT
POLICY STATEMENT
SUBJECT: Policy on New Development – Groundwater Preservation
NO. 2005-6-1
ADOPTED: June 22, 2005
STATEMENT
The Borrego Water District adopted a Groundwater Management Plan which describes a continuing overdraft of the sole source aquifer that supplies water to all of the lands overlying the aquifer. (Reference: Borrego Water District Policy No. 84-1)
BACKGROUND
The technical details described in the Plan, as best they are understood at this time, while not indicating an imminent water shortage emergency, suggest prudent action is required to stem the rate of increase of the overdraft while longer term solutions are being explored.
POLICY
Therefore, it is the general policy of the Board of Directors of the Borrego Water District that applications for new water service will be required to supply new sources of water, reduced water usage, and/or in-lieu fees to be exclusively used for mitigation of the overdraft, at a ratio of 3:1.
After approval of this general policy the staff and technical consultants of the Borrego Water District will develop and propose to the Ad Hoc committee assigned to this policy a detailed implementation plan that will be reviewed in public meetings and submitted for approval to the Board of Directors.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
1) The Borrego Water District will approve water service to new land developments (lot splits, subdivisions and any other new water use) only if the developer provides for groundwater preservation by:
a. providing an acceptable new water source; or
b. arranging for acquisition of local agricultural lands (which have been pumping
groundwater for at least two of the preceding five years) that will be fallowed; or
c. paying a Groundwater Preservation Fee as established by the District; or
d. providing an alternative preservation method acceptable to the District; or
e. providing an acceptable combination of the above options.
2) To be acceptable, all fallowing and other groundwater preservation methods must provide preservation of at least a 3 to 1 offset as shown in the following example: if the proposed project will have an annual water use of 100 acre feet, the land to be fallowed must have had an annual water use of at least 300 acre feet.
3) The Borrego Water District will continue to install new services for existing legal lots developed in conformance with their zoning (e.g. residential, commercial) so long as groundwater preservation at a 3 to 1 offset is satisfied by one of the options defined above.
4) The Borrego Water District will not consider any proposed annexation to its service area until it has been assured that the area of the proposed annexation will provide an acceptable new water source or otherwise satisfy the preservation requirements described in Paragraphs 1 and 2 above.
5) An Implementation Program shall be developed by the District that establishes the optional fees, acreages for various water uses, methods and timing of activities, and related procedures. This program will be reviewed and amended at intervals as additional data and information become available.
07/01/2005
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