SR 12-13-2022 5L
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 13, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.L
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources
Subject: Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the Application for Grant Funds from the
California State Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater
Management Grant Program for the Santa Monica Groundwater Subbasin
Recharge and Monitoring Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the finding that the proposed five monitoring wells in the Santa Monica
Basin are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15303 (Section 15303 (New
Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), Section 15304 (Class 4 – Minor
Alterations to Land), and Section 15306 (information Collection) of the CEQA
Guidelines.
2. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in the
amount of up to $20,000,000 from the California State Department of Water
Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program for the
Santa Monica Groundwater Subbasin Recharge and Monitoring Project in the
Public Works Department.
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for the
grant, accept the grant, if awarded, and accept all grant renewals, if awarded.
Summary
The State’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires the formation of a
Groundwater Sustainability Agency to manage each groundwater basin. The City of
Santa Monica is one of five member agencies of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater
Sustainability Agency that was formed in 2017 and submitted the Santa Monica Basin’s
first comprehensive management plan, the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), to
the California Department of Water Resources in January 2022. The City is the lead
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and coordinating agency as the sole, municipal groundwater producer for potable
consumption in the Santa Monica Basin.
To maintain compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the Santa
Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is required to begin implementing
groundwater sustainability projects outlined in the GSP. Staff is seeking to apply for
grant funding of groundwater sustainability projects through the California Department
of Water Resources (DWR) Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant
Program. As part of the grant application submittal, the Department of Water Resources
requires the City’s governing body to authorize the City Manager to file an application
for funding and to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the California Department
of Water Resources, if awarded.
Discussion
The Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency consists of five local
government agencies with boundaries that are fully or partially overlying the Santa
Monica Basin as defined by the California Department of Water Resources. The cities of
Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Culver City, and the County of Los Angeles
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2017 to cooperatively manage
the Santa Monica Basin in a responsible and sustainable manner, which included the
preparation of a GSP to be submitted prior to January 31, 2022.
The Santa Monica Basin GSP was submitted prior to the deadline and is awaiting final
approval from the California Department of Water Resources. During this review
period, the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency must begin
implementing groundwater sustainability projects (e.g., groundwater recharge wells and
monitoring wells to refine the basin wide groundwater model) outlined in the GSP. As
the lead agency of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency, the City
is seeking grant funding to support groundwater sustainability projects outlined in the
GSP. At this time, staff is seeking grant funding to implement one additional
groundwater recharge well along with two monitoring wells at the City Yards to monitor
travel time and water quality to comply with regulatory requirements. The groundwater
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recharge well will leverage advanced treated recycled water from the City’s Sustainable
Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) to recharge the Olympic sub-basin of the Santa
Monica Basin. The SWIP is a key project in the City’s 2018 Sustainable Water Master
Plan Update to provide a sustainable and drought resilient water supply for the
community and reduce the City’s reliance on imported water supplies.
In addition to the recharge well, staff is also seeking grant funding to install additional
groundwater monitoring wells in the Santa Monica Basin. Two groundwater monitoring
wells, likely to be located in Marina del Rey and nearby in the City of Los Angeles, were
identified in the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin GSP (approved by City Council on
December 7, 2021). These monitoring wells would aid in refining the basin wide
groundwater model and monitor for seawater intrusion. A third monitoring well, located
at the Santa Monica Airport, would help fill a data gap and assist with implementation of
sustainable management projects/practices identified in the GSP.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Sustainable Groundwater
Management (SGM) Grant Program provides up to $20 million in grant funding for
projects that encourage sustainable management of groundwater resources and invest
in groundwater recharge. The estimated cost for the SWIP groundwater recharge well
and basin modeling monitoring wells is approximately $15-18 million. To help offset cost
to the City, staff is applying for grant funding from the SGM Program.
Environmental Review
The potential environmental effects of the groundwater recharge well were previously
analyzed in the Olympic Arcadia Treatment Plant Initial Study/Mitigated Negative
Declaration (IS/MND) (State Clearinghouse No. 2020070129), adopted on November
24, 2020. As determined in the previously adopted IS/MND, impacts would be less than
significant with the implementation of adopted mitigation measures.
The proposed five monitoring wells in the Santa Monica Basin are exempt from CEQA
pursuant to Section 15303 (Section 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small
Structures), Section 15304 (Class 4 – Minor Alterations to Land), and Section 15306
(information Collection) of the CEQA Guidelines.
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• Section 15303 exempts the construction of new small facilities or structures,
including utility structures and extensions.
• Section 15304 exempts minor alterations to land, which do not involve removal of
mature or scenic trees. Activities include minor grading, trenching, and backfilling
• Section 15306 exempts the basic data collection, research, experimental
management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious
or major disturbance to an environmental resource
The groundwater monitoring wells will be drilled up to depths between 400 to 800 feet
below the surface with minimal ground surface area disturbed. Upon completion, the
appearance of the monitoring wells will be largely confined to a small area with each
well covered by a concrete pad not larger than 4 by 4 feet. The monitoring wells will
provide information and data necessary to implement long-term sustainable
groundwater planning and management for the Basin. Therefore, the installation of the
monitoring wells qualifies for CEQA exemption pursuant to Sections 15303, 15304, and
15306 as they consist of the new construction of small structures, minor alteration to
land, and information collection activities. In addition, none of the exceptions specified in
Section 15300.2 of CEQA Guidelines would apply that would preclude the use of the
CEQA exemptions:
• The project site is not located in a sensitive environment
• The project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual
circumstances
• The project would not damage scenic resources
• The project would not be located on a hazardous waste site based on a review of
relevant databases
• The project would not cause a change to a historical resource as there are no
historic resources identified within the identified site locations
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
01/25/11
(Attachment A)
City Council directs staff to develop a plan to reach water self-
sufficiency
11/27/18 City Council directs staff to proceed with an update to the
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(Attachment B) Sustainable Water Master Plan and the recommended pathway to
water self-sufficiency
12/7/21
(Attachment C)
City Council approves the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater
Sustainability Plan
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of
recommended action. Staff will return to Council with budget changes if grant is
awarded.
Prepared By: Sunny Wang, Water Resources Manager
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Attachment A - January 25, 2011 Staff Report
B. Attachment B - November 18, 2018 Staff Report
C. Attachment C - December 7, 2021 Staff Report
D. Attachment D - Resolution
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City Council Meeting: December 13, 2022 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO A
CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES SUSTAINABLE
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM AGREEMENT FOR THE SANTA
MONICA GROUNDWATER SUBBASIN RECHARGE AND MONITORING PROJECT
WHEREAS, on January 25, 2011, the City Council directed staff to develop a plan
to achieve 100% self-sufficiency on local water resources; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that a sustainable and secure water future must
include the coordinated and conjunctive reuse of al locally available water resources
including traditionally non-potable sources such as brackish groundwater and
wastewater; and
WHEREAS, the California Department of Water Resources is administering the
Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program using funds authorized
by the California Budget Act of 2021 (Stats. 2021, ch. 240, § 80) (Budget Act of 2021)
and Proposition 68 for projects that encourage sustainable management of groundwater
resources that support the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and/or invest in
groundwater recharge projects with surface water, stormwater, recycled water, and other
conjunctive use projects.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
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Packet Pg. 348 Attachment: Attachment D - Resolution [Revision 1] (5412 : DWR SGM Grant Resolution)
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SECTION 1. The Recitals above are incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. An application shall be made to the Department of Water Resources to
obtain a grant under the 2021 Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program
SGMA Implementation Grant pursuant to the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate,
Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018 (Pub. Resources Code, § 80000,
et seq.) and the Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022. Be it further resolved that the City of Santa
Monica has the authority and shall enter into a funding agreement with the Department of
Water Resources to receive a grant for the Santa Monica Groundwater Subbasin Recharge
and Monitoring Project.
SECTION 3. The City Manager of the City of Santa Monica, or designee, is hereby
authorized and directed to prepare the necessary data, conduct investigations, file such
application, execute a funding agreement and any future amendments thereto, submit
invoices, and submit any reporting requirements with the Department of Water Resources.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution of the
City Council, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney
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Packet Pg. 349 Attachment: Attachment D - Resolution [Revision 1] (5412 : DWR SGM Grant Resolution)