Ventura County Board of Supervisors Approves an Urgency Ordinance Temporarily Banning New Wells.
At yesterday’s (October 28, 2014) Ventura County Board of Supervisor’s hearing, the board adopted an urgency ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on new wells in most areas of the county, including the Ventura River watershed. The ordinance became effective immediately.
The ordinance has five main purposes:
- To help stabilize groundwater extractions until appropriate regulatory oversight, as recently designated by the state, can take place.
- To protect current communities, growers and other users who are reliant on groundwater from the adverse consequences that can result from a rush of new pumpers permanently impacting their ability to obtain needed water.
- To decrease the possibility that groundwater supplies will be exhausted during this extended drought and before groundwater sustainability plans can be implemented.
- To decrease the likelihood that people will further tap stressed groundwater supplies in an attempt to avoid restrictions and conservation efforts being made by water districts.
- To conserve critical and dwindling water supplies during a severe statewide and local drought so that there will be adequate supplies for health, safety, and welfare.
The moratorium applies watershed wide until January 31, 2015, which is when the State of California must identify which groundwater basins are considered “high” and “medium” priority pursuant to the new Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. After that date, the moratorium will only apply within those basins deemed by the state to be of high or medium priority. Currently, the Upper Ventura River Basin and the Ojai Valley Basin are expected to be rated medium priority.
The well moratorium will then be lifted from each high- and medium-priority basin when a groundwater sustainability plan for that basin, pursuant to the new Act, has been filed with the state.
The moratorium contains some exceptions, such as for existing well repair or replacement if there is no increase in well capacity.
Here is a copy of the Board Letter and the Urgency Ordinance.
Date Change: Next Council Meeting will be Nov. 20
Because of conflicts with other meetings, we had to move the date of the next Watershed Council to Thursday, November 20, 2014. The meeting will be from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the E.P. Foster Library Topping Room, 651 E. Main Street in Ventura. Look for the agenda next week.
Oct. 30 Ribbon Cutting to Celebrate the Completion of the Parking Lot
Stormwater Retrofit at the County Government Center
You are invited to celebrate the completion of the County of Ventura’s new stormwater retrofit project – tomorrow! See the invitation below for details.
