Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Plan ADMINISTRATIVE ......CAWELO GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Plan ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT For Internal Review

CAWELO G RO UN D WATER SU STAI NAB IL ITY AG EN C Y

Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Plan ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT

For Internal Review ONLY

August 12, 2019

2490 Mariner Square Loop, Suite 215

Alameda, CA 94501 510.747.6920

www.toddgroundwater.com

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Phyllis Stanin, PG 5311, CEG 1899, CHG 482 Vice President and Principal Geologist

Michael Maley, PE, PG, CHG Senior Hydrogeologist

Groundwater Sustainability Plan Cawelo GSA i

ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT TODD GROUNDWATER

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1. Purpose of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan ...................................................................... 1 1.2. AGENCY INFORMATION (REG. § 354.6) ..................................................................................... 1 1.3. GSP ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................................. 4

2. CAWELO GSA Plan Area .................................................................................................. 5 2.1. Description of the Plan Area ..................................................................................................... 5 2.2. Water Resources Management ............................................................................................... 10 2.3. Water Resources Monitoring .................................................................................................. 13 2.4. LAND USE ................................................................................................................................. 21 2.5. General Plans ........................................................................................................................... 23 2.6. Well Permitting........................................................................................................................ 24 2.7. Regulatory Framework of Oil Field Operations ....................................................................... 25 2.8. GSP Implementation Effects on Land Use Plans and Water Supply Management ................. 33 2.9. Notice and Communication ..................................................................................................... 34

3 Basin Setting .................................................................................................................. 35 3.1 Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model (Reg. § 354.14) .................................................................. 35 3.2 Current and Historical Groundwater Conditions (Reg. § 354.16) ........................................... 54 3.3 Management Areas ................................................................................................................. 70 3.4 Data and Knowledge Gaps ...................................................................................................... 71

4 Water budget ................................................................................................................ 72 4.1 Water Budget Approach .......................................................................................................... 72 4.2 Study Period ............................................................................................................................ 73 4.3 Historical and Current Water Budget ...................................................................................... 74 4.4 C2VSimFG-Kern Model Water Budget Analysis....................................................................... 86 4.5 Change in Groundwater Storage ............................................................................................. 89 4.6 Projected Water Budgets ........................................................................................................ 92 4.7 Projected Water Budget Results using C2VSimFG-Kern ......................................................... 98 4.8 Data and Knowledge Gaps for the Water Budget Analysis ..................................................... 98

5 Sustainability Goal and Undesireable Results ............................................................... 99 5.1 Sustainability Goal ................................................................................................................... 99 5.2 Approach to Undesirable Results .......................................................................................... 100 5.3 Chronic Lowering of Groundwater Levels ............................................................................. 100 5.4 Reduction of Groundwater Storage ...................................................................................... 103 5.5 Seawater Intrusion ................................................................................................................ 104 5.6 Land Subsidence .................................................................................................................... 105 5.7 Degraded Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 107 5.8 Depletions of Interconnected Surface Water ....................................................................... 108

6 Monitoring Network ................................................................................................... 109 6.1 Monitoring Network Objectives ............................................................................................ 109 6.2 Existing Monitoring Programs ............................................................................................... 112 6.3 Groundwater Level Monitoring Networks ............................................................................ 124 6.4 Groundwater Storage Monitoring Networks ........................................................................ 125

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6.5 Groundwater Quality Monitoring Networks ......................................................................... 126 6.6 Land subsidence Monitoring Networks ................................................................................ 128 6.7 Surface Water Monitoring Networks .................................................................................... 129 6.8 Representative Regional Monitoring (Reg. § 354.36) ........................................................... 131 6.9 Assessment and Improvement of Monitoring Network (Reg. § 354.38) .............................. 133 6.10 Reporting Monitoring Data to the Department (Reg. § 354.40) ........................................... 135

7 Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives and Interim Milestones ..................... 136 7.1 Sustainable Management Criteria ......................................................................................... 136 7.2 Chronic Lowering of Groundwater Levels ............................................................................. 137 7.3 Reduction of Groundwater Storage ...................................................................................... 140 7.4 Land Subsidence .................................................................................................................... 142 7.5 Seawater Intrusion ................................................................................................................ 144 7.6 Degraded Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 144 7.7 Depletions of Interconnected Surface Water ....................................................................... 147 7.8 Coordination with Kern County Subbasin GSAs .................................................................... 148

8 Water Supply Accounting ............................................................................................ 149 8.1 Allocation Coordinated with Umbrella GSP .......................................................................... 149 8.2 Water Accounting Framework .............................................................................................. 149 8.3 Periodic Evaluations .............................................................................................................. 149

9 Projects, Management Actions and Adaptive Management ...................................... 150 9.1 Overview of Projects and Management Actions ................................................................... 150 9.2 Projects .................................................................................................................................. 150 9.3 Management Actions ............................................................................................................ 160 9.4 Sustainability Assessment ..................................................................................................... 163 9.5 Projected Water Budget Results using C2VSimFG-Kern ....................................................... 166

10 Plan Implementation ................................................................................................... 167 10.1 Estimate of GSP Implementation Costs (Reg. § 354.6) ......................................................... 167 10.2 Schedule for Implementation................................................................................................ 167 10.3 Annual Reporting ................................................................................................................... 167 10.4 Periodic Evaluations .............................................................................................................. 167

11 References and Technical Studies (Reg. § 354.4) ....................................................... 168

List of Tables Table 2-1 Selected Kern County General Plan Goals, Policies, and Implementation Measures Table 2-2 Selected Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan Goals, Policies, and Implementation

Measures Table 2-3 Selected City of Shafter General Plan Objectives and Policies Table 3-1 Summary of Wells on Cross Sections Table 3-2 Oil Fields within Cawelo GSA Table 4-1 Summary of Imported/Exported Water Deliveries (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-2 Summary of Groundwater Pumping (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-3 Summary of Surface Water Flows (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-4 Summary of Precipitation (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-5 Summary of Evapotranspiration (Acre-Feet per Water Year).

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Table 4-6 Summary of Percolation to Groundwater (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-7 Summary of Managed Aquifer Recharge (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-8 Summary of Natural Stream Recharge (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-9 Summary of Precipitation Percolation (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-10 Surface Water Budget Summary (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-11 Groundwater Budget Summary (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-12 Historical and Current Groundwater Budget from C2VSimFG-Kern for the Cawelo GSA. Table 4-13 Net Subsurface Flows In/Out of Cawelo GSA. Table 4-14 Method Comparison, Change in Groundwater Storage, Cawelo GSA. Table 4-15 Historical hydrology for each simulation period. Table 4-16 Data used to estimate State Water Project deliveries for future scenarios. Table 4-17 Projected Future Surface Water Budget Summary for Baseline, 2030 Climate and 2070

Climate Change Conditions over 50-year Hydrologic Period (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 4-18 Projected Future Groundwater Budget Summary for Baseline, 2030 Climate Change and

2070 Climate Change Conditions over 50-year Hydrologic Period (Acre-Feet per Water Year).

Table 4-19 Future Baseline Groundwater Budget Summary Comparison (Acre-Feet per Water Year). Table 6-1 Select Guidelines for Density of Monitoring Wells Table 6-2 Monitoring Well Network in the Cawelo GSA Table 6-3 Construction Information for Monitoring Well Network

Table 7-1. Groundwater Level Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives, Recent Groundwater Elevations, and Interim Milestones for Representative Wells

Table 7-2. Groundwater Level Minimum Thresholds, Measurable Objectives, Recent Groundwater Elevations, and Interim Milestones for Land Subsidence at Representative Wells

List of Figures (following text)

Figure 1-1 Kern County Groundwater Subbasin, Adjacent Basins, and Cawelo GSA Figure 1-2 Figure 2-1 Cawelo GSA and Neighboring Jurisdictional Areas Figure 2-2 GSAs in Kern County Subbasin Figure 2-3 Water Purveyors within Cawelo GSA Figure 2-4 Cawelo GSA Water Supply Features Figure 2-5 Well Density Map Figure 2-6 Land Use 2015 Figure 2-7 Important Farmland Figure 2-8 Agricultural Preserves Figure 2-9 General Plan Areas within Cawelo GSA Figure 3-1 Ground Surface Elevations Figure 3-2 Geologic Map Figure 3-3 Surface Geologic Units Figure 3-4 Soil Textures

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Figure 3-5 1983-2017 Annual Precipitation Figure 3-6 Surface Water Bodies Figure 3-7 Cross Section Transects Figure 3-8 Cross Section A-A’ Figure 3-9 Cross Section B-B’ Figure 3-10 Kern County Subbasin Cross Section with Oil Fields Figure 3-11 Oil Field Administrative Boundaries and Productive Limits Figure 3-12 Oil Field Aquifer Exemptions Figure 3-13 Regional Cross Section Locations Figure 3-14 Regional Hydrostratigraphic Cross Section Figure 3-15 Base of Fresh Water Figure 3-16 Depth to Base of USDW Figure 3-17 Depth to Base of Fresh Groundwater with Exempt Aquifers Figure 3-18 Depth to Base of USDW with Exempt Aquifers Figure 3-19 Representative Hydrographs Figure 3-20 Groundwater Elevation Spring 1998 Figure 3-21 Groundwater Elevation Spring 2013 Figure 3-22 Groundwater Elevation Spring 2017 Figure 3-23 Environmental Cleanup Sites Figure 3-24 TDS Median in Groundwater Figure 3-25 Nitrate Median in Groundwater Figure 3-26 Pesticides in Groundwater Figure 3-27 Arsenic Median in Groundwater Figure 3-28 Boron Median in Groundwater Figure 3-29 Concepts of Land Subsidence Figure 3-30 Historical Subsidence 1926-1970 Figure 3-31 Subsidence 2007-2011 Figure 3-32 Recent Subsidence May 31, 2015 – December 31, 2016 Figure 3-33 Historic Low Groundwater Levels in Cawelo GSA Figure 3-34 Natural Communities and Wetlands within Cawelo GSA Figure 3-35 Groundwater Elevation Profiles Along Section A-A’ Figure 4-1 Checkbook Method Historical Surface Water Budget for Cawelo GSA Figure 4-2 Checkbook Method Historical Groundwater Budget for Cawelo GSA Figure 4-3 Cawelo GSA C2VSim Water Budget Area Kern County Subbasin Figure 4-4 C2VSimFG-Kern Historical Water Budget for Cawelo GSA Figure 4-5 C2VSimFG-Kern Average Annual Water Budget for Cawelo GSA Figure 4-6 C2VSimFG-Kern Change in Groundwater S for Cawelo GSA Figure 4-7 Projected Future Change in Groundwater Storage for Cawelo GSA Figure 6-1 Wells with Water Level Data Figure 6-2 Famoso and Cawelo Coalition Water Quality Network Figure 6-3 Monitoring Well Network Figure 7-1 Relationship between Sustainability Management Criteria

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Figure 7-2 Representative Monitoring for the Cawelo GSA Figure 7-3 Average Change in Groundwater Levels in the Cawelo GSA Figure 7-4 Average Groundwater Level Change Compared to Change in Groundwater Storage Figure 9-1 Projected Future Change in Groundwater Storage for Baseline Conditions Figure 9-2 Projected Future Change in Groundwater Storage for 2030 Climate Conditions Figure 9-3 Projected Future Change in Groundwater Storage for 2070 Climate Conditions Figure 9-4 T27S/26E-12H (RMW-167) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-5 T27S/26E-4R (RMW-168) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-6 T28S/27E-28L (RMW-169) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-7 T26S/26E-24R (RMW-170) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-8 T28S/26E-11M (RMW-171) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-9 T28S/27E-6C (RMW-172) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-10 T27S/26E-33C2 (RMW-173) Baseline & 2030 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-11 T27S/26E-12H (RMW-167) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-12 T27S/26E-4R (RMW-168) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-13 T28S/27E-28L (RMW-169) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-14 T26S/26E-24R (RMW-170) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-15 T28S/26E-11M (RMW-171) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-16 T28S/27E-6C (RMW-172) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels Figure 9-17 T27S/26E-33C2 (RMW-173) Baseline & 2070 Projected Future Groundwater Levels

Appendices

Appendix A - Kern Groundwater Authority (KGA) Joint Powers Agreement Appendix B - Notice of Decision to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency Appendix C – GSP Preparation Checklist Appendix D – Cawelo GSA Outreach Plan

List of Acronyms

AF Acre-Feet AFY Acre-Feet per Year As Arsenic AWMP Agricultural Water Management Plan BMPs Best Management Practices BTEX Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene bgs Below ground surface BVWSD Buena Vista Water Storage District CASGEM California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring CCR California Code of Regulations

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CDFA California Department of Food and Agriculture CDFW California Department of Fish & Wildlife CDMG California Division of Mines and Geology (now California Geological Survey) CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs cubic feet per second CGPS Continuous Global Positioning System CGQMP Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Management Plan CGS California Geological Survey (formerly California Division of Mines and Geology) CIMIS California Irrigation Management Information System CSU California State University CVRWQCB Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, also referred to as Central Valley

Water Board CVC Cross Valley Canal CVP Central Valley Project CV-SALTS Central Valley—Salinity Alternative for Long-Term Sustainability CWD Cawelo Water District CWDC Cawelo Water District Coalition CWSC California Water Science Center C2VSim California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation C2VSimFG-Kern California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model Kern County

Update for the Kern County and White Wolf Subbasin DBCP 1,2-Dibromo 3-chloropropane (also Dibromochloropropane) DDW Division of Drinking Water, SWRCB DEM Digital Elevation Map DO Dissolved Oxygen DOGGR California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources DOT Department of Transportation DPLA Division of Planning and Local Assistance DPR Department of Pesticide Regulation DQO Data Quality Objective DTSC Department of Toxic Substances Control DTW Depth to Water DWR California Department of Water Resources EC Electrical Conductivity EHS Environmental Health Services ELAP Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program EOR Enhanced Oil Recovery ESA European Space Agency ET Evapotranspiration ETo Reference Evapotranspiration EWMP Efficient Water Management Practices ft Feet ft/day Feet per Day FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency GAMA Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment GAR Groundwater Quality Assessment Report

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GDE Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem GICIMA Groundwater Information Center Interactive Map GIS Geographic Information System gpd/ft Gallons per Day per Foot gpm Gallons per Minute GPS Global Positioning System GQTMP Groundwater Quality Trend Monitoring Program GSA Groundwater Sustainability Agency gse Ground surface elevation GSP Groundwater Sustainability Plan GWE Groundwater Elevation GWMP Groundwater Management Plan HCM Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model ID Identification IDC Independent Demand Calculator IFI Important Farmlands Inventory ILRP Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program IM Interim Milestones InSAR Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar IRWMP Integrated Regional Water Management Plan ITRC Irrigation Training and Research Center JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory KCWA Kern County Water Agency KGA Kern Groundwater Authority KRGSA Kern River Groundwater Sustainability Agency LLNL Lawrence Livermore Nation Laboratory LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tank m Meters mgd Million Gallons per Day mg/L Milligrams per Liter or Parts per Million (ppm) msl Mean Sea Level MAR Managed Aquifer Recharge MCL Maximum Contaminant Level METRIC Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration MO Measurable Objective MOU Memorandum of Understanding MPEP Management Practices Evaluation Program MT Minimum Threshold MWC Mutual Water Company M&I Municipal and Industrial N Nitrogen NaCl Sodium Chloride NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NCCAG Natural Communities Commonly Associated with Groundwater NCDC National Climatic Data Center NED National Elevation Dataset NEHRP National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

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NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology NKWSD North Kern Water Storage District NL Notification Level NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NO2 or NO2 Nitrite NO3 or NO3 Nitrate NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service NSF National Science Foundation NWIS National Water Information System OPS Office of Pipeline Safety PAH Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons Pb Lead PBO Plate Boundary Observation PHMSA Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration Plan Groundwater Sustainability Plan ppm Parts per million PRC Public Resources Code QAPP Quality Assurance and Project Plan QA/QC Quality Assurance/Quality Control RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RMP Regional Monitoring Program RMS Representative Monitoring Sites ROD Record of Decision RPE Reference Point Elevation RRBWSD Rosedale Rio Bravo Water Storage District RTK Real-Time-Kinematic RWD Report of Waste Discharge RWMG Regional Water Management Group RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board SB4 Senate Bill 4 SCS Soil Conservation Service SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act SDWIS State Drinking Water Information System Se Selenium SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act SJRRP San Joaquin River Restoration Program SMCL Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level SNMP Salt and Nitrate Management Plan SSJMUD Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utilities District SSURGO Soil Survey Geographic Database SWID Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District SWMP Surface Water Monitoring Plan SWP State Water Project SWPPP Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board SWSD Semitropic Water Storage District

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TCP 1,2,3-Trichloropropane TDS Total Dissolved Solids TLB Tulare Lake Basin TNC The Nature Conservancy TOC Total Organic Carbon TSS Total Suspended Solids UC University of California UIC Underground Injection Control USBR U.S. Bureau of Reclamation USDW Underground Source of Drinking Water USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency USGS U.S. Geological Survey UST Permitted Underground Storage Tank UWMP Urban Water Management Plan VWDC Valley Waste Disposal Company WDL Water Data Library WDR Waste Discharge Requirements WQCP Water Quality Control Plan WSR Water Supply Report WY Water Year, October 1 through September 30 µg/L Micrograms per liter or parts per billion (ppb) µmho/cm Micromhos per centimeter ° Degrees (Direction or Bearing) °F Degrees Fahrenheit

Groundwater Sustainability Plan Cawelo GSA ES-1

WORKING DRAFT TODD GROUNDWATER

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

(Reg. § 354.4) Placeholder.

Groundwater Sustainability Plan ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT Cawelo GSA 1 TODD GROUNDWATER

1. INTRODUCTION

In 2014, the State of California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) that provides local agencies with a framework for managing groundwater basins in a sustainable manner. SGMA requires high priority basins, as defined by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans by January 31, 2020 and achieve sustainability by the year 2040.

The Cawelo Water District (CWD or District) is a local agency in the Kern County Subbasin area, DWR Bulletin 118, 5-022.14, and has established the Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Cawelo GSA) to develop a local Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP or Plan) that is tailored to the resources and needs of the Plan area. DWR has designated the Kern County Subbasin as critically overdrafted and a high priority basin. This document, along with the included tables, figures and attachments is the proposed GSP for the Cawelo GSA.

The District is a member of the Kern Groundwater Authority (KGA) which has formed its own Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and will develop a Plan that covers the KGA plan area and its members’ corresponding coverage areas. The KGA GSA Plan is referred to as the “Umbrella Plan” and each of the individual KGA members will provide their respective GPS that will are referred to as a “Chapter” within the Umbrella Plan.

It is the intent that this document be included as a Chapter in the KGA Umbrella Plan.

1.1. PURPOSE OF THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

The purpose of the Cawelo GSP is to assess water resources and land use conditions within the Cawelo GSA and to implement management activities to achieve long-term groundwater sustainability within the SGMA framework. . Several GSPs by multiple Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) have been developed by multiple GSAs within the Kern County Subbasin. This GSP was developed in conjunction with the other Kern County Groundwater GSPs through a single coordination agreement that covers the entire basin. The coordination agreement is in Appendix 1-A

1.2. AGENCY INFORMATION (REG. § 354.6)

Cawelo Water District (CWD) has actively managed groundwater since its inception in 1965. This management, focused on conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water sources, was formalized in 1994 through adoption of its Groundwater Management Plan (GWMP), subsequently updated in 2007, and December 2013.

SGMA also empowers local agencies to form a GSA for managing groundwater resources in a sustainable manner. Accordingly, the Cawelo GSA was formed to continue groundwater management within its portion of the Kern County Groundwater Subbasin (Figure 1-1) with the goal of achieving sustainability in accordance with SGMA. Cawelo GSA was formed through the following process:

• A properly noticed public hearing was held by CWD on Thursday May 18, 2017 to determine whether to become a GSA.


• The Cawelo Board of Directors subsequently adopted Resolution No. 688 on May 18, 2017 to form a GSA.

• On June 12, 2017, CWD submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) a Notice of Decision to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency, along with required information including a boundary map of the GSA and a list of interested parties.

• After the 90-day review period, Cawelo GSA became an exclusive groundwater sustainability agency.

• On January 10, 2019, the Cawelo GSA Board of Directors approved the expansion of the original Cawelo GSA boundary to incorporate two additional general areas. One of the additional areas is adjacent and to the east of the original GSA boundaries. The second additional area is located further to the southeast and is land in the general area of the Kern River oilfield. (Figure 1-2). The two additional areas are herein referred to as the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA.

• Effective April 09, 2019, the Cawelo Water District and the County of Kern executed a Joint Powers Agreement for the Purpose of Expanding the Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Agency Pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This agreement provides for the authority to manage the Eastern Extension Area lands pursuant to SGMA.

• In May of 2019, in cooperation with neighboring GSAs, the Cawelo GSA submitted a request to DWR to modify the Cawelo GSA coverage area.

• On June 14, 2019, DWR approved the current Cawelo GSA coverage area.

1.2.1. Agency Point of Contact

The point of contact for the Cawelo GSA is:

David Hampton, Assistant General Manager Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Agency 17207 Industrial Farm Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93308 661-393-6072 [email protected]

As required by GSP Regulations §354.6 and SGMA §10723.8, the Notice of Decision to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency is included in Appendix B. This includes the resolution, list of interested parties, and a preliminary service area boundary map.

1.2.2. Organization and Management Structure

The CWD has been approved as of September 10, 2017 to be the exclusive GSA for the portion of the Kern County Subbasin (No. 5-22.14) within the Cawelo GSA boundaries. On June 14, 2019, the modifications to the GSA boundary to include the Eastern Extension Area was approved. The CWD, organized as a California Water District, is governed by a five-person Board of Directors that elects a president from its members and appoints a secretary. The CWD Board of Directors (Board) also serves as the Board of Directors for the Cawelo GSA. The Board meets monthly at its office, located at 17207 Industrial Farm Road, Bakersfield, California. Meetings are announced, and agenda are posted on the CWD website (www.cawelowd.org); the meetings are open to the public. The Board (except as

mailto:[email protected]


otherwise specifically provided in the California Water Code) manages and conducts the business and affairs of the CWD and Cawelo GSA. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting attended by a quorum is necessary to determine any proposition or resolution presented. The Board is supported by operations staff and by administrative staff, including the Assistant General Manager who is the GSA Point of Contact (see above).

The Cawelo GSA welcomes public participation in the ongoing planning and development activities supporting the GSP process. Public meetings regarding development of the GSP are being conducted to encourage public participation and to provide educational outreach. Meeting notices are provided to the list of interested parties that is maintained pursuant to Water Code Section 10723.2. Additionally, GSP development information and meeting notices are posted to the Cawelo GSA website.

CWD is a member of the Kern Groundwater Authority (KGA), which provides a forum for local policy makers, stakeholders, and the public to monitor, report and discuss groundwater activities and issues. The KGA is an exclusive GSA for their defined coverage area and is currently the largest GSA in the Kern County Subbasin 5-022.14. Information on the KGA and its monthly meetings (open to the public) are posted on its website (www.kerngwa.com). CWD is signatory to the KGA Joint Powers Agreement (Appendix 1A) that supports implementation of SGMA within the Kern County Subbasin and coordinates preparation of GSPs. Cawelo GSA participates actively with the Kern Groundwater Authority and its members and meets with other local GSAs.

1.2.3. Legal Authority of the GSA

The CWD is a public agency overlying a portion of the Kern County Subbasin. The CWD is a California Water District formed on February 16, 1965, under the provisions of California Water Code Division 13 for the purpose of obtaining a supplemental or partial water supply for irrigation; therefore, it is qualified to form a GSA.

As stated in Water Code §10732, the Cawelo GSA has the power to develop and implement SGMA, including a GSP. The GSA can adopt standards for measuring and reporting water use, develop and implement policies designed to reduce or eliminate overdraft within the boundaries of the GSA, develop and implement conservation best management practices, and develop and implement metering, monitoring and reporting related to groundwater pumping.

On January 10, 2019, the Cawelo GSA Board of Directors approved the expansion of the original Cawelo GSA boundary to incorporate two additional general areas. One of the additional areas is adjacent and to the east of the original GSA boundaries. The second additional area is located further to the southeast and is land in the general area of the Kern River oilfield (Figure 1-2). The CWD and the County of Kern executed a Joint Powers Agreement for the Purpose of Expanding the Cawelo Groundwater Sustainability Agency Pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This agreement provides for the authority to manage the additional areas outside the CWD boundaries.

1.2.4. GSP Development Costs and Funding Sources

The Cawelo GSA approach to costs includes a Cawelo GSA component that is focused on local conditions and issues and a regional effort through the KGA that supports regional coordination. In January 2018, Cawelo GSA contracted with Todd Groundwater to develop the Cawelo GSP for the initial area, with a contract amount for $484,394. The scope of work was expanded to include the Eastern Extension Area for an additional contract amount not to exceed $146,583 for a total of $630,977. In addition, specific


costs for general SGMA related basin efforts are shared among KGA members; these include administrative services, technical assistance, groundwater modeling, and model peer review. The cost allocation for Cawelo GSA, based on the Special Activities Agreement, is 5.413% (KGA, 2018). The estimated expenditures for Cawelo GSA’s share of the general basin efforts to complete the GSP are $360,000.

The total costs for Cawelo GSA, SGMA related support, and GSP development is estimated to be $990K through January 31, 2020 which includes SGMA and GSA activities during the 2017 and 2018 years. Currently, the CWD is funding the related SGMA cost for the main GSA area. The Cawelo GSA is currently considering land based assessment fees and water pumping toll charges that will reimburse the CWD for related expenditures.

1.3. GSP ORGANIZATION

This GSP is organized generally to follow the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Annotated Outline provided by DWR as one of its Guidance Documents. Major sections include:

• Executive Summary • Introduction (including Agency Information) • Plan Area • Basin Setting • Sustainable Management Criteria • Monitoring Networks • Projects and Management Actions • Plan Implementation

A Preparation Checklist demonstrating compliance with SGMA is included in Appendix 1C.


2. CAWELO GSA PLAN AREA

The following sections, consistent with GSP Regulations §354.8, provide general agency information, a description of the Plan Area, and land use planning for the Cawelo GSA. For the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA, the plan area primarily consists of addressing SGMA issues related to the operations at the Kern River, Kern Front, and Poso Creek Oil Fields.

2.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN AREA

The Kern County Subbasin and the Cawelo GSA are located within Kern County. The following provides a general description of the Cawelo GSA Plan Area.

2.1.1. Geographic Area

The Cawelo GSA area encompasses about 70 square miles in Kern County (Figure 2-1) and is mostly highly-developed agriculture on prime farmland. Cawelo GSA is bounded by four water districts that include:

• North Kern Water Storage District to the west, • Kern-Tulare Water District to the north, • Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utilities District to the northwest, and • Improvement District #4 to the south.

Cawelo GSA is generally located between U.S. Highway 99 on the west and State Highway 65 on the east, with the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA located east and southeast of State Highway 65. A small area of the City of Shafter city limits extends into the Cawelo GSA. The City of Bakersfield city limit extends along the southwestern boundary of Cawelo GSA, and the City of McFarland is located about two miles the northwest (Figure 2-1). The Eastern Extension Area is largely in the foothills that are oil field operations and undeveloped land. The cities of Oildale and Bakersfield lie to the south and west of the Eastern Extension Area Small areas of Oildale and Bakersfield city limits extend into the Eastern Extension Area (Figure 2-1).

The Cawelo GSA is located in the north-central portion of the Kern County Subbasin of the San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Basin as defined by DWR (DWR Basin 5-22.14). Figure 1-1 shows the boundaries of the Cawelo GSA within the larger Kern County Subbasin. Cawelo GSA is located completely within the Kern County Subbasin and does not directly border any other subbasin. As shown on Figure 1-1, there are four subbasins adjacent to the Kern County Subbasin:

• Kettleman Plain Subbasin (DWR Basin 5-22.10) • Tulare Lake Subbasin (DWR Basin 5-22.12) • Tule Subbasin (DWR Basin 5-22.13) • White Wolf Subbasin (DWR Basin 5-22.18)

The Cawelo GSA is one of eleven GSAs that have been formed in the Kern County Subbasin. Figure 2-2 shows the boundaries of all GSAs in the Kern County Subbasin in relation to the location of the Cawelo GSA. The other GSAs defined for the Kern County Subbasin are:

• Buena Vista Water Storage District GSA


• Greenfield County Water District GSA • Henry Miller Water District GSA • Kern River GSA • Kern Groundwater Authority GSA • McFarland GSA • Olcese GSA • Pioneer GSA • Semitropic Water Storage District GSA • West Kern Water District GSA

2.1.2. Jurisdictional Agencies

The area of the Cawelo GSA coincides with the area of the CWD, who manages the area as an exclusive GSA. The Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA extends to the east beyond the area of the Cawelo Water District. No areas are managed for which the Cawelo GSA is not the exclusive GSA. No adjudicated areas exist in the Kern County Subbasin and no Alternative Plans were submitted.

Through the Kern County Planning & Community Development Department, Kern County has jurisdiction for land use planning for unincorporated areas. The County also has responsibility for well permitting through its Department of Public Health. The City of Shafter and Metropolitan Bakersfield are local jurisdictions with land use planning authority within parts of the Cawelo GSA. The City of Shafter General Plan planning area overlaps small areas along the western boundary of Cawelo GSA (Figure 2-9). The City of Shafter is a groundwater dependent and a disadvantaged community. The City of Bakersfield is adjacent to part of the Cawelo GSA southern boundary, and portions of the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan planning area overlap the Cawelo GSA (Figure 2-9). The City of Oildale that is adjacent to the southern boundary of the Eastern Extension Area is also a disadvantaged community. Additional discussion of these general plans is provided in Section 2.5.

Two water purveyors provide water supply to small portions of the Cawelo GSA (Figure 2-3). The City of Shafter Water Department’s service area overlaps a small portion of the Cawelo GSA western boundary (Shafter, 2016). However, the parcels located in both the City and Cawelo GSA are largely open land with some storage and warehousing land use. The Oildale Mutual Water Company (Oildale MWC) provides water supply to industrial areas in the southern end of Cawelo. For other areas within the Cawelo GSA, domestic and industrial water supply is met from private groundwater wells.

Review of the DWR Water Management Planning Tool (2018) reveals the nearby presence of several Bakersfield Cactus ecological reserves administered by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW); however, none overlie the Cawelo GSA, but one area is adjacent to the Cawelo GSA (Figure 2-1). No other state or federal agencies are known to administer land in the Cawelo GSA, such as military installations, United States Forest Service lands, other federal lands, or state parks. However, several small parcels that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management are located within the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA. No tribal lands are documented in the DWR Water Management Planning Tool or are known to exist in the Cawelo GSA. Poso Creek, which crosses CWD, drains toward the Kern National Wildlife Refuge about 25 miles west of Cawelo GSA.

The oil field operations in the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSP must comply with a regulatory framework that includes federal, state, and county level regulations. These regulations have direct and indirect implications for the Cawelo GSP and the sustainability of groundwater and groundwater quality,


including groundwater monitoring plans and water management plans. The details of the regulatory setting are presented in section 2.7 Regulatory Framework of Oil Field Operations.

2.1.3. Water Supply

Water supply for the Cawelo GSA is from groundwater, local surface water from Poso Creek, imported water (State Water Project, Kern River and Federal Central Valley Project), treated oilfield-produced water, and conjunctive use programs. The water supply production and use in the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA is relatively low compared to the CWD portion of the Cawelo GSA.

Groundwater. Groundwater in the Cawelo GSA is pumped from the underlying Kern County Subbasin, which is one of the largest in the state, covering approximately 2,800 square miles and containing more than 40,000,000 acre-feet (AF) of groundwater in storage (DWR, 2006; 2016c). The local aquifer system is replenished by percolation of overlying surface water and precipitation, groundwater inflow originating primarily from the uplands to the east, agricultural irrigation return flow, and CWD groundwater recharge and water banking programs.

Most groundwater pumping within CWD is attributable to on-farm pumping, with some pumping for rural domestic and commercial uses. CWD maintains and operates 16 deep wells to supplement deliveries of surface water as needed (CWD, 2015b). In years when the availability of imported surface water is limited, local landowners pump groundwater from privately-owned wells consistent with CWD’s conjunctive management strategy.

Imported Water. The primary source of surface supply for CWD is its allocation of State Water Project (SWP) water through the Kern County Water Agency (KCWA), the local SWP contractor. SWP water is diverted from the California Aqueduct and conveyed through the Cross Valley Canal and delivered to CWD via the Beardsley-Lerdo Canal (Figure 2-4). CWD has a contract for 38,200 AF per year (AFY) with KCWA but does not receive the full amount due to shortages in SWP supplies. Water supplies available from the SWP are governed by watershed precipitation, snow melt runoff and other regulatory factors. Accordingly, CWD receives an annual allocation. SWP allocations are variable, with frequent shortages, and can be quite limited in a dry year such as 2014. In a year when the SWP water supply is less than the total CWD contract amount, each water user is allocated a pro-rated share of the total. Historically, CWD has received an annual Article 21 allocation of approximately 6,800 AF; however, due to restrictions on pumping water from the Delta, Article 21 water has become less available to CWD and other districts over time (CWD, 2015b).

Water from the Central Valley Project (CVP), operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), used within the Cawelo GSA is Section 215 water, which is a temporary supply of CVP water made available in large water supply years. While CWD is not a long-term CVP contractor, the USBR at times has made annual contracts available to non-CVP contractors for purchase and diversion of Section 215 supplies. These are generally un-storable and unmanaged flood flows of short duration and their availability depends on hydrologic conditions of the San Joaquin River and diversions from the Friant-Kern Canal. Given recent completion of the Calloway-to-Lerdo Intertie and the Friant-Kern Canal connection (Figure 2-4), CWD is now capable of receiving CVP Section 215 deliveries and other exchanges.

In previous years, CWD purchased, on average, about 27,000 AFY of Kern River water from the City of Bakersfield that was delivered to CWD via the Lerdo Canal (Figure 2-4). The basic delivery schedule under this contract, which is no longer a reliable supply, called for 2,700 AF per month to be delivered during March and April, and 5,400 AF per month during May through August. The contract also made


available for sale “miscellaneous water” which occasionally was available in addition to the contract amount. CWD has been in discussions with the City of Bakersfield to reach a new agreement for the diversion of Kern River water (CWD, 2015b).

Surface Water. Poso Creek traverses the Cawelo GSA about midway between the District’s northern and southern boundaries (Figure 2-4). Poso Creek originates in the Southern Sierra Nevada and flows westward across CWD. CWD currently monitors Poso Creek at Trenton Weir near State Highway 65. The annual flow at this site has exceeded 120,000 AF, but many years it has little to no flow. While flows are variable, some CWD landowners do occasionally exercise their riparian rights to divert water from Poso Creek.

In 2000, CWD was issued a permit to divert water from Poso Creek for beneficial use at a rate of approximately 110 cubic feet per second (cfs), with the volume limited to 30,000 AF between November 1 and June 14 of the following year. An agreement between CWD, North Kern Water Storage District, and Semitropic Water Storage District allocated the first 135 cfs of Poso Creek flow (as measured at the State Highway 65 gaging station) to CWD.

The Kern River flows within and along the southern boundary of the Eastern Extension Areas of the Cawelo GSA (Figure 2-4). The Kern River originates in the Southern Sierra Nevada and flows westward across the southern portion of the Eastern Extension Area. Several stream flow gages are located on the Kern River; the United States Geological Survey (USGS) operates several gages upstream of the City of Bakersfield and flow data on the River has been collected since the 1890s.

Treated Oilfield-Produced Water. CWD purchases up to 36,000 AFY of produced water from local oil extraction operations including Chevron and CRC official Name? (formerly Valley Water Management Company). The treated oilfield produced water is pumped to CWD Reservoir B through a separate pipeline from the Kern River and Kern Front Oilfields . This water is treated to conform with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (CVRWQCB) waste discharge requirements and is blended with water from other sources before delivery to the CWD’s water users where it is used for both irrigation and groundwater recharge in banking projects. Supplies from this source are dependent on local oil production, because the water is incidental to the production of oil. In recent years, the total delivery of treated oilfield produced water has ranged between 20,000 and 37,000 AF and is expected to remain in this range for the foreseeable future.

Conjunctive Use Programs. CWD has based its irrigation distribution system on conjunctive management of its surface water and groundwater resources. Surplus surface water supplies are available for direct groundwater recharge within the District. CWD operates over 400 acres of spreading basins; the largest spreading site, the Famoso Project Basins, encompass about 370 acres along Poso Creek near Highway 99 (Figure 2-4). The Poso Creek Basin, with over 30 acres, is along Poso Creek just west of Highway 65. Other CWD reservoirs, used for operational storage, also contribute some recharge (CWD, 2015b). CWD maintains and operates 16 deep wells for recovering this groundwater recharge to supplement deliveries of surface water for beneficial uses as needed.

CWD also operates a long-term “In-Lieu Water Banking Program” that allows “banking partners” to store “surplus” water in CWD and to recover their water when needed. Water banking involves the regulation of surplus surface water supplies, by placing the water into groundwater storage for subsequent recovery. The storage is achieved through either indirect or direct recharge. Indirect recharge is based on the delivery of surface water in-lieu of pumping groundwater (CWD, 2015b).


2.1.4. Canals, Conveyance and Infrastructure

The Cawelo Water District (CWD) is primarily irrigated agriculture and the Eastern Extension Area is predominantly oil fields. The CWD supplies imported water for beneficial uses such as irrigation and groundwater banking. Sources of imported water include Kern River water, SWP, CVP, and oilfield produced water. Irrigation return flows and infiltration from water conveyance systems account for one half of groundwater inflows using the checkbook method. CWD receives imported surface water conveyed by a network of canals, pipelines, pump stations and reservoirs (CWD, 2007). The CWD shares the following facilities (Figure 2-4) with other water districts.

• Beardsley Canal • Part of the Lerdo Canal • Part of the Calloway Canal • Calloway to Lerdo Intertie • Cross Valley Canal to Calloway Canal Intertie - • Cross Valley Canal

CWD’s major water distribution infrastructure includes six pump stations with associated discharge pipelines, an irrigation distribution system, five reservoirs, and recharge basins (CWD 2015). These facilities and capacities are listed below:

• Pump Stations and Discharge Pipelines o Pump Station and Conduit A CVC Extension to Beardsley Canal (165.0 cfs) o Pump Station and Conduit B Lerdo Canal to Reservoir B ( 212.0 cfs) o Pump Station and Conduit C North of Poso Service Area (120.0 cfs) o Pump Station and Conduit D Lerdo Canal to Pump Station E and F (130.0 cfs) o Pump Station and Conduit E Western Service Area (80.0 cfs) o Pump Station and Conduit F Famoso Service Area (30.0 cfs)

• Irrigation Distribution System o 6.5 miles of lined canals (250.0 cfs) o 53 miles of main and lateral pipeline (various capacities)

• Reservoirs o Reservoir B (140 AF) o Robertson Reservoir (120 AF) o Poso Reservoir (400 AF) o Reservoir C (125 AF) o Reservoir E (49 AF)

• Recharge Basins: o Famoso Groundwater Banking Project Basins (374 AF) (K/J, 2011) o East Poso

Water from the State Water Project is delivered from the State aqueduct to the Cross Valley Canal, then to the Beardsley Canal which becomes the Lerdo Canal, then to Pump Station B, Reservoir B, and to CWD’s service area (GEI, 2007). Central Valley Project (CVP) water flows from the Friant-Kern Canal through the Cross Valley Canal Extension, the Beardsley and Lerdo canals, then to Pump Station B, Reservoir B, and CWD’s service area (CWD, 2007). Kern River water from the City of Bakersfield is diverted to the Beardsley and Lerdo canals and to Reservoir B. Oilfield produced water from both


Chevron USA Inc. and CRC is delivered by pipeline to CWD’s Reservoir B. Historically, CWD received produced water from Shaefer Oil Company which was delivered by pipeline to Reservoir C.

2.1.5. Water Well Density

The density of water supply wells in and around Cawelo GSA is based on the DWR Well Completion Report Map Application tool (Figure 2-5a & 2.5b). As indicated, the density of supply wells is relatively low in Cawelo GSA, ranging from zero to ten wells per section except for a small area straddling the southeastern boundary of the Eastern Extension Area. Wells in this section are domestic wells (Figure 2-6a) and have a density of 26 to 30 wells. The general low density of wells in the Cawelo GSA reflects the prevailing agricultural land uses and scarcity of residences and businesses, all of which depend on groundwater.

2.2. WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Water resources management have a long history in the Cawelo GSA area. Management programs are conducted by local water agencies at regional and local scales. Additionally, the oil and gas companies that operate in the Eastern Extension Area of the Cawelo GSA have an indirect role in the local water management within the context of environmental regulations that affect the local water resources.

2.2.1. CWD Water Management Plans

CWD has developed several local water management plans in accordance with state and local regulations. These plans are summarized below.

Agricultural Water Management Plan, December 2015. The Agricultural Water Management Plan (AWMP) (CWD, 2015b) involves planning and operations to provide an adequate, reliable and acceptable agricultural water supply for the landowners of CWD. CWD’s water supplies are defined as water that is delivered to CWD water management facilities for the purposes of agricultural, groundwater recharge, transfer and exchange, or irrigation water uses. Agricultural water supply, primarily for crop irrigation, includes water delivered to CWD’s service area landowners from both surface water and groundwater sources. The AWMP describes CWD, its service area, water management facilities and operations, and water shortage policies and drought plan. It also documents water use (agricultural, groundwater recharge, transfers and exchanges, etc.), describes the quantity and quality of water sources (State Water Project, Kern River, Central Valley Project, Oilfield-Produced Water, Poso Creek, and groundwater), and assesses future water supply reliability, including analysis of climate change effects. The implementation of Efficient Water Management Practices (EWMPs) are addressed, as are water measurement practices.

Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Management Plan, May 2015. This plan (CWD Coalition, 2015a) is responsive to the RWQCB’s General Order No. R5-2013-0120 (Waste Discharge Requirements General Order for Growers within the Tulare Lake Basin Area that are Members of a Third-Party Group; herein General Order) and describes the CWD Coalition area and upstream supplemental coverage area. It identifies nitrate as the constituent of concern for the plan, describes the physical setting, and establishes objectives. The management strategy involves determination of nitrate sources, and if agriculture is a source, identifies education and outreach programs to improve irrigation and nutrient practices, along with an implementation plan and procedures for monitoring and reporting.


CWD Groundwater Management Plan, 2007. The Groundwater Management Plan (CWD, 2007) describes the powers of CWD as a Water Replenishment District, establishes management goals and objectives, and documents water supply and groundwater conditions. The Plan also documents monitoring programs and protocols for groundwater, surface water, and subsidence monitoring. Groundwater management activities are described, including then-current CWD facilities and programs under development such as the Poso Creek Diversion Project, Famoso Water Banking Project, and other conjunctive use, banking, and transfer programs. Groundwater quality protection programs are described, as are groundwater sustainability programs.

2.2.2. Regional Water Management Plans

Several regional water management programs that include the Cawelo GSA area are briefly summarized below.

Water Quality Control Plan for the Tulare Lake Basin 4, 2018. The Tulare Lake Basin Water Quality Control Plan, or Basin Plan (CRWQCB, 2018), comprises the drainage area of the San Joaquin Valley south of the San Joaquin River including all of the Kern County Subbasin. The Basin Plan consists of designated beneficial uses to be protected, water quality objectives to protect those uses, and a program of implementation needed for achieving the objectives in accordance with the California Water Code, Section 13050(j).

Beneficial uses, together with their corresponding water quality objectives, meet both state and federal requirements for water quality control (40 CFR Parts 130 and 131). California's basin plans establish standards for groundwater in addition to surface waters. The designated beneficial uses for groundwater in Cawelo GSA include:

• Agricultural Supply • Municipal and Domestic Supply, and • Industrial Service and Process Supply.

The designated beneficial uses of surface water from Poso Creek include:

• Agricultural Supply • Water Recreation • Warm water fish habitat, Freshwater and Wildlife Habitat, and • Groundwater Recharge and Freshwater Replenishment.

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, 2014. The Poso Creek Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) 2014 Update (Poso Creek RWMG, 2014) provides a framework for regional coordination of groundwater and surface water management activities and for implementation of the measures necessary to meet those objectives. The IRWMP describes the region, provides goals and objectives, and identifies and evaluates projects and programs, including assessment of climate change. An overarching conclusion of the IRWMP is that imported surface water supplies have been largely unreliable on an annual basis and will likely remain so in the future; this situation has led to increased groundwater pumping and groundwater level declines. These need to be addressed proactively, or economic, environmental, and social burdens will be felt by groundwater users--agricultural, environmental, municipal, community, and domestic.


With this situation in mind, the Poso Creek Regional Water Management Group (RWMG), which includes CWD, has actively identified and evaluated programs and projects and has sought state and federal funding. The 2014 Update provides a summary of accomplishments since the 2006 establishment of the RWMG. The regional approach taken by the RWMG has led to the successful completion of approximately $82 million in planning, project (structural), and program (non-structural) implementation activities to enhance water resources management and thereby mitigate the actual and anticipated reductions to surface water supplies delivered to the region. These efforts have helped to increase water use effectiveness in the region through greater absorption and groundwater recharge and have helped to alleviate some of the water resources issues that are otherwise unresolvable and unmanageable under an individualized district planning focus.

Kern Storm Water Resource Plan, 2016. The Kern Storm Water Resource Plan was developed for the benefit of the Kern and Poso Creek Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) groups and encompasses their combined boundaries (Provost & Pritchard, 2016). The Plan includes a comprehensive review and description of watersheds located within the Plan boundaries. It describes both surface and groundwater resources, water suppliers, and watershed priorities. Following the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Guidelines, natural habitat, existing water bodies, open space and watershed processes were reviewed and presented. The Plan addresses how water quality standards will be complied with and includes provision for modification of stream channels or lake beds and provides requirements for monitoring, data collection and management. It summarizes evaluation of 12 specific project proposals.

2.2.3. Urban Water Management Plans

While land use in the Cawelo GSA is predominantly agricultural, a small area of it is overlapped by the water supply services areas of the City of Shafter and Oildale MWC (Figure 2-3). Each of these has prepared an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) (Shafter, 2016; Dee Jaspar, 2016) in accordance with the Urban Water Management Planning Act.

A UWMP is a long-term planning tool that provides information regarding an urban water supplier’s existing and projected sources of water supply, existing and projected water demands, water service reliability, water conservation and demand management measures, and water shortage contingency planning. The UWMPs determine per capita water use, establish water use reduction goals, and document performance.

City of Shafter Urban Water Management Plan, 2015. The City of Shafter relies solely on groundwater for its supply and has experienced long-term groundwater level declines. The City generally has responded with construction of new wells or deepening of existing wells. In addition, the City has implemented water conservation efforts, including its ongoing metering program. For wastewater treatment, the City has a Joint Powers Agreement with North of the River Sanitation District. While the City currently does not use recycled water for its water system applications, a portion of its treated effluent is used for crop irrigation and recharged.

Oildale MWC Urban Water Management Plan, 2015. The Oildale MWC service area includes a portion of southern CWD and Southeast Shafter. The latter area is currently agricultural land expected to be developed for urban uses. Oildale MWC has access to imported water from KCWA and uses groundwater; in addition, local wastewater is recycled by North of the River Sanitation District through


direct percolation or indirect recharge through delivery for agricultural use. Water demands in Southeast Shafter are anticipated to be met with groundwater.

2.2.4. Aquifer Exemption Applications in the Eastern Extension Area

The purpose of the aquifer exemption application process is to evaluate whether an aquifer or portion of an aquifer to be exempted currently serves as a source of drinking water or will serve as a source of drinking water in the future. The criteria for aquifer exemptions are established in federal law under title 40, part 146.4, of the Code of Federal Regulations, and expanded upon in state law under Public Resources Code section 3131.

Four aquifer exemption applications that overlap with the Cawelo GSA have been submitted to the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), including applications for the Poso Creek Field, McVan area of the Poso Creek Field, Kern Front Vedder Aquifer, and the Kern River Field. DOGGR and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have approved applications for the Poso Creek, McVan area, and Vedder Aquifer (Appendix D and F) (USEPA, 2017; USEPA, 2018).The Kern River Field aquifer exemption application is currently (2019) under review.

The Kern River Field operators submitted an application in 2017 to the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) requesting and expansion of the currently exempted aquifer boundary for hydrocarbon producing portion of the Kern River Formation beneath the Kern River Field. The Kern River Field exempted aquifer was included in the 1981 Primacy Application submitted by DOGGR to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and approved by the USEPA in 1982. The exempted aquifer boundary is based on 1973-1974 DOGGR maps of the oil/water contact.

The Kern River Field operators are permitted to produce oil from wells outside the 1982-approved aquifer exemption boundary using enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods that typically uses steam injection. Continued production outside the current exempted aquifer boundary will require that portions of the Kern River Formation that contain producible oil be exempted from an underground source of drinking water, under 40 CFR §146.4 (K/J, 2017). After recommendation from DOGGR, the USEPA may exempt the aquifer as a potential underground source of drinking water if it satisfies 40 CFR §146.4, including the provisions that it does not currently serve as a source of drinking water, and will not in the future serve as a source of drinking water because it is hydrocarbon producing (K/J, 2017).

2.3. WATER RESOURCES MONITORING

Water resources monitoring and management have a long history in the Cawelo GSA area. Monitoring and management programs are conducted by water agencies at regional and local scales, ranging from federal and state programs (e.g., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) programs, respectively) and regional plans (e.g., Integrated Regional Water Management Plans) to water system monitoring by local entities such as CWD and Oildale MWC. Water resource monitoring programs for the Cawelo GSA are summarized below.

2.3.1. Water Supply Monitoring

Climate. Long-term climate data are available from the Bakersfield Airport climate station (NOAA, 2018) for approximately the last 50 years, from water year 1965 to water year 2017. A portion of the


Bakersfield Airport overlies the southern area of the Cawelo GSA. The California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) was developed by DWR to collect climate data relevant to agricultural operations. The closest active CIMIS station to Cawelo is the Shafter Station #5 located at a former USDA Cotton Research facility on Shafter Avenue. The station’s record began June 1, 1982, with a one-year gap in 2012-2013, and currently is active. CIMIS Station #138, located at Famoso, is currently inactive but historical data are available from April 9, 1997 to December 29, 2015. Information on CIMIS stations and CIMIS data are available online (CIMIS, 2018). Precipitation and temperatures are also monitored at the CWD office located within CWD with precipitation data beginning in 1996.

Imported water deliveries. CWD monitors irrigation water deliveries throughout the its distribution system, CWD has installed meters on all pumping plants and canal and pipeline turnouts that are read daily (CWD, 2015b). CWD monitors the flow and volumes of water received from oil extraction operations for irrigation and delivery. CWD also monitors the flow into its Famoso and Poso Creek recharge basins.

Regionally, KCWA (the contractor for SWP water) regularly accounts for and reports its SWP supplies for Kern County in its Report on Water Conditions. KCWA monitors daily all turnouts from the California Aqueduct and all turnouts along the Cross Valley Canal (KCWA, 2001).

2.3.2. Groundwater Conditions Monitoring

CWD established a groundwater monitoring program that includes monitoring of groundwater levels, groundwater quality, imported surface water, Poso Creek gaging, and conjunctive use operations. Additional data are available from local, state, and federal agencies.

Wells and groundwater pumping. CWD operates 18 wells and pumping for these wells has been tabulated monthly since initiation of pumping for each well since 1990. Estimates of pumping from privately-owned wells are not reported to CWD unless the water is pumped into the CWD system for conveyance and delivery. Although infrequent, water pumped from certain private wells is used for CWD purposes through an agreement with the private well owner (CWD, 2015b).

Groundwater levels. CWD commenced a Groundwater Monitoring Program in the fall of 1979, and currently measures groundwater levels in approximately 250 wells on a semi-annual basis (CWD, 2015b).

CWD is the local CASGEM monitoring entity; the program includes regular measurement of seven wells. CASGEM data are available from CWD and from DWR’s Groundwater Information Center Interactive Map (GICIMA), a database that collects and stores groundwater elevations and depth-to-water measurements. No data have been collected by USGS.

2.3.3. Water Quality Monitoring

CWD maintains extensive water quality monitoring that reflects distinct programs that monitor water quality for groundwater, surface water, imported water, and treated oilfield-produced water. The availability of water quality data from state and local sources are summarized below.

CWD Water Quality Monitoring. CWD conducts groundwater monitoring programs to satisfy the requirements of previously existing WDR permits that authorize CWD to receive oilfield-produced waters for the purposes of irrigation and groundwater recharge. Water samples are collected annually


from designated wells and analyzed for constituents of concern including nitrate, salinity, and arsenic. This information is compiled and reported to the Regional Board per the requirements of the WDRs (CWD Coalition, 2015).

Annual sampling is conducted of CWD-owned and some private wells (CWD, 2016 AWMP Table 38). Groundwater pumped from CWD deep wells is sampled in years of heavy use—typically during years of reduced surface water supplies.

CWD actively monitors imported surface water quality. Most monitoring locations are at District pumping stations where the principal surface water supplies from the SWP and Kern River are imported to CWD. Samples are collected and analyzed at each of Pump Stations “A” and “B” on a monthly basis. In addition, DWR regularly monitors the water quality at several locations along the California Aqueduct. The United States Bureau of Reclamation also conducts routine water quality testing along the Friant-Kern Canal.

Treated oilfield water is sampled monthly at Reservoir B for agricultural suitability (CWD, 2015b). Water quality reports for this source of supply are prepared by the treated oilfield producers and provided to the CVRWQCB to illustrate compliance with regulations and guidelines contained in their respective discharge permits.

Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP). The Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) of the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) regulates discharges from irrigated lands. The ILRP focuses on priority water quality issues, such as pesticides and toxicity, nutrients, and sediments. The Cawelo Water District Coalition (CWDC) monitors surface water and groundwater quality associated with agricultural activities (CWD, 2015b) under this program. Additional details of the ILRP relevant for the Cawelo GSA are outlined in section 2.3.4 Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.

State-Wide Groundwater Quality Monitoring. State-wide sources of groundwater quality data include the DWR’s Water Data Library (WDL), GeoTracker/GAMA program, and SWRCB Division of Drinking Water data. DWR’s WDL is a repository for groundwater quality data. Samples are collected from a variety of well types including irrigation, stock, domestic, and some public supply wells. WDL has groundwater quality data from 43 wells in the Cawelo GSA; these data have been included in the CWD database.

2.3.4. Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program

2.3.4.1. Background The Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) was established in 2003 by the Central Valley Water Board with the Waste Discharge Requirements for discharges from irrigated lands. The ILRP provides requirements for discharging waste from irrigated agriculture to surface water. The ILRP also required completion of an environmental impact report for the long-tern ILRP to protect California groundwater and surface waters. The general goals of the long-term ILRP are to provide the highest reasonable quality of state waters and safe and reliable drinking water. The objectives of the ILRP are established to meet the water quality goals. The State of California Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) adopted the Waste Discharge Requirements General Order for Growers within the Tulare Lake Basin Area that are Members of a Third-Party Group, Order R5-2013-0120 (General Order) on September 19, 2013 replacing the Ag Waiver Program (General Order R5-2006-0053).


Requirements for evaluating and protecting surface water quality are established by the General Order and include:

• Surface Water Monitoring Plan (SWMP) with a Quality Assurance and Project Plan (QAPP), • 2019 Pesticide Monitoring Plan, and • Sediment Discharge and Erosion Assessment Report.

Requirements for evaluating and protecting groundwater quality established by the General Order include:

• Groundwater Quality Assessment Report (GAR), • Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Management Plan (CGQMP), • Groundwater Quality Trend Monitoring Program (GQTMP), and • Management Practices Evaluation Program (MPEP).

Cawelo Water District Coalition (CWDC) is the third-party representing the growers in the CWD for compliance with the General Order and Revising Order R5-2014_0143 (Revising Order). The CWDC was authorized to act as the third-party group representative on April 25, 2014 and assist irrigated agriculture within the CDWC with compliance of the ILRP.

Members of Third-Party Groups such as the CWDC are expected to comply with the General Order and conduct water quality monitoring and implement water quality management practices to comply with surface and groundwater receiving limitations established in the General Order. Management practices include sediment discharge and erosion prevention and irrigation and nitrogen management. At a minimum, water quality management practices required for individual members are:

• “Minimize waste discharge offsite in surfaces water, • Minimize percolation of waste to groundwater, and • Protect wellheads from surface water intrusion (General Order R5-2013-0120 ).”

Waste discharges from irrigated lands include irrigation return flows, tailwater, drainage water, subsurface (tile) drains, stormwater runoff, and aerial drift and overspraying of pesticides. Potential discharge pathways to groundwater include percolation through the subsurface, backflow of waste into wells, discharge into unproductive wells and dry wells, and leaching from tailwater ponds or sedimentation basins. The General Order applies to any discharge waste that could reach surface or groundwaters of California.

2.3.4.2. Surface Water

2.3.4.2.1. Surface Water Monitoring Plan The purpose of the Surface Water Monitoring Plan (SWMP) is to obtain data and evaluate the impact of irrigated agriculture on surface-water quality in the CWDC area and determine if existing or new agricultural management practices comply with surface water receiving limitations defined by the General Order (CWDC, 2014). The CWDC SWMP was reviewed on December 29, 2014. Revisions to the SWMP are required. The description of the SWMP that follows is from the 2014 version of the SWMP (CVRWQCB, 2014).


Seven miles of the Poso Creek channel are in the CWDC area. The irrigated agriculture in the CWDC is the first area of irrigated agriculture are that could impact the quality of Poso Creek waters. Agricultural lands front the north and south sides of Poso Creek for several miles and have potential for surface runoff to reach the channel. Water quality monitoring of this section of Poso Creek provides data to evaluate the impact of agricultural management practices on Poso Creek waters (CWDC, 2014).

Monitoring is performed at Poso Creek at Highway 65 and Poso Creek at Highway 99 monitoring stations, which replace the Poso Creek at Zerker Road monitoring station. The Poso Creek at Highway 65 monitoring station is located where Poso Creek begins to pass through irrigated agriculture. The station is about 0.7 miles east of irrigated agriculture defined by the eastern boundary of the CWDC area. Water quality at this monitoring station provides a baseline for Poso Creek waters entering the CWDC area. The Poso Creek at U.S. Highway 99 monitoring station is located at the west boundary of the CWDC area and is used to monitor for potential impacts from irrigated agriculture in the CWDC area. Data collected from the Highway 99 monitoring station is compared with data from the Highway 65 monitoring station. Both monitoring stations are core monitoring sites with assessment monitoring occurring every three years (CWDC 2014).

Sediment toxicity testing is performed twice a year for Poso Creek, which is an intermittent stream. Storm runoff sampling and testing is required for two storm runoff events. The sampling of storm runoff flows occurs three days after the flow event begins and there should be no flow for the prior thirty days. For periods of continuous flow in Poso Creek, precipitation will be monitored to determine when a secondary storm runoff event is occurring. Flow is to increase by 50% or more to be identified as a storm runoff event and sampling will occur on the third day of the flow event (CWDC, 2014).

Field measurements of flow, conductivity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen are measured at the time of sample collection. Water samples are analyzed for E. Coli, total organic carbon (TOC), CaCo3, total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, ammonia, nitrogen (NO3 and NO2), orthophosphate, nine metals (including As, Pb, and Se), and thirty pesticides. Both water and sediment samples are evaluated for toxicity. Water samples are evaluated for parameters and sediments are tested for one parameter. Sediment samples are tested for TOC, grain size, and nine pesticides. Results and evaluations are submitted through Quarterly and Annual Monitoring Reports and Exceedance Reports (CWDC, 2014).

Protocols and procedures for sampling and testing are defined in the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) under the SWMP. Sample collection includes photo documentation and collection of field conditions at all monitoring events. Documentation of field conditions includes recording the time, weather observations, water and sediment characteristics, and any other observations of interest to the sampling event. Water and sediment sampling and analysis protocols are defined in the QAPP (CWDC, 2014).

2.3.4.3. Groundwater

2.3.4.3.1. Groundwater Quality Assessment Report The CWDC prepared a Groundwater Quality Assessment Report (GAR) (CWDC, 2015) to comply with Section VIII.E of the General Order and include the following components:

• “Assess all available, applicable, and relevant data and information to determine the high and low vulnerability areas where discharges from irrigated lands may result in groundwater quality degradation;


• Establish priorities for implementation of monitoring and associated studies within high vulnerability areas;

• Provide a basis for establishing workplans and priorities to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural management practices to protect groundwater quality; and

• Provide a basis for establishing groundwater quality management plans in high vulnerability areas and priorities for implementation of those plans.”

The CWDC GAR (2015) was conditionally approved on April 13, 2016 by the CVRWQCB. CVRWQCB requested that additional data and information be obtained, evaluated, and included in the CWDC conceptual hydrogeologic model. The updated hydrogeologic conceptual model and other information contained in the GAR was used for the development of the MPEP, GQTMP, and GQMP (CVRWQCB, 2016).

2.3.4.3.2. Fertilizer Nitrogen application is a primary concern identified in the General Order. In the CWD area, irrigation is relatively expensive as water is pumped uphill for distribution to growers. High efficiency irrigation allows for effective and reduced cost nitrogen management practices. In 2015, most growers in the CWD used pressurized irrigation systems with less than 1 percent using flood or row irrigation methods. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are commonly applied to crops through fertigation. Fertigation, liquid fertilizer mixed with irrigation water, is used with drip and micro-sprinklers. Typical annual applications rates for nitrogen for citrus, almonds, pistachios and vineyards are 80 to 125 lbs/acre, 200 to 275 lbs/acre, 125 to 150 lbs/acre, and 30 to 50 lbs/acre, respectively (CWDC, 2015).

2.3.4.3.3. Groundwater Level and Quality Monitoring Groundwater quality monitoring is performed to monitor the use of oilfield produced water for irrigation and groundwater recharge. Sampling is performed annually, and the samples are analyzed for an array of constituents including nitrate, salinity, and arsenic. Nitrate and salinity levels in groundwater can be indicators of potential impacts on groundwater quality due to irrigation.

Depth to groundwater, percolation rates in the vadose zone, irrigation efficiencies are significant factors. Transport rates of nitrate through percolation in areas of low irrigation efficiencies for alluvial fans of the eastern San Joaquin Valley are approximately 14.8 feet per year and higher for higher irrigation efficiencies (Botros, 2012). The average depth to groundwater in the CWDC ranges from 300 to 600 feet depending on hydrologic conditions and location. Nitrate migration to groundwater could take 20 to 30 years (CWDC GAR, 2015). The CWDC obtains groundwater level measurements from 150 to 250 wells.

2.3.4.3.4. High Vulnerability Areas High vulnerability areas are at risk of discharges from irrigated lands potentially resulting in groundwater quality degradation. High vulnerability ranking is based on regional or localized trends of nitrate concentrations with high exceedances (NO3 > 45 mg/L as NO3) in the groundwater with some consideration of depth to groundwater, irrigation practices, historical trend of nitrate levels, proximity to urban, rural, or disadvantaged communities, salinity, soil permeability and areas of high vulnerability outside the CWDC boundary. Boundary lines around high vulnerability area are along parcel boundaries (CDWC GAR, 2015). High vulnerability areas are prioritized as High, Medium, or Low for purposes of groundwater quality monitoring and agricultural management plans. The prioritization ratings are based on proximity to urban and rural communities, significant NO3 exceedances, crop types, irrigation systems, and soil permeability (CDWC GAR, 2015).


2.3.4.3.5. Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Management Plan The Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Management Plan (CGQMP) was completed May 11, 2015 and is required for high vulnerability areas identified in the CWDC GAR and locations of documented water quality exceedances. The purpose of the CGQMP is to evaluate the impact of irrigated agriculture on groundwater quality and reduce potential impacts to groundwater quality (CWDC CGQMP, 2015). The CWDC CGQMP is designed to determine potential sources of NO3 in groundwater and evaluate if current irrigated agricultural practices are contributing. Potential sources of NO3 identified by the CGQMP are non-irrigated agriculture and irrigated agriculture. If current irrigated agricultural practices are contributing or it is not clear, the CGQMP will address implementation of a program promoting irrigation and nutrient management practices that focuses on improving groundwater quality through further evaluation of irrigated agricultural practices and outreach and education programs (CWDC CGQMP, 2015).

On August 9, 2017, the CVRWQCB reviewed the CGQMP and identified portions of the plan requiring modification to comply with the General Order including establishing performance goals and a timeline for implementation of management practices. CWDC area growers are required to implement wellhead protection, destruction of abandoned wells, and establish nitrogen accountability (CVRWQCB, 2017).

2.3.4.3.6. Groundwater Quality Trend Monitoring Program The General Order states that the overall objectives of the Groundwater Quality Trend Monitoring Program (GQTMP) are to “… determine current water quality conditions of groundwater relevant to irrigated agriculture and develop long-term groundwater quality information that can be used to evaluate the regional effects of irrigated agricultural practices.” The CWDC submitted a Groundwater Quality Trend Workplan on April 19, 2017. The first review was completed on March 7, 2018 with the revised Workplan submitted on May 14, 2018. Conditional approval of the revised Workplan occurred on June 28, 2018. The required Addendum with a time extension request was submitted on July 31, 2018 and approval of the revisions to the Workplan and time extension request was given on August 20, 2018.

CWDC has been collecting groundwater quality data for over twenty years as part of requirements for receiving recycled oilfield produced water for irrigation and groundwater recharge and for monitoring groundwater levels (Orders R5-2012-0058 and R5-2012-0059). The CWDC groundwater monitoring program has been incorporated into the GQTMP to continue collection of water quality data, determination of long-term trends in water quality, and evaluation of regional effects of irrigated agriculture on groundwater quality. Key requirements of the GQTMP include the following:

• Establish a monitoring network covering High and Low Vulnerability areas including use of shallow wells and rational for well selection.

• Collect and evaluate sufficient data to identify trends and report in the annual Monitoring Report.

The General Order requires, at a minimum, groundwater samples be analyzed for the following water quality parameters.

Annual Monitoring Constituents of Concern: • Conductivity • pH • Dissolved Oxygen


• Temperature • Nitrate as Nitrogen

Five Year Monitoring Constituents of Concern: • Total Dissolved Solids • General minerals