Arlington Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Summary
SCH Number
2022020049
Public Agency
Western Municipal Water District
Document Title
Arlington Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/2/2022
Document Description
Western Municipal Water District (Western) developed a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Upper Santa Ana Valley Riverside-Arlington Subbasin (Basin Number 8-002.03), also referred to as the Riverside-Arlington Subbasin. The Riverside-Arlington Subbasin is partially adjudicated under the Western-San Bernardino Watermaster, per the 1969 Western Judgement. The Watermaster manages groundwater under the adjudicated portion of the basin. Western elected to serve as the groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) for all portions of the Subbasin underlying (or within) Western’s jurisdictional boundaries, which is also the portion of the basin that is unadjudicated and designated as a low priority basin by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
Activities associated with with planning, development, and preparation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Upper Santa Ana Valley Riverside-Arlington Subbasin (Basin Number 8-002.03) include, but are not limited to, developing a data management framework, stakeholder engagement, and developing a planning document that builds upon past studies and data collected to establish current and historic groundwater conditions, develop a water budget that aligns with sustainable management and yield of the basin, and describes potential projects and management actions that will help the basin achieve sustainability.
Contact Information
Name
Ryan Shaw
Agency Name
Western Municipal Water District
Job Title
Director of Water Resources
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Riverside
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Countywide
Total Acres
17327 acres
Other Location Info
The Arlington Basin Plan Area is entirely within Riverside County and encompasses the southern section of Riverside-Arlington Groundwater Subbasin, classified as subbasin 8.2-03 by the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Bulletin 118-03 (DWR 2003), located outside both the North and South Riverside Basin boundaries
Other Information
The Riverside-Arlington Groundwater Subbasin was designated as a very low priority basin under SGMA.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Water Code 10728.6; Public Resources Code 21065, 21080, 21081; Guidelines 15601 [common sense]
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA does not apply to the preparation and adoption of GSPs. (Water Code § 10728.6); DWR's issuance of the assessment does not represent an “approval” or "carrying out" of a "project" under CEQA. (Public Resources Code 21065, 21080, 21081); A GSA is not prohibited from implementing its GSP prior to evaluation and assessment by DWR. (Water Code 10733.4(d)); There is no possibility that DWR's issuance of the assessment may have a significant effect on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3)); Even if CEQA applied to the issuance of the assessment or to the GSP itself, DWR believes several other exemptions likely apply to issuance of the assessment. Furthermore, DWR could not presently conduct meaningful environmental review under CEQA because it would require speculation and conjecture; however, SGMA does not exempt projects that would implement actions taken pursuant to a GSP, and DWR therefore expects GSAs will satisfy any applicable CEQA obligations when approving or carrying out projects as part of GSP implementation.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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