Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s Monitoring Network Design and Construction Project – Deep, Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring Wells
Summary
SCH Number
2025030589
Public Agency
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency
(GSA)
Document Title
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s Monitoring Network Design and Construction Project – Deep, Multilevel Groundwater Monitoring Wells
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/14/2025
Document Description
In 2014, the State of California adopted the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to help manage its groundwater. SGMA established the framework for managing groundwater resources in medium and high priority groundwater basins. Local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) were tasked to manage their groundwater resources in accordance with a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). The Santa Rosa Plain groundwater subbasin is a medium-priority basin established under SGMA and is managed under a DWR-approved GSP. A critical component of groundwater management is having a robust monitoring network to establish a baseline for groundwater levels. Once the current baseline is established, groundwater levels can be compared to historical data to determine long term trends and track the effectiveness of sustainable management criteria in the GSPs and implemented by the GSAs.
The Santa Rosa Plain GSA received an approximately $5 million grant from the California Department of Water Resource through its Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program. One of the grant components is the planning, design, and installation of three multi-level groundwater monitoring wells. The specific focus of these wells is to address data gaps in the GSP’s monitoring network and provide data, as identified in the GSP, for supporting
groundwater level monitoring. The Proposed Project would improve the Santa Rosa Plain’s GSA’s monitoring networks through the installation of up to three deep multi-level monitoring wells to track groundwater levels. The three deep multi-level monitoring wells will range from approximately 300 to 350 feet below ground surface (bgs) and each well casing will have a diameter
of 3.0 inches. The three deep monitoring wells will be installed within boreholes with a maximum diameter of 14 inches. Well construction details and diagrams are also located on Figures 5-7.
The proposed activity includes: 1) well construction permitting; 2) borehole drilling, borehole geophysical logging, and monitoring well construction using portable drilling equipment appropriate for the well location and specifications; 3) elevation survey of surface completion at each well site; 4) well development and sampling; and 5) site clean-up and restoration as necessary. The GSA has implemented best management practices for siting and will continue to implement best management practices for construction and monitoring to minimize or avoid local disruption to communities and resources during these operations. The duration for the entire Proposed Project is
anticipated to be 8 to 10 months, with field activities occurring over a 3-to-5-month period.
The monitoring wells will provide groundwater information to support and implement long-term sustainable groundwater planning and management and inform projects to help the GSP meet the sustainable groundwater management goals of the Basin
Contact Information
Name
Andy Rodgers
Agency Name
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Job Title
Administrator
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Name
Indigo Bannister
Agency Name
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Job Title
Scientist and GSA Coordinator
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Name
Chad Taylor
Agency Name
GEI Consultants INC
Job Title
Principal Hydrogeologist
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
Hessel, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Citywide, Countywide
Other Location Info
Llano Road (38.358063, -122.768971), Petaluma Hill Road (38.375198, -122.674408), and Sunny View Way (38.460990, -122.797487)
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines 15306: Information Collection; 15304: Minor Alternations to Land; and 15307: Actions by Regulatory Agenc
Reasons for Exemption
The installation of the three multi-level deep monitoring wells would result in minor, temporary alterations to the land but would not have a significant effect on the environment. The project consists of data collection, research, and resource evaluation activities that do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental, historical, or scenic resource. Well siting has taken into account potential sensitive habitats and locations and these areas have been avoided. There are no cumulative effects from the project or unusual circumstances which would lead to a significant effect on the environment. The Proposed Project is part of a monitoring effort of the GSA that may or may not result in a future project, which has not yet been approved, funded, or adopted.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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