Dear Editor,
Thanks for highlighting the two Groundwater Workshops that were held last week – I hope landowners had the chance to attend and learn about the proposed Subbasin-wide water accounting system.
Some members of the CGA have made the statement that the DWR is requiring the CGA to develop a Subbasin-wide water accounting model which is a false statement. I encourage landowners to read the October 26, 2023, letter from the DWR to Lisa Hunter for themselves. Jeff Davids of Davids Engineering and H2o Tech has developed a plan for a Subbasin-wide water accounting model at the behest of an Ad Hoc Committee most made up of his clients. The CGA Technical Advisory Committee has not met since March 2024 and Meetings regarding the development of this accounting system have happened on Friday afternoons with short notice and with no option for remote public participation.
In my opinion the water accounting system as proposed violates SGMA because it will negatively impact riparian and appropriative water rights on the Sacramento River, the Colusa Basin Drain and the ten or more creeks that run into the Colusa Basin Drain. If you own parcels that are riparian to any of these waterways you are entitled to the seepage flows that naturally occur and the proposed water accounting model does not account for this or any other water right outside of an irrigation district. Also, the water accounting model is intended to provide for water allocations and ground water trading which will penalize parcels outside of an irrigation district and give parcels with wells within an irrigation district a free ride. This is unconstitutional in my opinion, and I would urge readers to read the June 29 Garst vs Tehama Flood Control Court Opinion.
I have been following the development of the proposed water accounting system for over a year now and I would urge other interested parties to get informed as soon as possible
Sincerely,
Ben King,
Colusa, CA