Water is an important topic here in Mendocino County for farmers, ranchers, wildlife, residents and businesses. Farmers and ranchers in Mendocino County are very aware of the importance of a long-term, reliable water supply and good water quality for everyone. Mendocino County Farm Bureau works directly with farmers and ranchers in the various watersheds to consider critically important water issues. Farm Bureau’s Water Committee reaches out to collaborate with multiple stakeholder groups and seeks to build partnerships that allow us to do even more for our members.
Water Committee News
Submitted by Frost Pauli, Water Committee Chair
Region 1 Water Board Irrigated Lands Program for Vineyards
Every Regional Water Board in California is required to adopt an Irrigated Lands Program to regulate water pollution from Agriculture. Mendocino County falls under the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB), also known as Region 1, and they are adopting a Vineyard Order to comply with the Irrigated Lands Program. A draft of the Vineyard order was released last year. it was full of unnecessary requirements for vineyard producers, and would apply too vineyards in both Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, costing growers thousands of dollars.
Some of the biggest concerns are: individual monitoring requirements for surface and groundwater including turbidity in streams and nitrates and chemical testing in wells. Also, a so-called “Winterization Period” from November 15th to April 1st during which planting, replanting, and all “ground-disturbing activities” are prohibited. Another, of the many, problems with the draft Vineyard order is the set back requirements from ditches, streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes which range in distance, depending on the classification of your water body. A coalition of Mendocino and Sonoma County organizations have banded together to pushback against this disparaging regulation and the Board of Directors for Region 1 sent the draft back to their staff to rework it. Since then, MCFB has been working hard with our partners to get the staff and directors from Region 1 out on site to see what the impacts of this regulation would be like to vineyard producers. Another draft is expected later this year and we are hopeful that it will be more workable than what was previously released.
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Water Diversion and Use Reporting
If you divert and use water from a surface water source such as a lake, creek, stream, or river, or you divert water from a subterranean stream that flows in a known and definite channel, California law requires you to report your diversion and use to the State Water Board, Division of Water Rights.
On September 23, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 155 which modifies the reporting deadline and reporting period for annual water use to the Division of Water Rights. Provisions in SB 155 consolidate all water use reporting periods, for all types of water rights, to the standard Water Year (October 1 through September 30). Further, the new law consolidates the due dates for all water use reports to February 1 of the ensuing year.
All water right holders who have previously diverted or intend to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year (riparian and pre-1914 ), or are authorized to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year under a permit, license, or registration, are required to measure the water they divert.
State Water Board Reports and Measurement Website
State Water Board Report Management System (for annual reporting) Website
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)
In December 2014, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the ground water basin classifications to determine coverage under SGMA. For Mendocino County, the upper Russian River from the Tomki Road area in Redwood Valley to Knight Hill (north of Hopland) was classified as a medium priority ground water basin, the Ukiah Valley ground water basin # 1-52, and is subject to SGMA compliance. From July of 2016 until July of 2017, the Mendocino County Water Agency hosted public meetings to assist in the formation of the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and Farm Bureau was at the table to ensure that agriculture was represented in the process. The GSA formation was the first step to work toward compliance and this was completed in June of 2017. The Ukiah Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (UVBGSA) was created by a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) and have been meeting regularly since 2017. The Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was finalized and submitted to DWR in 2022. The GSP is pending final approval from DWR. For additional information, please see the links below.
Ukiah Valley Groundwater Basin: Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA)
Department of Water Resources SGMA Website
Other Water Related Resources
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Quality Programs)
CA Department of Fish and Wildlife Lake and Streambed Alteration Program (1600 Permits)
Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District
Lake Mendocino Water Supply Information
CDEC Lake Mendocino Reservoir Data
Sonoma Water Russian River Gauges
USACE West Fork Russian River Gauge (Russian River Near Ukiah)
USGS Russian River Gauge at Calpella
USGS Russian River Gauge at Talmage
USGS Russian River Gauge at Hopland
USGS Russian River Gauge Near Cloverdale
