Chino Basin Watermaster - January 2024 Update

JANUARY 2024 UPDATE

Chino Basin

Watermaster JANUARY 2024 UPDATE

JANUARY

2024

FEATURED ARTICLE: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2024...

Welcome to the January 2024 Update!

As 2023 ends, it is important to reflect on our successes and look forward to the future. The year that ended left us with many challenges to be faced in 2024 and the collective effort of all the parties will be the key for moving forward.

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... it is very important to “ reflect on our successes and look forward to the future.

2024 will be a busy year in which we will continue to fulfill our commitments with the Court and regulatory bodies, as well as continue with the planning efforts that were kicked off last year.

We look forward to continuing the collaboration in important efforts like the Water Quality Committee, the Storage and Recovery Master Plan development, the update to the Storage Management Plan, and the work to Re-evaluate the Safe Yield of the Basin.

Long Term Studies, Analyses, and Planning • Safe Yield Reevaluation • Simulate the Effects of a ‘Run on Storage’ • Develop Water Quality Management Program

We, at Watermaster, continue to have an unwavering commitment to sustainable basin management through the implementation of the Judgment, subsequent Court Orders, and the Optimum Basin Management Program.

I look forward to what this year will bring for the Watermaster family!

EDGAR TELLEZ FOSTER, PHD Acting General Manager, Chino Basin Watermaster

• Storage Management Plan Review • Study How the Groundwater Basin Can Be Used to Firm Up the Reliability of Local Supplies • Develop Storage & Recovery Master Plan

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Featured Article

What’s in Store for 2024...

2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation The Safe Yield of the Chino Basin is the long-term average annual quantity of groundwater that can be produced from the Basin without causing an undesirable result. Initially set at 140,000 acre-feet per year (afy) in 1978, it has been recalculated twice, resulting in the current Safe Yield of 131,000 afy, established through the 2020 Safe Yield Recalculation (2020 SYR). The recalculations employ the 2015 Safe Yield Reset Methodology (2015 SYRM) and the Chino Valley Model (CVM) to project annual net recharge. The 2017 Court Order mandated periodic Safe Yield resets, including the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation (2025 SYR).

Watermaster adopted and the Court approved the 2022 Safe Yield Reset Methodology (2022 SYRM) to address uncertainties in model parameters, future hydrology, and cultural conditions in the 2025 SYR. The 2025 SYR, initiated in 2023, implements the 2022 SYRM and involves updating the CVM, generating calibrated realizations, simulating future scenarios, and evaluating results to calculate the Safe Yield. If the recalculated Safe Yield varies by over 2.5 percent, Watermaster will seek the advice and recommendation of the Pool and Advisory Committees before making a recommendation to the Court regarding potential changes to the Safe Yield. Ongoing tasks include model calibration, workshops, and scenario development, with stakeholder input crucial for shaping the 2025 SYR. These tasks are supported by extensive peer review and input from the stakeholders. The schedule on page 10 shows the future meetings and workshops that will support the 2025 SYR, including date and subject.

During CY 2024, Watermaster will: •

Complete the calibration and uncertainty analysis of the 2025 CVM

•

Design projection scenarios with input from the stakeholders that will be simulated to calculate the Safe Yield

•

Begin the simulation of the projection scenarios

Storage and Recovery Master Plan The Chino Basin’s substantial water storage capacity presents an opportunity for beneficial use, such as enhancing water quality and addressing dry-year water needs. Over the years, Watermaster and stakeholders, guided by the Peace Agreement and the 2000 Optimum Basin Management Program (OBMP), have recognized and implemented rules for leveraging the basin’s storage space. Notably, the 2004 approval of the Metropolitan Water District’s Dry-Year-Yield Program marked an early effort in this direction. However, a lack of comprehensive guidelines hindered the facilitation of Storage and Recovery Programs in the basin.

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Acknowledging this gap, parties involved in the 2019-2020 OBMP update emphasized the need for a comprehensive framework and proposed the development of a Storage and Recovery Master Plan (SRMP).

The SRMP aims to streamline the development, implementation, and optimization of Storage and Recovery Programs, contributing to water-supply reliability, preserving or enhancing the Safe Yield, and improving water quality. To initiate the SRMP, a committee was formed, with a kick-off meeting held in November 2023 to define objectives, scope, and gather stakeholder input. The SRMP’s refined scope includes issuing requests for interest, defining conceptual alternatives, preparing the plan, and submitting formal proposals to interested partners. Expected to conclude in Fall 2025, the SRMP will integrate with ongoing planning activities and crucial studies in the Chino Basin, including the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation.

During CY 2024, Watermaster will: •

Complete the definition of objectives and finalize the scope of work

•

Issue a request for Storage and Recovery Program concepts from potential partners

•

Define conceptual alternatives for Storage and Recovery Programs

•

Begin describing and evaluating facility plans and costs for Storage and Recovery Program alternatives

Evaluation of Future Extremes Over the past several decades, the hydrology of the western U.S. has measurably intensified, resulting in longer periods of little or no precipitation, and shorter, more intense periods of greater precipitation.

These hydrologic extremes can limit one or more of the diverse water supplies available to the Chino Basin parties and cause challenges in meeting water demands. Under extreme hydrologic conditions, these water supply challenges could intensify. An evaluation of extreme hydrologic scenarios and a simulation of the Chino Basin response to these scenarios is essential to Watermaster’s administration of the Physical Solution and can guide prudent management of the Chino Basin and assist the parties in developing strategies to build resilience and address vulnerabilities in their water supply portfolios. The groundwaterflow model that is being developed for the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation is an appropriate tool to simulate extreme future planning scenarios.

The work to evaluate extreme future planning scenarios will be completed in coordination with the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation (2025 SYR), which will involve developing multiple projection scenarios to simulate potential future conditions and behaviors. The scope of this task is expected to be executed over two years.

During CY 2024, Watermaster will: •

Define the extremes to be explored and document the recommended extreme future planning scenarios to be simulated with the updated groundwater-flow model

•

Gather input from the parties and outside technical experts to help define the scenarios

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Water Quality Management Program The 2020 OBMP Update directs Watermaster to develop and implement a groundwater quality management plan to provide a proactive basin wide approach to address water quality challenges, namely, to improve understanding of the potential impacts that new drinking water quality regulations will have on the operations and management of Chino Basin groundwater. In CY 2023, the Watermaster re-convened the Water Quality Committee (WQC), after being dormant for nearly 13 years, to begin to refine the objectives and scope of work to address water quality in the coming years.

As currently envisioned the Watermaster, in collaboration with the WQC, will develop a Water Quality Management Program (WQMP) that will provide the parties with a strategic framework to learn about potential future water quality regulations, develop monitoring plans for contaminants considered for regulation, report on groundwater quality conditions, track funding opportunities, assess impacts of responses to water quality regulations, and annually establish a scope and budgets for future WQC activities, and more.

During CY 2024, Watermaster will: •

Develop and implement an initial Emerging Contaminants Monitoring Program (ECMP) to assess current basin-wide concentrations of contaminants that are candidates for regulation

•

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Convene four WQC meetings (January, April, July, October)

Meeting and Workshop Schedule 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation Pursuant to the April 28, 2017 Safe Yield Court Order

Audience:

Technical Peer Review Committee

COMPLETED

Aug. 30, 2023 9:00am

General Stakeholders

COMPLETED Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model

Review the structure of the 2020 CVM, discuss the updates made to the HCM based on information gathered since 2020 SYR, and gather feedback on changes.

• 2022 Safe Yield Reset Methodology TM • Agenda

Oct. 24, 2023 9:00am

Scenario Design #1

Discuss the process to develop an ensemble of projection scenarios, gather input from the Parties on drivers of and uncertainties in future water demands and supply plans.

Includes discussion of potential extreme scenarios for effort to evaluate of future extremes.

February 2024

Scenario Design #2

Review draft TM describing proposed water demand and supply plan scenarios, discuss recommendations on climate scenarios to use in model ensemble, and gather feedback.

• Scenario Design TM #1 • Presentation

March 2024

Calibration #1

Present initial results on model calibration and recommended subset of calibration realizations. Gather feedback on recommendations.

February 2025

Scenario Results

Review the initial results of the model ensemble, discuss initial interpretations of the results, and gather feedback.

May 2024

Scenario Design #3

Review updated draft TM from scenario design workshop #2, discuss MPI/undesirable result thresholds for interpreting future model results.

April 2025

Draft 2025 SYR Report

Review the draft 2025 SYR Report and gather feedback.

May 2024

Calibration #2

Summarize calibration workshop #1 and feedback gathered since then. Present updates and draft TM that will be published between calibration workshops #1 and #2.

The Final 2025 SYR Report is expected to be published in May or June 2025 to meet the Court’s June 30, 2025 deadline for completion of the 2025 SYR Dates of future meetings subject to change.

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Key Activities for Ongoing OBMP and Compliance Reporting: JANUARY

2024

Watermaster Annual Report This report is prepared annually pursuant to the Chino Basin Judgment and filled with the Court. The Annual Report documents Watermaster’s activities and water accounting for fiscal year 2023.

FEBRUARY

2024

Annual Surface Water Diversion Reporting Watermaster holds three permits with the State Water Resources Control Board to divert surface water from several tributaries to the Santa Ana River that cross the Chino Basin. The Watermaster and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency divert stormwater from these diversion points to recharge the Chino Basin. Watermaster reports diversion data and related information to the State each Water Year to meet their regulatory reporting obligations.

MARCH

2024

SGMA Annual Report This report is prepared annually and submitted to the CA Department of Water Resources to comply with the reporting requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, including reporting the change in groundwater storage in the Chino Basin over water year 2023.

APRIL

2024

Chino Basin Maximum Benefit SNMP Annual Report The Maximum Benefit Salt and Nutrient Management Plan is a regulatory compliance program that enables the maximum beneficial reuse of recycled water in the Chino Basin. The annual report summarizes the work performed and status of compliance with the Chino Basin Maximum Benefit Commitments as of calendar

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year 2023.

MAY

APRIL

2024

2024

Data Collection and Evaluation This report is prepared annually pursuant to the April 28, 2017 Court Order requiring annual data

Prado Basin Habitat Sustainability Program Annual Report

collection and evaluation. Watermaster collects

The PBHSP is an adaptive monitoring and

information on cultural conditions in the basin,

mitigation program performed pursuant to the

including water use patterns and planning

Peace II CEQA to assess trends in the extent and

information, compares the information to the

health of the Prado Basin riparian habitat over

projection scenario in the latest groundwater-flow

time and determine the factors that caused any

model, and makes recommendations based on the

changes. The annual report will present the latest

comparisons.

data and conclusions regarding the extent and health of the riparian habitat and the factors that can impact it through water year 2023.

117°40'0"W

+ 25 - 0

Change in Groundwater Elevation from September 2016 to September 2022

- 25

JUNE

2024

Contour of Change in Groundwater Elevation from September 2016 to September 2020 ( feet)

NOVEMBER

0

Chino Basin Desalter Well

+

2024

HCMP Monitoring Well PBHSP Monitoring Well

Groundwater Monitoring Program (GMP) Study Area |

I

I

Maximum Extent of the Riparian Vegetation in Prado Basin Concrete- Lined Channels

Unlined Rivers and Streams

Surface Geology Water - Bearing Sediments

j

[

Quaternary Alluvium

Consolidated Bedrock

a

Undifferentiated Pre-Tertiary to Early Pleistocene Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary Rocks

,

Lo Angeles

San Bernardino

County

Riverside County

range

County

Based on recent funding opportunities, the Board

Ground-Level Monitoring Program Activities

determined that there was an opportunity to

The current activities under the guidance of the

Recharge Project Investigation

Change in Groundwater Elevation September 2016 to September 2022

improve prior cost-benefit assessments of certain

GLMC include: (i) construction and calibration of

recharge projects evaluated in the 2018 RMPU but

additional one-dimensional compaction models

not recommended for implementation due to

across western Chino Basin which will be used to

costs. A workplan that describes these recharge

evaluate for Material Physical Injury; (ii) preparation

projects, the planning and construction tasks to

of a proposed scope and budget for the Ground-

implement them, and associated cost estimates is

Level Monitoring Program for fiscal year 2024/25;

being prepared to support selection of projects to

and (iii) preparation of the Annual Report of the

apply for grant funding

GLMC for 2023/24 pursuant to the Chino Basin

Figure 3-11

Subsidence Management Plan.

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Watermaster’s Function:

Collaborative Approach

Watermaster administers and enforces

Watermaster values

the 1978 Judgment and implements an

teamwork, collaborating

Optimum Basin Management Program,

with experts and staying

working with diverse stakeholders to

connected with stakeholders

preserve Chino Basin’s groundwater.

and governing agencies.

CHINO

BASIN WATERMASTER

Quality and Transparency Watermaster is dedicated to high-quality work and ensuring transparency in its operations, aiming to educate stakeholders

Watermaster envisions creating value, demonstrating transparency, and educating stakeholders to enhance groundwater

about Judgment provisions, build

management that will benefit the

trust, and foster effective resource

stakeholders and their customers.

management practices.

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Vision for Success

Welcome to 2024!

“Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.”

― Albert Camus

JANUARY 31

WATERMASTER STAFF Edgar Tellez Foster, PhD Acting General Manager etellezfoster@cbwm.org Anna Truong Nelson, CAP, OM, TA Director of Administration atruongnelson@cbwm.org Justin Nakano, MPA Water Resources Technical Manager jnakano@cbwm.org Frank Yoo Data Services and Judgment Reporting Manager franky@cbwm.org Alonso Jurado Water Resources Associate ajurado@cbwm.org

The Water Quality Committee (WQC) Meeting The Water Quality Committee (WQC) is

Alexandria Moore Executive Assistant I Board Clerk amoore@cbwm.org

meeting in January to continue efforts to

Ruby Favela Quintero Administrative Analyst rfavelaquintero@cbwm. org

draft Emerging Contaminants Monitoring Plan

Jordan Garcia Senior Field Operations Specialist jgarcia@cbwm.org

conditions to support the development of a

Erik Vides Field Operations Specialist evides@cbwm.org

the discussion of the goals and objectives that

Daniela Uriarte Senior Accountant duriarte@cbwm.org Rudy Nunez rnunez@cbwm.org

develop a Water Quality Management Program (WQMP). The meeting will review and discuss a

that can be used to fill data gaps and prepare an initial characterization of water quality

WQMP, and serve as a framework for future monitoring. The meeting will also continue

will form the basis for the scope of the WQC in developing the WQMP over the next few years. The meeting will be held at 10 am at the Watermaster offices at 9641 San Bernardino Road, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

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