HydroVisions | June 2019

ISSUE TWENTY-NINE JUNE 2019

The 2019 Summer Issue

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HYDROVISIONS is the official publication of the Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA). GRA’s mailing address is 700 R Street. Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95811. Any questions or comments concerning this publication should be directed to the newsletter editor at editor@grac.org.

The Groundwater Resources Association of California is dedicated to resource management that protects and improves groundwater supply and quality through education and technical leadership Editor John McHugh editor@grac.org Editorial Board Adam Hutchinson David Von Aspern Tim Parker Vanessa Henderson

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS President Steven Phillips U.S. Geological Survey Tel: 916-278-3002 Vice-President Abigail Madrone West Yost Associates Tel: 530-756-5905 Secretary R.T. Van Valer Roscoe Moss Company Tel: 323-263-4111 Treasurer Robert Gailey Consulting Hydrogeologist Tel: 415-407-8407 Officer in Charge of Special Projects Murray Einarson Haley & Aldrich, Inc. Tel: 510-879-4546 Immediate Past President Chris Petersen GEI Consultants Tel: 916-631-4597

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Administrative Director Sarah Erck Groundwater Resources Association of California Tel: 916-446-3626

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DIRECTORS Bradley Herrema Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Tel: 310-500-4609 James Strandberg Woodard & Curran Tel: 925-627-4122 John McHugh Santa Clara Valley Water District Tel: 408-630-3105 Thomas Harter Dept. of Land, Air, and Water Resources University of California Davis Tel: 530-752-1130 Timothy K. Parker Parker Groundwater Tel: 916-596-9163 J. Paul Hendrix Mid-Kaweah GSA Tel: 559-686-2466 Christy Kennedy Woodard & Curran Tel: 925-627-4122 Sam Boland-Brien State Water Resources Control Board Tel: 916-322-9633 Lisa Porta Montgomery & Associates Tel: 916-661-8389 To contact any GRA Officer or Director by email, go to www.grac.org/board-of-directors

The statements and opinions expressed in GRA’s HydroVisions and other publications are those of the authors and/or contributors, and are not necessarily those of the GRA, its Board of Directors, or its members. Further, GRA makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the absolute accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this publication and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents. No warranty of any kind, implied or expressed, or statutory, is given with respect to the contents of this publication or its references to other resources. Reference in this publication to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the GRA, its Board of Directors, or its members.

ISSUE TWENTY-NINE JUNE 2019

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REGISTER TODAY | 3 DAYS | MULTI-TRACK SESSIONS THE LEADING TECHNICAL CONFERENCE FOR OUR BROAD GROUNDWATER COMMUNITY

September 17-19, 2019 | Sacramento, CA

Don’t Get Lost In Space TEXT WGC2019 TO 797979 TO GET STARTED

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WWW.GRAC.ORG

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GRA LEADERSHIP

President’s Message

President’s Message

By Steve Phillips

Besides being GRA’s President Steven is a hydrologist with the USGS California Water Science Center. Over his 33 year career he has focused primarily on groundwater basin characterization and development of simulation models to better understand these basins, and to help manage these integrated hydrologic systems.

GRA is Changing with the Seasons The weather, which as I write this in late April, is cooling after hitting about 90 in Sacramento and the rains have ceased, at least for now. The snow pack is still healthy, so 2019 seems likely to be remembered as a good water year. Like the weather, GRA’s Board of Directors is undergoing changes. I’ll get into that later, but first: Events!

GRA/CGC 2019 Groundwater Law and Legislation Forum, which was held on March 27 in Sacramento, was a fresh take on GRA’s traditional Legislative Symposium. The event included a presentation

by DWR Deputy Director Taryn Ravazzini regarding the status of DWR’s implementation of SGMA, a panel on potential future SGMA implementation issues, presentations on groundwatersupply management concerns, and a panel on ways that GSAs and others might fund their activities. Senator Henry Stern provided the lunchtime keynote address, and attendees engaged in lively discussions with several Assembly members regarding their pending legislation and current groundwater management concerns. Thanks to Brad Herrema of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and GRA Director, for leading this event in coordination with the California Groundwater Coalition.

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On June 5–6, near when this issue will come out, the 2nd Annual GSA Summit will be held in Fresno. This event will focus on a range of SGMA topics, providing perspectives and ideas from GSA members, other stakeholders, state agencies, and practitioners to help provide guidance as GSPs are being developed and submitted.

GSA representatives are again heavily involved in the planning and execution of the Summit, so the content will be highly relevant. Rob Gailey, Consulting Hydrogeologist and GRA Director, is chairing this event – thanks Rob!

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GRA LEADERSHIP

Upcoming Events In 2019 Include

Changes in GRA’s Board of Directors

Principles of Groundwater Flow & Transport Modeling Course – this course,

Life presents challenges, as we all know, and the demands for our time can exceed that available. This has occurred for GRA’s Vice President, Adam Hutchinson of Orange County Water District, and rather than coast through the end of his term he chose to resign and serve as a mentor for his replacement.

Adam will remain involved at the committee level, particularly continuing to develop and bring in major events associated with managed aquifer recharge. On behalf of the Board, I thank Adam for all that he has done, and will continue to do, for GRA, and wish him the best in all aspects of life.

long organized by UC Davis Professor and GRA Director Thomas Harter, will be held on the UC Davis campus June 27–29. Thanks Thomas!

GRA’s 2nd annual Western Groundwater Congress, and 28th Annual Meeting, will be held on September 17–19 in Sacramento.

Registration is open! Christy Kennedy of Woodard & Curran, and GRA Director, is the enthusiastic chair of this event – thanks Christy!

Save the dates for Optimization of

Remediation Systems and Long-Term Monitoring, to be held Nov. 13–15 in Santa

Ana. Many thanks to Jim Strandberg of Woodard & Curran, and GRA Director, for chairing this event.

See announcements and links for more information on these events in this issue and at this site.

GRACasts and 2020 events are being planned, so stay tuned. Also, keep an eye out for meetings of our eight GRA Branches, which feature great networking opportunities and a wide range of interesting topics and speakers.

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In addition to the event chairs, my thanks go to the co-chairs, planning committees and other volunteers that make these high-quality events happen!

Similarly, Thomas Harter, Professor at UC Davis and GRA Director since 2008, is heavily involved in major events and has a sabbatical planned, so will be stepping down from the Board this year. Thomas has made his mark on GRA in many ways, particularly in the category of education. Highlights include leadership and mentorship of the Education Committee during development of GRA’s statewide scholastic sponsorship program, the David Keith Todd Distinguished Lecturer series and other innovative programs; event leadership and support; co-leadership of GRA’s Contemporary Groundwater Issues Council; and a long-term commitment to developing and coteaching workshops on a variety of important subjects. Many thanks, Thomas, for over a decade of enthusiastic support of GRA!

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President’s Message

With the departure of the Vice President, GRA’s Board made some moves to fill that slot for the remainder of 2019; as usual, the membership will be called upon to vote on officer candidates for 2020 later this year. Abigail Madrone of West Yost Associates has moved from Secretary to Vice President; R.T. Van Valer of Roscoe Moss has moved from Treasurer to Secretary; and Rob Gailey has moved into the Treasurer position.

Congratulations and thanks to these three hardworking volunteers for stepping up when the need arose!

The Evolution of HydroVisions, Part II We hope you enjoy this new format! If you have suggestions or other feedback, please contact the Editor, John McHugh, at editor@grac.org.

To take advantage of advertising opportunities, please contact Sarah Erck at serck@grac.org.

Membership If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, please go to GRA’s website, and click the membership tab. There are many resources there, and we’ve enabled auto-renew for your convenience.

As always, we welcome ideas on future events and directions. If you are not a GRA member, please consider joining, and engaging in all that is offered!

Cheers,

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President’s Message

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GRA EVENTS

Talking Nerdy at the Western Groundwater Congress

By Christy Kennedy

Christy Kennedy is the Chair of the 2019 WGC, a Sr. Water Resources Engineer and Hydrogeologist at Woodard & Curran, GRA Director, and Supermom who likes to run on trails, drink strong coffee and commute with her kids on the cargo bike.

Melissa will be kicking off the Second Annual Western Groundwater Congress on September 17, 2019, right out of the gate at 8:30am.

Learn to activate and engage audiences, using key communication tactics both in speaking and visual presentation style with your WGC colleagues. Last year’s WGC was a new approach for GRA, filling in three full days with four separate tracks of technical information while weaving in extensive networking time, wellness elements and career development time with a focus for young professionals and students. This year, we’ll also have twice the number of technical and professional development workshops with a variety of topics including PFAs sampling and the Cannabis and Groundwater Nexus.

We are proud that our keynote speaker deviates from the norm for GRA and we look forward to boldly exploring new horizons while staying “well-connected” to our technical and educational roots at the 2019 WGC. Watch Melissa Marshall’s TED talk HERE.

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REGISTER TODAY!

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September 17-19, 2019 Sacramento, CA

CLICK HERE

Talking Nerdy

Have you ever tried to talk about a new technical project, only to be met with blank stares from your audience? Are you tired of the lifeless, text heavy, bulleted slides that make up most presentations?

Did you ever have a slam-dunk winner of a technical proposal go in front of a public audience only to be rejected because they didn’t “get it”? Join our keynote speaker at the Western Groundwater Congress, scientific presentations expert Melissa Marshall, to learn some practical strategies to immediately transform your technical presentations! Go from blank stares to buy in with your next talk.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Chemist’s Corner

Chemist’s Corner

By Bart Simmons, Ph.D., retired DTSC Bart Simmons is the Principle at Simmons Consulting and provides Consulting and expert witness testimony for environmental litigation.

This is Your Water on Drugs Globally, illicit drugs have been found in wastewater, groundwater, and drinking water and the problem is growing. Drugs and their metabolites primarily come from human excretion or wastewater from clandestine drug labs. As the opioid crisis continues, the impacts have spread. In one study, 17 drugs of abuse and their metabolites, were measured in a watershed which received treated wastewater. Previous work found persistent chemicals from human consumption: caffeine in Puget Sound, for example. The artificial sweetener, sucralose is a persistent tracer for municipal wastewater.

There was little attenuation of sucralose, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, morphine, acetyl morphine, acetylcodeine, and oxycodone.

Benzoylecgonine is a metabolite of cocaine and the target of urinalysis for drug screening -it has been measured to estimate the number of cocaine users in a community. One Barcelona study found that MDMA was the primary drug of abuse in poorer neighborhoods, while cocaine and its metabolite were more dominant in more prosperous neighborhoods.

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The downstream drinking water treatment plant removed some of the drugs, but some were still detected in treated drinking water: cocaine, benzoylecgonine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, ephedrine, and several prescription opioid.

Of course, for any chemicals detected in trace amounts, it’s the chemists’ fault. Current sampling and analytical techniques, such as solid phase sorption followed by GC or LC--mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (MS-MS), can detect trace drugs in the ng/L (ppt) range. Do drugs at this level have any biological impact?

Bioassays have found that benzoylecgonine affects the synthesis of proteins in Zebra mussels in the ug/L (ppb) range. So, the answer is: maybe.

Drugs have been detected in groundwater for over a decade, but the detection of illicit drugs poses a different problem. Phenazone, an NSAID prescription drug, was found in Berlin groundwater near a former drug manufacturer.

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Little is known about the fate and transport of illicit drugs in the environment, nor about their environmental toxicity. In particular, there is little information on the fate of illicit drugs in biosolids. Cocaine has been shown to cause DNA damage and cellular damage in the range of 40 ng/L to 10 µg/L.

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Chemist’s Corner

SHOOT FOR THE MOON! become a sponsor at the Second Annual Western Groundwater Congress!

The following organizations have already signed up, what are you waiting for?

Alluvial Sponsor - Conference Bags Orange County Water District Alluvial Sponsor - Conference Lanyards Woodard & Curran Alluvial Sponsor - Gourmet Water Station Roscoe Moss Manufacturing Company Watershed Sponsors - Evening Receptions Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Dudek & Associates, Inc. Artesian Sponsors Ramboll SkyTEM Aquifer Sponsors Confluence Environmental, Inc. DHI Water & Environment, Inc. GEI Consultants, Inc. Pace National Vista Clara Inc Pumpsight Recharge Sponsors GeoSystems Analysis, Inc. In-Situ Inc Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group Sustainable Basin Sponsor - Wellness Events EKI Environment & Water, Inc.

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Sponsorships are still available - go to www.grac.org for details!

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Wells and Words

by David W. Abbott, P.G., C.Hg. Consulting Geologist

Mr. Abbott is a Geologist with 45+ years of applied experience in the exploration and development of groundwater supplies; well location services; installation and design of water supply wells; watershed studies; contamination investigations; geotechnical and groundwater problem solving; and protection of groundwater resources.

There are four main elements in garnering a preliminary hydraulic assessment of a newly installed monitoring, test, or production well from a well development program (WDP): (a) drawdown [dd], (b) discharge [Q], (c) water quality, and (d) date/time-stamped detailed field notes. Concurrent evaluation of this information (info) during the WDP can help to determine the effectiveness of the program where the main goal is to increase Well Efficiency (Eff), optimize trouble-free longevity of the well, and to ensure planning (and success) of more formal pumping tests (step-dd and constant Q) on the well. If logistically and contractually practical, this quantitative and qualitative info should be collected during all WDPs and used to plan supplemental WDPs and future rehabilitation (rehab) efforts1,2. Chronological and annotated field notes are useful in evaluating the success of the WDP and can often be used to provide preliminary aquifer parameters (transmissivity [T] and storativity [S]) and establish WDP goals for specific capacity (SC). Note that SC is directly proportional to T; the proportionality constant is 1,500 (unconfined aquifers) and 2,000 (confined aquifers)3; remember that the assumptions used in the empirical equation and Well Eff play a role in this estimate.

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Wells and Words

Notes on Well Development and collecting useful hydraulic information in the process

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WDPs serve to determine (what I call) the “personality of the well” so that decisions can be made while implementing the WDP and in planning follow-up programs. WDPs serve three general purposes: (1) rectifies the damage imposed on the screen-to-borehole interface during the drilling and construction phase by removal of fine-grained materials (clay, silt, and drilling fluids) that have been smeared along the screened intervals, borehole/formation interface, and clogging of the filter pack which, collectively, decrease the over-all near-well permeability surrounding the well screen and reduces the flow (increases the velocity) of groundwater from the water-bearing formation to the well pump (aka Well Eff); (2) stabilizes the filter pack4; and (3) provides preliminary evaluations of the hydraulic response to pumping the well and any dd impacts to observation wells. Poorly- or undeveloped wells have lower well yields per foot of dd (i.e., smaller SC), typically are not troublefree assets, and generally have shorter useful and productive lives.

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A WDP may very well be one of the two (Well Design is the other) most important phases of well installation and construction but it is often curtailed to reduce initial overall costs of the project and the contractors’ unwarranted desire (or anxiety) to mobilize the drilling rig and equipment to the next project – simply put, a WDP can be “boring” because many often-used development techniques yield no obvious evidence (without substantial additional initiative) in their effectiveness in well-yield improvements. As a general rule of thumb - the amount of time that I allocate in the drilling contract for WDP is at least equivalent to the time that it takes to drill and construct the well; if it takes 5 days (10-hour shifts) to drill and construct the well: then 50 hours should be allocated for the WDP – this time can be shortened or lengthened based on the initial hydraulic data collected during the WDP. The cost of a well-organized WDP is usually recuperated

during the operating life-span of the well5. In general, more permeable and prolific aquifers will require less development time and may provide more meaningful hydraulic data during the WDP when compared to low-yield aquifers; the WDP methods with fractured-rock aquifers may be different than with unconsolidated aquifers but the same basic principles apply.

Well Development Methods - WDP methods consist of two broad categories: mechanical and chemical. This article focuses on mechanical methods which include a variety of options: airlift, backwash, bail, brushing, jet, overpumping, pump, surge, and swab. Chemical method, commonly combined with mechanical methods, include use of chemicals to assist and accelerate the removal and mobilization of pore space blockages, screen encrustations, and drilling fluids. These methods can either be used separately or in combination with one another. The initial WDP should begin with the least stressful and energetic method (usually the least expensive) until the well response to such stresses can be observed; a personality profile.

Development should begin with the selected tool at the top of (or above) the screened interval and worked downward; this prevents the tool from being buried by incoming sand above the tool. It is important to use a “bi-directional flow” system that moves water into the well and then moves water into the filter pack and water-bearing formations. “Uni-directional flow” methods only tend to continue to bind, bridge, clog, and block the pore spaces of the filter pack and at the screen openings.

Cable tool6 drill rigs have the versatility and power for WDPs and can usually accommodate the optimum WDP equipment. A tightly fitting surge block (single or double swabs) attached to a cable tool drill string (stem) (without the drill bit) is ideal for rapidly moving the water back and forth through the screen and the filter pack7 with the walking beam (aka pitman arm or spudder); the surge block can easily be removed from the well using the drill- or main-line; a dart

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valve bailer lowered down on the sand line can be used to “pump” the well (bail-down or bail test8) and evaluate the well hydraulics. Sand and fine-grain sediments are pulled into the screen and then settle to the bottom of the screen assembly and can be periodically measured with the surge block tool (or bailer) to estimate the volume of sediment settling to the bottom of the well after each surging cycle and the sediments can be removed with a standard sand pump bailer. Other methods such as swabbing, airlifting, jetting will also work but usually are not as effective as a surge block and usually require more manual labor and ingenuity to collect the “right” field data; while the access to hydraulic data becomes more awkward to collect.

The final “polishing-up” phase of a WDP is usually with the test pump; diesel-powered line-shaft turbine pumps are ideal but submersible pumps will also work. The pumps should be installed without the foot valve which retains water in the pump column. Begin the pump development at low discharge rates and gradually increase the yield while also measuring the depth to water.

Repeated and methodical cycles of pumping/ overpumping/backwashing will help to improve and stabilize the screen to borehole interface.

Aggressively backwashing, aka “rawhiding”, rigorously reverses the directional flow and is used to dislodge stubborn particles and bridges in the pore spaces of the more “stable” filter pack or formation sediments; but, as with all development methods, procedures should start gently then be more aggressive once the personality of the well is observed for that particular technique to avoid any structural or screen-to-aquifer damage to the well.

Hydraulic data - Collecting hydraulic data during a WDP can be challenging and difficult, especially using certain development methods (i.e., air lift), but possible. Onsite and outside-the-box thinking is used here to collect this type of data; morning static water levels (SWL) should always be collected prior to initiating another day of the WDP; and at the end of the each WDP session (or day) water levels can be collected to evaluate recovery rates and dd data9. For example, water levels can be measured after the airlift system is turned off (recovery test) while the discharge can be measured during airlifting; the pumped water usually splashes uncontrollably at the wellhead but careful re-routing of the water to a shallow ditch (using a shovel) and measuring the discharge with a 5- or 52-gallon bucket/ drum provides a better discharge measurement than “eyeballing” the discharge; for larger flows the water can be diverted and routed to two or more shallow ditches. For airlifting method, the maximum dd can be estimated by subtracting the depth of the airlift tool from the SWL.

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Water Quality - Basic water quality field measurements include: temperature, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and settleable solids (imhoff cone)10. Groundwater is typically free of turbidity and sand11. Consistently pumping turbid or sandy water indicates several (or a combination of) things - among them (1) the well is not sufficiently developed; (2) improperly sized well screen aperture sizes, (3) mis-matched filter pack to grain-size ratios, (4) mis-placed screen depths, (5) excessive pumping rates, etc. The well should be developed to reduce or eliminate turbidity and sand concentration. Any noticeable and rapid changes in water quality should be recorded in the field notes. These detailed field notes will come in handy when the well needs rehab work to re-invigorate older wells that have lost Eff from geochemical or biological impacts12,13,14.

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Warning!

Excessive Pumping of sand or turbidity can lead to this disaster.

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Figure 1 – Localized land subsidence caused by persistent pumping of elevated turbidity between 1973 and 1991. Well A is located about 20 feet above streambed elevation on a small fluvial floodplain terrace. The 24-inch diameter well is about 100 feet deep, screened between 20 and 60 feet, and operated at yields of about 560 gpm with about 4.5 feet of drawdown in 1991.

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Long-term pumping of sand and/or silts is unacceptable for any operating well and can only lead to the structural collapse of the geologic fabric and integrity of the natural water-bearing formation near the well resulting in localized land-subsidence. Figure 1 shows local landsubsidence around a well casing which was caused by long-term (1973 to 1991 – less than 18 years old15) pumping of high-turbidity water.

There is no justifiable reason to use a permanent sand-separator (or other surface engineering device or program) to eliminate sand, silt, or turbidity from a pumping well so a utility can supply water to its customers; if the well pumps sand, silt, or turbidity, then fix it with other down-hole engineered strategies; i.e., a WDP, installation of liners, reduced pumping rates, or installation of a new well.

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Endnotes 1 Borch, Mary Ann, S.A, Smith, and L. N. Noble, 1993, Evaluation and Restoration of Water Supply Wells, American Water Works Association (AWWA) Research Foundation, AWWA, 272p.

2 Mansuy, Neil, 1999, Water Well Rehabilitation: A practical guide to understanding well problems and solutions, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, 174p.

3 Driscoll, Fletcher G. (editor), 1986, Groundwater and Wells (second edition), published by Johnson Division, UOP, Inc., St. Paul, MN, 1089p. See Appendix 16.9 on page 1021.

4 UOP Johnson, 1966, Ground Water and Wells (first edition), published by Johnson Division, UOP, Inc., St. Paul, MN, 440p.

5 Abbott, David W., Sum 2016, The Nexus between Energy and Water Wells – Why well development matters, Wells and Words in GRA Hydrovisions publication, pp. 12 and 13.

6 National Ground Water Association (NGWA), 2003, Illustrated Glossary of Ground Water Terms: Hydrogeology, Geophysics, Borehole Construction, and Water Conditioning, published by NGWA, Westerville, OH, 69p. - an excellent resource for definitions of italicized terminology.

7 Roscoe Moss Company, 1990, Handbook of Ground Water Development, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., NY, 493p. See Appendix J on page 452.

8 Lohman, S.W., 1972, Ground-Water Hydraulics, USGS Professional Paper 708, 70p. or Ferris, J.G., D.B. Knowles, R.H. Brown, and R.W. Stallman, 1962, Theory of Aquifer Tests, USGS Water-Supply Paper 1536-E, pp. 69-174.

9 Abbott, David W., Sum 2015, Part 1 – Yield-Depression curves for evaluating well development effectiveness or whether to rehabilitate a Well, Wells and Words in GRA Hydrovisions publication, pp. 10 and 11.

10 Abbott, David W., Win 2013, Tools in the Hydrologist’s field kit – The Imhoff Settling Cone, Wells and Words in GRA Hydrovisions publication, pp. 15 and 16.

11 Abbott, David W., Fall 2013, Why does groundwater have zero turbidity? – Hjulstroms Diagram and applications to groundwater, Wells and Words in GRA Hydrovisions publication, pp. 18 and 19.

12 Schnieders, John H., 2003, Chemical Cleaning, Disinfection & Decontamination of Water Wells, published by Johnson Screens, Inc., St. Paul, MN, 227p.

13 Smith, Stuart A. and Allen E. Comeskey, 2010, Sustainable Wells: Maintenance, problem prevention, and rehabilitation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 296p.

14 Cullimore, D. Roy, 2008, Practical Manual of Groundwater Microbiology (second edition), CRC Press, Boca Raton, 376p.

15 Properly designed, operated, and maintained wells can last at least 30-yrs and with regular and annual maintenance schedules and check-ups can last 60 yrs.

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(Ground)Water Management

(Ground)Water Management in the West Part 1: Oregon

By Dan Gamon and Abhishek Singh

Dan Gamon has 20 years’ experience performing groundwater basin studies, water well design, aquifer and pumping tests, environmental conceptual models, and water supply investigations. He currently works for the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Abhishek Singh, PhD, PE, has over 15 years of research and consulting experience in the areas of water resources planning and management.

Dr. Singh leads INTERA’s California Operations.

Water (or, arguably, the lack thereof) distinguishes the American West – 17 states located on or westward of the 100th meridian – from the East. This article is the first of a series that aims to survey water management (with an emphasis on groundwater management) approaches across the Western United States. The goal is to compare and contrast water management practices in these states with the system in California. The first impression gleaned from our survey was the distinct differences in the history, evolution, and philosophies of groundwater management in California and other Western States. However, there are also common themes that emerge: the reliance on groundwater in regions with scarce surface water supplies; the intrinsic yet often neglected connection between surface water and groundwater; the significance of droughts driving change in water management practice and legislation; and, ultimately, the tension between individual rights and the common good. To kick off this series, we start with Oregon, a state that shares a border as well as many geographic and hydroclimatic features with California. However, as we will see in the following discussion there are fundamental differences in the way water is currently and has historically been managed in the two states.

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Water Code and Water Rights

Under Oregon law, all water belongs to the public. With some exceptions, cities, irrigators, businesses, and other water users must obtain a water right permit or license from the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) to use water from any source – whether it is underground, or from lakes or streams. The water must be used for a beneficial purpose, without waste (OWRD, 2018).

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Oregon’s water laws are based on the doctrine of prior appropriation. This means the first person to obtain a water right on a stream is the last to be cut off in times of low streamflow. If there is a surplus beyond what is necessary to fulfill the senior right, the water right holder with the next senior priority date can take what is available to satisfy needs under their right. In Oregon, the prior appropriation doctrine was adopted into statute on February 24, 1909 and introduced state control over the right to use water. Before then, water users had to depend on themselves or local courts to defend their rights to water.

Oregon’s Water Code contains four fundamental provisions as follows:

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1. Beneficial purpose without waste: Surface or groundwater may be legally diverted or pumped for use only if it is used for a beneficial purpose without waste.

2. Priority: The water right priority date determines who gets water in a time of shortage.

3. Appurtenancy: Generally, a water right is attached to the land described in the right, if the water is used. If the land is sold, the water right typically goes with the land to the new owner.

4. Must be used: Once established, a water right must be used at least once every five years.

After five consecutive years of non-use, the right is considered forfeited.

Most water rights are obtained in a three-step process. The applicant first applies to OWRD for a permit to use water. Once a permit is granted, the applicant constructs a water system and begins using water. After water is applied, the permit holder must hire a certified water right examiner to complete a survey of water use and submit a map and report detailing how and where water has been applied. After evaluation of the report findings if water use is according to the provisions of the permit, a water right certificate is issued.

Water Protections and Restrictions

Oregon has a system for managing water appropriations and protecting the resource.

Some waters within the state may be closed to new appropriation by legislative action or restricted by the Oregon Water Resources Commission (OWRC). There are 22 designated groundwater administrative areas around the state with differing levels of restriction. These include critical groundwater areas (CGWAs), groundwater limited/classified areas, and areas withdrawn from further appropriation.

Restrictions on new uses from streams and groundwater aquifers are adopted to ensure sustained supplies for existing water users and protect important natural resources. In severe situations (e.g., critical groundwater areas), these restrictions may also affect existing water uses.

Usually, OWRD restricts authorizations for new uses in these impacted basins.

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Water Use Measurement and Reporting

Oregon requires governmental entities such as irrigation districts and public water providers to measure and report water use. The conditions of a water right or permit can include requirements for water measurement and reporting. Water‐use data is a fundamental tool to ensure efficient water management, effective water distribution, and to help plan for future water needs. OWRD states water users who track their use are better able to demonstrate the validity of their water rights.

pumping, by adopting a basin-by-basin water use restriction policy. Some waters within the state may be closed or restricted to new appropriation by legislative action or administrative order If the resource use is deemed unsustainable. The OWRC adopts basin programs to set policies for managing administrative basins. A map of the state’s river basins is included in this article as Figure 1. The OWRC has adopted various basin programs for all but one of the state’s 18 administrative basins (Klamath).

Figure 1: Map of Oregon’s administrative basins, of which 18 basins are managed by OWRD under the guidance of the OWRC. Reference: OWRD 2018, Oregon Water Resources Department , Water Rights In Oregon, An Introduction to Oregon’s Water Laws, Salem, Oregon.

Discussion Related to California

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Oregon’s water management methods favor public ownership over private property ownership and is protective in a proactive manner. For example, groundwater pumping cannot occur within one mile of a perennial or ephemeral stream to minimize streamflow depletions. Also, Oregon is proactive regarding areas impacted by over use, such as over

California’s management of groundwater resources, based on overlying and appropriative rights, follow a very different school of thought than Oregon’s, which is based on public ownership of water resources. With the passage of SGMA, California has moved closer to the management of groundwater for the public good, with the avoidance of ‘significant and unreasonable undesirable results’ from groundwater extractions. Even with SGMA, California will still have to address landowners’ contention that the groundwater beneath their land is their property and not to be managed in a public manner. This may create legal obstacles before sustainability goals are met.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

GRA EVENTS

Image courtesy of HydroGeoLogic, Inc.

Principles of Groundwater Flow & Transport Modeling Course

UC Davis Campus | Tue, Jun. 25 - Thu, Jun. 27, 2019 | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Course Description The use of computer modeling tools will be an essential tool in the development of California Groundwater Sustainability Plans and has been a standard practice in many groundwater investigations. This course introduces the conceptual principles and practical aspects of groundwater modeling in an intuitive yet comprehensive manner. The course includes hands-on exercises based on the USGS MODFLOW flow model and MODPATH and MT3D transport models.

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Course Instructors Graham E. Fogg, Ph.D., is a Professor of Hydrogeology in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources and Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Group, University of California, Davis.

Thomas Harter, Ph.D., is a professor and chair of the Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Group at the University of California

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Pricing All prices end June 18, 2019 Non-Member Registration $995.00 GRA Member Registration $895.00 Government Employee $895.00 Student Registration $600.00 Visit our website for more information and registration.

GRA EVENTS

November 13-14, 2019 DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Ana/Orange County Airport

This GRA power-packed remediation conference will put you at the forefront of current strategies, best practices, and technologies that can help you optimize your groundwater cleanups and longterm monitoring programs. The conference will bring together remediation professionals, regulators, and regulated parties to share the latest knowledge, develop business, and foster collaboration. Top remediation service providers will be on hand and technical education programs on advanced topics will be featured, including: • • • • • • •

Combined Remedies for Expedited Groundwater Cleanups Reduced Monitoring Plans & Regulatory Acceptance Criteria Increased Extraction Well Efficiency & System Up-Times Augmented Performance of In-Situ Technologies Integrated Operations & Maintenance Plans & Inspections Customized Remote Monitoring & Data Management Tools Improved Mechanical Asset Integrity & System Operating Costs

Why Attend?

• • • • • •

Keep up-to-date on the latest developments in remediation technology Better focus your O&M dollars and increase remedy performance Expand your understanding of remote sensing technologies Learn about regulatory cleanup and monitoring acceptance criteria Expedite your site cleanup processes and reduce overall program costs Network with leading experts, colleagues, potential partners, and clients

Who Should Attend?

• • • •

Environmental engineers, consultants, technicians, and remediation experts Regulated business, property owners, and responsible parties Regulators for environmental cleanup programs Students interested in careers in the remediation industry

When you attend this event, you will experience high-value learning that you can put to work directly on your sites while having fun and building relationships with other remediation professionals.

Contact Sarah Erck at 916-446-3626 or serck@grac.org for more information.

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Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities are available.

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GRA BRANCHES

GRA Branches

In addition to all of GRA’s statewide offerings, we now have eight regional Branches. Branch meetings include expert speakers on a wide variety of topics, and provide a great opportunity to network with other groundwater professionals in your area!

Each Branch is dedicated to increasing awareness of issues related to groundwater in their region, as well as to providing a forum for groundwater and hydrogeology professionals to gather and discuss developments in their field.

GRA Branch Updates Northern Sacramento Valley Branch

By Todd Greene

Todd Greene is the Northern Sacramento Valley Branch secretary and an associate professor in the Geological and Environmental Sciences Department at Chico State University

San Francisco-Bay Area Northern Sacramento Valley Sacramento San Joaquin Valley Central Coast

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Southern California

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San Diego Inland Empire

The Northern Sacramento Valley Branch so far in 2019 has been very busy and exciting. We’ve had back to back talks in March and April with strong attendance at both events. On March 13, the NSV Branch hosted Radley Ott, P.E., Assistant Public Works Director with Butte County. He spoke on the “Recovery Efforts and Watershed Impacts Related to the 153,336 Acre Camp Fire in Northern California”. The packed house barely let Radley get through his talk as many attendees had pertinent questions involving this horrific fire and its effects on multiple drainage basins. This excellent talk was followed by the April 17th event when the branch hosted the David Keith Todd Distinguished Lecturer, David Sandino, ESQ., past Chief Counsel for DWR. His talk focused on “The Disconnect Between Groundwater Legal Systems and Groundwater Hydrology: What Changes Should Be Made to Groundwater Law to Better Reflect the Physical Environment?”

Both events were highly successful with many students in attendance as well as faculty, state, county, and NGO participants. While we take a short break during the summer, we look forward to future events for Fall 2019.

GRA BRANCHES

Central Coast Branch

By Bryan Bondy, Central Coast Branch Secretary Mr. Bondy is a contract groundwater manger with Calleguas Municipal Water District and the president of Bondy Groundwater Consulting.

The Central Coast Branch was pleased to have guest speaker Dr. Jim McCord, PE, Principal Hydrogeologist at GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., present “Two Case Studies of Sustainable Water Management at the Basin Scale: Pecos River, New Mexico and Tulare Lake Subbasin, California” at its April 2, 2019 branch meeting. The audience received a bonus case study of the South Platte River in Colorado. A key to success for sustainable management in all three basins is modeling, according to Dr. McCord. In the Pecos River Basin, a linked set of surface-water and groundwater models was key to finding a solution that satisfied all water rights holders and interstate legal judgments. Groundwater modeling was used to forecast the long-term effects of projects to store excess winter flows via artificial recharge along the South Platte River in Colorado. Unit response functions were developed to make shortterm operational decisions in order to maintain flows needed to satisfy both surface water and groundwater users in the region. Finally, in the Tulare Lake basin of California, modeling of recharge and evaporation at Tulare Lake was key to forecasting changes in groundwater storage and estimating water budgets, which were used in the development of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan despite significant limitations in available data. The presentation’s overall message was that modeling of surface-water/groundwater interactions can be an important element of successful plans and processes for providing limited water resources to a variety of users in a manner consistent with water rights and regulations.

The Central Coast Branch recently awarded a scholarship to Rachel Torres who is conducting research as a PhD student at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. Ms. Torres is investigating the effects of urban storm water quality and quantity on coastal and stream ecosystems in Santa Barbara by applying the Regional HydroEcologic Simulation System (RHESSys) model to determine the fate of storm water after it’s directed to green spaces and other collection systems.

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The Groundwater Resources Association is comprised of a diverse group of experts in the groundwater industry and related fields.

GRA unites these experts through collaboration, education and networking in an effort toward ensuring sustainable groundwater for all. WE ARE GRA! Lyndsey Bloxom is the Communications & Education Services Representative for the Water Replenishment District of Southern California

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I am Lyndsey and I am GRA! You may know me as the person to go to for WRD swag, but I’m also the person to go to for WRD partnerships! In my three years at the Water Replenishment District, I’ve worked in the Public Affairs Department and in the Water Resources Department. In each role, the focus has been on how WRD can work with outside partners to effectively reach the public and to move our industry forward (this could reflect my upbringing as the middle of five kids). New projects we’re currently working on include a regional brackish groundwater reclamation project and a recharge and extraction Master Plan for the Central and West Coast groundwater basins.

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Before WRD, I worked in water resources planning for a Geotech firm in Orange County. I landed there after moving straight to CA from VA - where I grew up and received my degrees in geology and hydrogeology. In our spare time, my husband and I like to collect and polish rocks, make and fly kites, and sail/ride on any boat we can find. Being from the very rural Shenandoah Valley, I like any hobby that can take me away from the hustle and bustle of SoCal and closer to the beauty of nature. I’m very happy to be a part of GRA and I can’t wait to see where this wonderful group of groundwater-lovers will go next.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

The Federal Corner

The Federal Corner

By Jamie Marincola, U.S. EPA

Jamie Marincola is the California Water Division Coordinator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9. For more information on any of the topics, please contact Jamie at 415-972-3520 or Marincola.JamesPaul@epa.gov.

EPA Announces First-Ever Comprehensive Nationwide PFAS Action Plan. In February, EPA unveiled the Agency’s Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Action Plan to outline concrete steps the Agency is taking to address PFAS and protect public health. EPA’s Action Plan will move forward with the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) process outlined in the Safe Drinking Water Act for PFOA and PFOS, continue its enforcement actions, clarify clean up strategies, expand monitoring PFAS in the environment, and expand research and scientific foundation for addressing PFAS by developing new analytical methods and tools. In late April, EPA released draft interim guidance on addressing PFOA and PFOS groundwater contamination for public review. To read more on the Action Plan and view the draft guidance, visit EPA’s PFAS website: https://www.epa.gov/pfas Promising Membrane Technology Reduces Chlorobenzene in Groundwater. A new National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Superfund Research Program collaboration has developed a promising groundwater cleanup technology that provides an efficient, low-maintenance method of removing chlorobenzene and other compounds from water. The method integrates electrochemical oxidation, which uses electricity to transform contaminants into non-toxic substances, and membranes containing palladium (Pd), a metal used as a catalyst in many industrial chemical synthesis applications and groundwater treatment. For more information, see https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/srp/researchbriefs/ view.cfm?Brief_ID=290. continues on page 32

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Wildfires May Pollute Water Supplies on a Warming Planet. USGS scientist Sheila Murphy details impacts of fire on forested watersheds in an interview with the Environmental Monitor. In the interview, she describes how hydrophobic soils resulting from wildfires carry ash, exposed soil, abandoned mining waste and other sediments directly into downstream waterways and water supplies. She also notes from her studies of the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Colorado in September 2010, organic carbon levels in source water were not significantly elevated until the next summer. See the article covered on USGS’s twitter page here: https://twitter.com/ USGSwaterCA/status/1112770268655566848

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United States Files Lawsuit Against California State Water Resources Control Board for Failure to Comply with California Environmental Quality Act. In late March, the Department of Justice and U.S. Department of the Interior filed civil actions, in both federal and state court, against the California State Water Resources Control Board for failing to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. DOJ and DOI claim that the State Water Board hid the true impacts of their Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, which was adopted in December 2018.

According to the complaint, the plan fails to comply with CEQA and, once implemented, will impair DOI’s ability to operate the New Melones Dam consistent with Congressional directives for the project. To read more on the lawsuit, visit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-statesfiles-lawsuit-against-california-state-waterresources-control-board-failure

BLM Bakersfield Seeks Public Comment on Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts Analysis. In late April, the Bureau of Land Management released for public comment a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing associated with oil and gas development on public lands within the Bakersfield Field Office planning area, which includes Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties. The Supplemental EIS for the Bakersfield Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP) responds to a May 2017 settlement agreement with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to analyze issues and potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing. The 45-day public comment ends on June 10.

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The Federal Corner

S&P LEGISLATIVE SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS:

M&M R&P

Event Co-Sponsor, Cocktail Reception Co-Sponsor and Breakfast Sponsor Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

WDR

Event Co-Sponsor Roscoe Moss Company

CM

Cocktail Reception Co-Sponsor Dudek & Associates, Inc.

ASR

Studies & Planning West Yost provides comprehensive investigation, modeling, analysis and testing to plan for the future of your water supply and storage.

THANK YOU!

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DAVIS • CARLSBAD • IRVINE • PLEASANTON SACRAMENTO • SANTA ROSA • WALNUT CREEK

we are water 33

HYDROVISIONS ADVERTISING & ARTICLE SPECIFICATIONS

HALF PAGE AD:

1= $250 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off

FULL PAGE AD:

1= $400 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off

SPONSORED ARTICLE:

1= $625 | 2= 15% Off | 4= 20% Off FILL OUT THE ADVERTISING FORM

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www.grac.org/forms/hydrovisions-ad

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Logo & Ad Specs:

Your ad must be in the requested dimensions (no rotating) and sent as a 300dpi PDF. You must send your logo in an EPS or AI vector format with outlined fonts.

If you do not have an EPS version of your logo, please ensure what you send is a high-resolution transparent PDF. Logos pulled from websites are not suitable for printing. Design or logo questions? Contact David Garrison, GRA Creative Director at dgarrison@smithmooreassoc.com Vertical Ad: 4.25w X 11h Full Page Ad: 8.5w X 11h

Do you need help designing your ad?

GRA is happy to help in designing a simple ad for you using your company logo for a nominal fee. Please email dgarrison@smithmooreassoc.com for more information.

Sponsored Article

Sponsored Articles in HydroVisions are an ad in article-form. They are clearly marked to readers as sponsored. In these articles you can broadcast the message of your organization’s mission or product.

Authors (Both Sponsored and Non-Sponsored):

• Please provide an unformatted Word document of your story without embedded images. You can signify where you’d like a submitted image using brackets.

• Images you wish to be included with your article must not be embedded in the Word document; send them separately and labeled with names corresponding to where you’d like them used in the Word document.

• Articles must have a brief title and a byline.

• Supply a 300dpi headshot of the author.

• Article length must be between 500 - 1000 words.

• Please include an “About the Author” post script, to provide our audience with the context of your perspectives.

• Avoid using diagrams or graphs in your article, words are preferable.

ARTWORK FILE IS DUE THREE WEEKS BEFORE PUBLISHING

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ARTICLES BOTH SPONSORED AND NOT ARE DUE FOUR WEEKS BEFORE PUBLISHING

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Parting Shot

By John Karachewski

John Karachewski is a geologist for the California EPA (DTSC) in Berkeley. He is an avid photographer and often teaches geology as an instructor and field trip leader.

Pewetole Island and its impressive blowhole are located near Trinidad along the scenic northern California Coast. The stand of Sitka spruce growing on top of the Franciscan sandstones represents the southernmost occurrence of that tree species on coastal rocks.

A blowhole is formed by horizontal and vertical erosion of sea caves into shafts, which can result in hydraulic compression of sea water that is released through a narrow surface port when wave and weather conditions are optimum.

I​n January 2017, President Obama designated Trinidad Head (background) as the newest unit of the California Coastal National Monument. Connecting the Pacific Ocean with the land, the California Coastal National Monument provides unique coastal habitat for marine-dependent wildlife and vegetation on more than 20,000 rocks, islands, exposed reefs, and pinnacles along the California coastline, as well as 7,924 acres of public land in six onshore units. This monument is protected by the Bureau of Land Management as National Conservation Lands.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operated an atmospheric baseline observatory at Trinidad Head from 2002 to 2017. Because of its relatively remote coastal location and prevailing maritime airflow, the site provided scientists with an opportunity to observe and monitor both regional and global atmospheric conditions from an unobstructed Pacific Ocean reasonably free from local influences. Atmospheric measurements included aerosols, surface ozone, radiation, halocarbons, and carbon cycle gases.

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Photographed by John Karachewski along the Elk Head Trail on April 6, 2019 during a mid-morning rising tide. Estimated GPS coordinates of photograph are 41.068376° and -124.154286°.

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Parting Shot

PHOTOGRAPHY

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Parting Shot

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ISSUE TWENTY-NINE

29

JUNE 2019