Vina Groundwater Sustainability Agency Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Funded Projects

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Total Grant Award: $5,535,000
Estimated Completion Date: March 2026

Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Updates, Data Gaps, & Monitoring Network Enhancements

Implementing Agency: Vina GSA

Aims to enhance the understanding of the Vina subbasin's conditions by installing monitoring sites and equipment, focusing on domestic wells and implementing a Community Monitoring Program, alongside preparing the five-year GSP Periodic Evaluation and engaging with the public through various outreach efforts.

 Consultant: Larry Walker Associates

Project Partner:  Butte County Water and Resource Conservation

Total Project Budget: $1,070,000

Demand Reduction Strategies

Implementing Agency: Vina GSA

Aims to enhance groundwater sustainability in the Vina Subbasin by reducing consumptive use through extending orchard fallowing periods to reduce evapotranspiration (ET), promote and pilot precision irrigation, ET monitoring, and educational outreach.

 Consultant: Geosyntec/LandIQ

Project Partner: Agricultural Groundwater Users of Butte County

Total Project Budget: $2,440,000

Lindo Channel Recharge Feasibility

Implementing Agency: Vina GSA

Aims to conduct feasibility and initial design for enhancing natural recharge along Lindo Channel using Big Chico Creek's excess flows to bolster groundwater for domestic wells and ecosystems through the Chico area, supplemented by monitoring groundwater conditions to assess impacts.

 Consultant: Geosyntec/West Yost

Project Partner: City of Chico

Total Project Budget: $330,000

Long-Term Fee Study Project

Implementing Agency: Vina GSA

Aims to develop a sustainable funding mechanism for managing groundwater resources. This ongoing project is actively evaluating various fee structures to ensure fair and equitable contributions from groundwater users, supporting the long-term management and protection of the Vina subbasin's groundwater resources.

Consultant: Hansford Economic Consulting

Total Project Budget: $225,000

Water Supply and Recharge Project

Implementing Agency: Butte County

Evaluates the potential for expanded surface water use for irrigation and the feasibility of a phased groundwater recharge plan in the Vina Subbasin, incorporating previous studies and considering factors like site suitability, water availability, legal aspects, and sustainability goals, aimed at identifying optimal recharge areas and water supply projects.

 Consultant: Geosyntec/Water and Land Solutions

Project Partner: Agricultural Groundwater Users of Butte County

Total Project Budget: $725,000

Inter-basin Coordination Analysis and Modeling

Implementing Agency: Butte County

Focuses on analyzing GSPs along the Sacramento River Corridor to support inter-basin coordination, and conducting integrated groundwater-surface water modeling, including refinements to the Butte Basin Groundwater Model.  Also includes analysis along the Feather River Corridor funded by the Wyandotte Creek GSA SGM grant.

 Consultant: Montgomery and Associates

Total Project Budget: $467,000

Outreach Program

Implementing Agency: Butte County

Will support an Outreach Program by the GSA to communicate subbasin conditions, GSP development and implementation, and to create education and outreach materials that support and encourage public engagement in all other grant funded projects.

 Consultants: Raftelis, Spruce Studio

Total Project Budget: $165,000

Grant Administration

Implementing Agency: Butte County

Administration tasks for the overall grant that includes invoicing, quarterly reporting, closeout reporting, and environmental information form(s).

 Total Project Budget: $200,000