SALINAS VALLEY — In an effort to increase groundwater recharge and storage while reducing flooding, four local agencies and nonprofits collaborating on the Multi-benefit Land Repurposing Program are seeking public input about known areas of flooding and recharge.
A public survey is now open and interested community members are invited to join the new Recharge Work Group for its first meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
The Multi-benefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) is a California Department of Conservation initiative to reduce reliance on overdrafted groundwater basins. MLRP funds projects to support reduced reliance on groundwater while also providing community benefits and making agriculture more sustainable into the future.
“Some potential project benefits could be increased groundwater recharge and storage, reduced flooding, habitat enhancement and water quality improvement,” according to a news release. “Community input is being requested to help identify the communities’ desired benefits.”
The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF), Central Coast Wetlands Group (CCWG), Greater Monterey County Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Group and the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVBGSA) are implementing a $10 million MLRP grant for the acquisition of portions of agricultural ranches where interested landowners wish to transition farmlands to projects that require less water and create additional community and environmental benefits.
The Salinas Valley MLRP concept focuses on the voluntary transition of the least productive, most flood-prone irrigated land to reduce groundwater pumping while also providing benefits to adjacent communities. The program will focus efforts in three Salinas Valley groundwater subbasins, including the 180/400-Foot Aquifer, Eastside and Langley.
To gather further community input for flood impacts and groundwater recharge in the Salinas Valley, interested community members are invited to complete a survey (tinyurl.com/SVFloodSurvey) to collect information about known areas of flooding and potential groundwater recharge sites. The survey will be open through the end of the year.
To participate in the Salinas Valley Recharge Work Group, contact SVBGSA Deputy General Manager Emily Gardner (ga******@sv****.org) or indicate interest on the survey. The Recharge Work Group will meet monthly over the next year to provide input for the creation of recharge suitability maps.
The first meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 4-5 p.m. and will be virtual. Learn more and join the webinar at svbgsa.org/multibenefit-land-repurposing-program.
