Mission Creek Subbasin SGMA Compliance

Groundwater Sustainability Agencies

The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) has been designated an “exclusive” Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) over its service area by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in the Mission Creek Subbasin. Desert Water Agency (DWA) was also designated a GSA in the Mission Creek Subbasin within its boundary. CVWD, DWA, and Mission Springs Water District (MSWD) are collectively the Mission Creek Subbasin Management Committee (Management Committee) working collaboratively to implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in the Mission Creek Subbasin.

Alternative to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan

On December 29, 2016, CVWD, DWA, and MSWD collaboratively submitted the 2013 Mission Creek-Garnet Hill Water Management Plan with an associated Bridge Document as an Alternative to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (Alternative Plan) for the Mission Creek Subbasin to DWR for review and evaluation. On July 17, 2019, DWR determined that the Alternative Plan for the Mission Creek Subbasin satisfies the objectives of SGMA and notified the Management Committee that the Alternative Plan was approved, and that they would be required to submit an assessment and update of the Alternative Plan by January 1, 2022 and every five years thereafter. A copy of the Alternative Plan for the Mission Creek Subbasin can be found on DWR’s SGMA Portal.

Alternative Plan Update

The Management Committee collaboratively prepared the 2022 Mission Creek Subbasin Alternative Plan Update. The Management Committee agencies adopted the 2022 Alternative Plan Update following a public hearing on December 7, 2021 and submitted it to DWR on December 29, 2021. The 2022 Alternative Plan Update and information about the update process can be found at www.MissionCreekSubbasinSGMA.org. The 2022 Alternative Plan Update can also be accessed on DWR’s SGMA Portal.

Annual Reports by Water Year

On February 1, 2018, DWR notified all GSAs who submitted Alternative GSPs that they would be required to submit annual reports pursuant to SGMA by April 1, 2018 and every year thereafter. CVWD, DWA, and MSWD have collaboratively prepared and submitted the Mission Creek Subbasin Annual Reports by Water Year to DWR. Copies of the Annual Reports can be found at DWR’s SGMA Portal.

For more information contact:

Zoe Rodriguez del Rey at zrodriguezdelrey@cvwd.org