Well Master Plan

Well Master Plan

 

Project Description

The Well Master Plan (WMP) Project includes the development of up to four new groundwater production wells at four locations (O’Neill Ranch and Cunnison Lane Well sites in Soquel, and Austrian Way and Granite Way-Aptos Village Well sites in Aptos) and the conversion of an existing irrigation well to a municipal well (Polo Grounds Regional Park Well site in Aptos). The WMP Project also includes the construction of associated water treatment plants and installation of emergency standby generators at all but the Granite Way-Aptos Village well site; and the installation of pipeline to tie existing water, sewer and storm drain infrastructure and security fencing at all well sites. The final component of the WMP Project is to abandon and destroy one deteriorated well (the Monterey Well in Capitola) and remove two wells from active status and retain as emergency standby wells (the Maplethorpe Well in Soquel, and either the T.Hopkins or Aptos Creek Well in Aptos).

 

The objectives of the WMP Project are to:

 

  • Redistribute pumping away from the coast and allow for a more uniform drawdown of groundwater, reducing susceptibility to seawater intrusion and minimizing localized pumping depressions.
  • Limit pumping of each well to less than 12 hours per day to manage pumping depressions.
  • Ensure reliable water supply when individual wells are out of service due to maintenance, mechanical failure, or damage.
  • Have adequate system capacity and flexibility to respond to peak, maximum-day demand in all four service areas.

 

Project History

As lead agency, the Soquel Creek Water District (SqCWD) determined that implementation of the WMP Project could potentially have a significant effect on the environment and, therefore, required preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

 

In accordance with CEQA requirements, a Notice of Preparation for the WMP EIR was published in July 2006. A public scoping meeting was subsequently held on July 18, 2006, to receive comments from the public on the scope of the Draft EIR. A Draft EIR for the WMP Project was published on September 1, 2010, establishing the start of a 45-day Comment Period that extended through October 16, 2010.  Comments received during the Comment Period were responded to in a Responses to Comments Document published February 9, 2011. The Responses to Comments Document, in combination with the Draft EIR, constitute the Final EIR for the WMP Project.

 

On February 22, 2011, the SqCWD Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve Resolution Number 11-07 certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the WMP Project. The SqCWD Board of Directors also voted to approve Resolution Number 11-08, approving a partial WMP Project, and adopting the Required CEQA Findings and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the partial project. The approved Partial Project components include the following:

 

  • Develop two new wells at two locations (Cunnison Lane in Soquel and Granite Way-Aptos Village in Aptos).
  • Convert an existing irrigation well to a municipal production well (Polo Grounds Regional Park in Aptos).
  • Abandon and destroy one deteriorated well (Monterey Well in Capitola).
  • Remove two wells from active status and retain as emergency standby (Maplethorpe Well in Soquel, and either the T. Hopkins Well or Aptos Creek Well in Aptos)

 

Although the Final WMP EIR fully complies with all CEQA requirements, the SqCWD is deferring implementation of the O’Neill Ranch and Austrian Way Wells due to concerns raised during the Draft EIR public review period. The SqCWD is continuing to work with other agencies on details for cooperative groundwater management, stream baseflow monitoring and possibly fisheries enhancement projects. The SqCWD intends to proceed with the approval process for the remaining components of the WMP Project at a later date.

 

Partial Project Implementation

 Implementation of the WMP Partial Project will begin in Summer 2011 with the conversion of an existing irrigation well to a municipal production well at the Polo Grounds Regional Park in Aptos.  The SqCWD anticipates that it will take approximately one year to complete construction of the Polo Grounds Well conversion project.  The intention is to complete one additional well each of the next five years.  The order of development has not yet been determined beyond the Polo Grounds Well.  If you have questions about the WMP Project, please contact Shelley Flock at 831-475-8501 ext. 156.

 

Links

Resolution No. 11-07 Certifying the Final EIR for the Well Master Plan Project

 

Resolution No. 11-08  Approving a Partial Well Master Plan Project and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Partial Well Master Plan Project

  

 

 

The Well Master Plan 
Final EIR 
consists of the following sections and can be downloaded below. 

 

Section 1:

Cover & Title Pages; Table of Contents; Acronyms & Abbreviations; Glossary; Summary; Chapter 1 (Introduction); and Chapter 2 (Project Description)

           

Section 2: 

 

Chapter 3 (Environmental Setting, Impacts, and Mitigation Measures; Chapter 4 (Other CEQA Requirements); Chapter 5 (Alternatives); and Chapter 6 (Report Preparers)

 

Section 3: 

 

Appendix A (Notice of Preparation); and Appendix B (Comments Received on Notice of Preparation)           

 

Section 4: 

 

Appendix C (Hydrologic Effects on Well Master Plan)

 

Text Revision to Appendix C

 

Section 5:

 

Appendix D (Special Status Plants and Species); Appendix E (Draft EIR Distribution List); and Appendix F (Air Quality Emission Calculations)

 

Section 6:

 

Responses to Comments Document

 

 

 

A print copy of the Well Master Plan Final EIR is available at the following locations:

• By appointment at SqCWD offices - 5180 Soquel Drive, Soquel (call 831-475-8500)