Some Pajaro Valley Farms are Paid to Solve California’s Water Crisis by Returning Stormwater to the Ground
by Alix Soliman | Lookout Santa Cruz
Can agriculture, long considered a drain on the state’s water resources, help solve California’s water crisis? In the Pajaro Valley, some farmers are being paid to return stormwater to the ground. The effort is part of a joint project among local agencies, landowners and UC Santa Cruz to install groundwater recharge basins on some local farms. Participating farms receive cash rebates based on how much water they capture. But while early results are promising, many challenges remain.
Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM) is a Novel, Cost-effective Management Strategy to Incentivize Groundwater Recharge
By M Bruce, L Sherman, E Bruno, A Fisher & M Kiparsky | Nature Water
Managed aquifer recharge, which uses available water to augment groundwater resources, holds promise as a strategy to reduce chronic groundwater overdraft. However, water management agencies often confront hurdles when implementing managed aquifer recharge. Favourable sites for recharging water are often located on private land, and common-pool resource conflicts frequently disincentivize voluntary private participation. We introduce recharge net metering (ReNeM), a conceptually novel, market-based mechanism to help overcome these barriers and achieve multiple extractive and non-extractive benefits from improved groundwater management.
Request for Bid: Amber Ridge Loop Road Drainage Project (CLOSED)
The RCDSCC invites contractors to bid on the Amber Ridge Loop Road Drainage Project. The project will help to improve water quality in the San Lorenzo River Watershed by reducing sediment loading through the improvements to private road infrastructure.
Applications Opening July 25th for the RCD Chipping Reimbursement Program to Help Neighborhoods Prepare for Wildfire
The Resource Conservation District (RCD) of Santa Cruz County is offering neighborhoods with eight or more participating households a reimbursement of chipping costs related to the creation of defensible space for wildfire preparedness. The program is available to Santa Cruz County residents who live in areas -- defined as “Wildland Urban Interface” areas -- that may potentially be impacted by wildfire.
Register HERE for an informational webinar to be held on Monday, July 24 at 6:00 PM.
Applications open for FireWise USA Communities July 25, 2023 and for all other eligible neighborhoods on August 1st. Last day to submit reimbursement forms is October 31, 2023.
Request for Bid: Conley Creek Road Improvement and Culvert Upgrade Project
The RCDSCC invites contractors to bid on the Conley Creek Road Improvement and Culvert Upgrade Project. The project will help to improve water quality in the San Lorenzo River Watershed by reducing sediment loading through the improvements to private road infrastructure.
This project consists if improvements to road drainage, along Conley Creek Road in Boulder Creek, CA, utilizing road shaping methods and installation/upgrade of existing road drainage structures along a 0.95 mile stretch road including 12 reverse grade dips and upgrading or adding culverts.
Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency awarded $8.9 million state grant
By Nick Sestanovich | Santa Cruz Sentinel
WATSONVILLE - The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency announced Wednesday it was one of four regional groundwater management agencies to receive grant funding from the California Department of Conservation. The recharge net metering and Stormwater Basin Incentive Program, led by the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County and UC Santa Cruz, is one of the projects funded through the grant.
