For Water Subcommittee Meeting March 27, 2025
TO: Water Subcommittee Members
APPROVAL: John Rossi, Interim Utilities Director
FROM: Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
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Staff request that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the participation in the Rialto-Colton Basin Groundwater effort with a cost-share of $22,250. (ACTION)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the participation in the Rialto-Colton Basin Groundwater effort with a cost-share of $22,250.
BACKGROUND
On November 10, 2020, the Rialto City Council/Rialto Utility Authority (RUA) Board approved the Rialto Basin Groundwater Council Framework Agreement, as required by a lawsuit settlement against Fontana Union Water Company (FUWC) involving San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, RUA, the City of Colton, and West Valley Water District (WVWD). The agreement mandated the formation of a Groundwater Council to promote sustainable groundwater management in the Rialto Basin.
In February 2021, the Rialto Basin Groundwater Council (RBGC) was established to coordinate and implement groundwater management efforts, including the development of a Groundwater Management Plan (GWMP). The RBGC consists of elected officials from the four agencies and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) with agency staff.
On December 9, 2021, the RBGC Board unanimously awarded Stetson Engineers Inc. a $215,000 contract to develop the GWMP, with WVWD serving as the contracting agency. The cost was shared equally among the four agencies, with RUA's portion being $53,750.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
At this stage in the GWMP's development, Stetson is requesting additional funding and a contract extension to December 2025. More effort than anticipated was needed to assess and select the most suitable groundwater model for the Basin and to conduct extensive modeling to evaluate the basin-wide impacts of imported water recharge. Additional analysis was also re...
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