BECKWOURTH - At their monthly Board meeting this past Monday evening, November 21, the Sierra Valley Groundwater Management District (SVGMD) approved the submission of a $5.52 million grant application to California's Dept. of Water Resources.

$1.3 million of this money would be spent on updating their current Groundwater Sustainability Plan by continuing to monitor the aquifer's conditions, filling known data gaps, and updating hydrologic models.

Another $2.18 million is slated to promote irrigation efficiency and water conservation in the basin while $1.34 million would be spent on a groundwater recharge feasibility study, pilot demonstration projects between 2023 and 2026 on Smithneck/Badenaugh creeks, and the evaluation of other locations for future implementation.

To build a complete inventory of existing wells (shallow, domestic, and stockwater) plus collect missing information for the high-capacity wells, the grant proposal contains a request for an additional $0.2 million. Grant administration costs comprise the remainder the sum being requested.