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DATE: February 11, 2003
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT: Updating the County Groundwater Ordinance

Summary:
The current Groundwater Ordinance was adopted in October 1991. Over the last 11 years, the Groundwater Ordinance has protected the groundwater resources while streamlining the review and approval of projects using groundwater. Although the Groundwater Ordinance has been successful, improvements could be made to update these regulations. Approval of this item would result in modifications to the Groundwater Limitations Map to reflect the lower amount of rainfall that the County has experienced over the last 30 years and provide recommendations for amending the Groundwater Ordinance.

Recommendation:
VICE CHAIRWOMAN JACOB
Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to update the Groundwater Limitations Map to accurately reflect the amount of rainfall over the last 30 years and return to the Board with recommendations for amending the Groundwater Ordinance based on the updated map.

BACKGROUND
The current Groundwater Ordinance was adopted in October 1991. Over the last 11 years, the Groundwater Ordinance has protected the groundwater resources while streamlining the review and approval of projects using groundwater.

Although the Groundwater Ordinance has been successful, current meteorological conditions have resulted in San Diego County experiencing the lowest recorded rainfall ever during the past rain year. Improvements must
be made to update the Groundwater Ordinance regulations to reflect the present drought cycle.

A modification should be made to the Groundwater Limitations Map to reflect the lower amount of rainfall that the County has experienced over the last 30 years. This would be consistent with the 30-year moving average used by the National Weather Service to predict future rainfall amounts, instead of the 100-year record reflected in the current Groundwater Limitations Map.

I, therefore, urge you to support the recommendation to update the Groundwater Limitations Map and provide any appropriate amendments to the Groundwater Ordinance based on the updated map.

Sincerely,


DIANNE JACOB
Vice Chairwoman