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On Thursday, February 27, 2025 California’s Department of Water Resources announced approval of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP or Plan) for the Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Montecito GSA or Agency).
Locally, groundwater is heavily relied on for local residential, commercial and agricultural use—particularly during periods of drought. The Montecito Groundwater Basin supplies water for numerous public and private wells, and the Montecito GSA’s mission is to ensure a reliable and sustainable groundwater supply for the community through effective basin management pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
“This is a Plan that our Agency and the entire community can be proud of,” said Brian Goebel, current Director and past Board President of the Montecito GSA. “The approval validates the hard work of all involved and the Agency’s data driven, collaborative methods as an effective approach for maintaining a healthy groundwater basin far into the future.’’
Through SGMA, enacted in 2014, the State required the development of a Plan for the Montecito Groundwater Basin. Montecito GSA formed in 2018, and Plan development began in 2019. An intensive
5-year effort involving data collection, research and modeling resulted in a substantially increased understanding of the Montecito Groundwater Basin and completion of the Plan which was adopted in May, 2023 and submitted to California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) for review.
Based on available data and analysis, the Montecito GSA determined that the Montecito Groundwater Basin is not currently experiencing undesirable results. The Plan identifies data gaps, specific projects, and the criteria for ongoing monitoring, and serves as a long-term path forward to prevent undesirable results that may occur without proper stewardship of the basin, such as seawater intrusion, lowering groundwater levels, or depletion of groundwater storage. Data collection and increasing participation from the public remain top priorities for the Montecito GSA.
To learn more about the Montecito GSA and the importance of groundwater for the community visit www.montecitogsa.com ; email info@montecitogsa.com ; or call 805.324.4207.
