1. The GSA is mandated to address diversity demographics and disadvantaged communities. Are these communities represented on the advisory committee? Who are they?
2. How can we plan accurately without considering the critical interconnectedness of groundwater, watersheds, streams, and the river? Director Morrison stated in the September 23 seminar that the watersheds are included in the modeling but as not subject to the regulations. The areas outside of the valley floor are looked at only in terms of input into the groundwater aquifer because the regulations have no authority or policy in the watersheds. How does this statement sit with the mandate to address “the depletion of interconnected streams, often the most sensitive and telling indicators of depletion” which was in the county’s September 22, 2021 presentation?
3. Why is the wine industry so heavily represented on the advisory committee? Considering that the industry uses at least 77% of the groundwater, (see Luhdorff and Scalmaninini statistics below), isn’t this a conflict of interest?
4. How will the plan use empirical data to manage environmental goals?
How will the plan address climate change and megadrought?
5. What happens when our wells go dry? Who do we report this to for tracking and what are the consequences? Especially when this coincides with neighboring properties that have drilled multiple wells for their vineyards and wineries? Is this data tracked?
Napa County Water Facts
Who is Getting the Water?
2019
Total used was 18,005 acre-feet
(According to Luhdorff and Scalmanini, sustainable yield is 17,000 to 20,000-acre feet)
70% is used for Ag (vineyards)
19% is used for rural landscaping (is this for vineyard and winery landscaping?)
7% used for rural wineries
2% used for rural homes
Statistics based on figures as reported
in June 2020 by Napa Valley Register