DWR to hold Three Public Meetings on Draft Grant Proposal Solicitation Package
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced the release of its 2017 Draft Proposal Solicitation Package for Groundwater Sustainability Plans and Projects. The grant program is funded by Prop 1, the $7.5 billion water bond overwhelmingly approved by California voters in 2014. Proposition 1 authorized the Legislature to appropriate $100 million for competitive grants for development of sustainable groundwater plans and projects, of which $86.3 million is available in fiscal year 2017-18. The grants are intended to support groundwater management that furthers the goals of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, a historic 2014 law that requires local agencies to bring stressed groundwater basins into sustainable patterns of pumping and recharge. Groundwater supplies a third or more of California’s water supply.
DWR will solicit proposals to award funding on a competitive basis in two funding categories: projects that serve severely disadvantaged communities and Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). GSPs have two tiers: Tier 1 is for critically overdrafted basins and Tier 2 is for all other high- and medium- priority basins. Additional details about the draft proposal are available on the Planning Grant Program webpage.
This release of the draft proposal solicitation package begins the public comment period. The public comment period will close June 19, 2017. DWR will hold three public meetings to review the contents of the package and to receive comments:
| Meeting location | Meeting time |
| Bonderson Building 901 P Street, Hearing Room Sacramento, CA 95814 |
June 12, 2017, 10:00 AM |
| Fresno Irrigation District 2907 S. Maple Avenue, Boardroom Fresno, CA 93725 |
June 13, 2017, 1:00 PM |
| Irvine Ranch Water District 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue, Sand Canyon Room Irvine, CA 92618 |
June 14, 2017, 1:00 PM |