Following suit with the cities of Vacaville and Rio Vista, Dixon has chosen to form its own exclusive agency on sustainable groundwater management.
The Dixon City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday to form its own Groundwater Sustainability Agency in order to comply with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act by June 30.
Public Works Director and City Engineer Joe Leach initially recommended that Dixon sign a joint powers agreement to join a GSA that had been forming in the Solano Subbasin between Dixon, Vacaville, Rio Vista, Solano County, Solano Irrigation District and several water and agricultural districts.
According to a staff report from Leach, he felt the city’s interests were being met in the JPA.
Dixon’s initial annual contribution to the GSA would have been $6,000, funded by the city’s Water Operations Fund for fiscal year 2017-18.
However, Leach received word Tuesday that Rio Vista had chosen to not participate in the Solano Subbasin GSA, instead electing to form their own.
Vacaville had already started working on the paperwork to form its own GSA earlier this month, and the Vacaville City Council approved the formation Tuesday.
Additionally, SID and Solano County have agreed to meet and collaborate on a GSA formation process independent of JPA.
With no other municipalities participating in the JPA, Leach instead recommended that Dixon form its own GSA.
“I think it’s to our benefit at this point to go on our own,” Mayor Thom Bogue said.
Dixon will have to retain a consultant to develop a groundwater sustainability plan, which could cost from $100,000 to $300,000.
Groundwater sustainability plans have a deadline of Jan. 31, 2022.
The multiple GSAs forming will have to collaborate on these plans.
