The DRRA's Land Use Committee recently sent the following letter to Traci Park (CD11) and County Supervisor Holly Mitchell:
Dear Supervisor Mitchell:
The Del Rey Residents Association requests that you approve a directive to the
Los Angeles County, Groundwater Sustainability Agency member representative,
Ms. Gina Natoli, to support as part of fulfillment of the Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act (SGMA), a thorough Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem
(GDE) evaluation of Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and its environs within
the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has acknowledged Ballona
Wetlands Ecological Reserve as a GDE. However, thus far, no thorough GDE
evaluation has been performed on the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve or
the surrounding area (the “Ballona Wetlands”).
A thorough GDE evaluation is required under SGMA. It is important to have
diligent performance of the protocol set forth by the California Department of Fish
& Wildlife (CDFW), which is the protocol the DWR recommends for evaluation of
GDEs.
Thus far, there has been a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) sent to the
DWR that has not been approved. That GSP focuses on the drinking water wells
of the City of Santa Monica while the lower portion of the Santa Monica
groundwater basin has been left out of evaluation for protection of the Ballona
Wetlands as a GDE.
That means there are no wells collecting data about saltwater intrusion and other
water conditions within the lower portion of the Santa Monica Groundwater
Basin. Ballona Wetlands is situated within this lower (southern) portion of theDocuSign Envelope ID: 4051DADB-373E-402A-9E9F-E4D9987A7EB0
Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell
Ballona Wetlands GDE
June 4, 2024
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Santa Monica Groundwater Basin.
It is critical to protect the Ballona Wetlands’ multiple underlying freshwater
aquifers, which may be at risk from saltwater intrusion. These aquifers are
classified by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board as Drinking
Water and Potential Drinking Water. Unfortunately, the Ballona Wetlands' fresh
groundwater and surface water are being continually diverted and drained either
out to sea and/or being sent to the LA City Sanitary Sewer by both CDFW and by
Playa Vista.
Water-related issues such as water quality, surface water and underlying
aquifers within the Ballona Wetlands, as well as diversion of water, are
contentious and need to be evaluated. (See discussion in Section 7 of the
Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project EIR, State Clearinghouse No.
2012071090.)
DRRA requests that you direct Ms. Natoli to conduct a rigorous GDE evaluation
for the Ballona Wetlands that adheres to the CDFW’s GDE protocol.
Very truly yours,
Del Rey Residents Association
By Elizabeth Campos Layne
President
Cc: Via E-mail
Lisette A. Gold, D. Env.
Environmental Remediation Coordinator
City of Santa Monica
Public Works|Water Resources
Laura Muraida, LMuraida@bos.lacounty.gov
Senior Deputy on Environmental Issues;
Francisco Lopez, FLopez@bos.lacounty.gov;
Tracy McGee, TMcGee@bos.lacounty.gov