GRA cosponsored a workshop at the Association of California Water Agencies’ (ACWA) conference held in May. The workshop was entitled Ground Water Management: Who’s Carrying the Ball? and featured over a dozen speakers on topics ranging from aquifer protection to groundwater management. Anthony Saracino represented GRA and gave a presentation on Wellhead Protection Programs. The workshop also featured a talk by Carl Hauge of DWR on the status of groundwater management programs, and luncheon presentations by Bob Barles of the U.S. EPA and John Brown from the State Water Resources Control Board. The workshop included over 200 participants and was one of ACWA’s most highly attended programs.

Anthony Saracino is GRA’s representative on ACWA’s Groundwater Committee and Groundwater Quality Subcommittee. The Groundwater Quality Committee is currently evaluating a number of issues that should be of interest to GRA members, including:

• the role of regulatory boards and agencies in managing groundwater
• the impact of watershed management plans on groundwater
• groundwater recharged with recycled water
• tracking of abandoned wells.

Anthony will be representing GRA at the ACWA conference in December. If you would like to provide input regarding these issues, or if you have any questions, please contact him at (916) 688-5807.

GRA also was a cosponsor of the Bay-Delta Institutional Issues Assembly, coordinated by the California Assembly Process, POWER, and the Water Education Foundation. The Assembly was held July 24-26 in Sacramento and was attended by over 100 persons involved in Bay-Delta issues. Anthony Saracino represented GRA and served on the planning committee. The Assembly consisted of four breakout sessions that were led by trained facilitators. Discussions in each session were recorded and summarized in a draft assembly statement. The draft statement was reviewed and modified the following day by the entire group in a parliamentary-like session led by Dr. Lance deHaven Smith from the University of Florida. To obtain a copy of the final Assembly Statement, contact the Water Education Foundation at (916) 444-6240.