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Basin 8-1 Overview BASIN 8-1 ALTERNATIVE OVERVIEW The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires all high- and medium -priority basins, as designated by the Department of Water Resources (DWR), be sustainably managed. DWR designated the Coastal Plain of Orange County Groundwater Basin ("Basin 8-1" or "Basin") as a medium -priority basin, primarily due to heavy reliance on the Basin's groundwater as a source of water supply. Compliance with SGMA can be achieved in one of two ways: 1) A Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is formed and a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) is adopted, or 2) Special Act Districts created by statute, such as OCWD, and other agencies may prepare and submit an Alternative to a GSP. The agencies within Basin 8-1 have agreed to collaborate together in order to submit an Alternative to a GSP. Within this document, this Alternative to a GSP will be referred to herein as the "Basin 8-1 Alternative" or "Alternative". In accordance with Water Code §10733.6(b)(3), this Alternative presents an analysis of basin conditions that demonstrates that the Basin has operated within its sustainable yield over a period of at least 10 years. In addition, the Alternative establishes objectives and criteria for management that would be addressed in a GSP and is designed to be "functionally equivalent" to a GSP. As will be shown in the Basin 8-1 Alternative, Basin 8-1 has been operated within its sustainable yield for more than 10 years without experiencing significant and unreasonable (1) lowering of groundwater levels, (2) reduction in storage, (3) water quality degradation, (4) seawater intrusion, (5) inelastic land subsidence, or (6) depletions of interconnected surface water that have significant and unreasonable adverse impacts on beneficial uses of the surface water. Please note that the boundaries of Basin 8-1 described in this document are based on the scientific boundary modifications as accepted by DWR in 2016 as part of the Basin Boundary Modification Process. The Basin 8-1 Alternative has been jointly prepared by the Orange County Water District (OCWD), Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD); and the City of La Habra (collectively the "Submitting Agencies"); pursuant to this Alternative, the Submitting Agencies will ensure the entire Basin 8-1 continues to be sustainably managed and data reported as required by SGMA. Other agencies within Basin 8-1 and at least partially outside of OCWD's boundaries support submission of the Basin 8-1 Alternative and either have participated in preparing the Alternative and/or reviewed the Alternative. These agencies include the cities of Brea, Corona, and Chino Hills; the Counties of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino; Yorba Linda Water District; and El Toro Water District. Pursuant to Water Code §10733.6(b)(3), the Basin 8-1 Alternative has been prepared by or under the direction of a professional geologist or professional engineer. 2017 BASIN 8-1 ALTERNATIVE Overview 1 55D-46