The major population
areas of the county have seriously insufficient
water supplies. In the early 1990s, population
growth on the Monterey Peninsula surpassed the
number of people who can be served under Cal-Am's
production limits. The Salinas Valley Ground Water
basin is overdrafted by 40,000-50,000 acre feet per
year, and in North Monterey County annual
extractions exceed average annual recharge by 100%.
There are no approved or funded projects to fully
address these problems.(3)
Monterey Peninsula
Based on existing Cal-Am water productions limits,
an estimated population of 96,674 people could be
supported within the Cal-Am system. The 1995
population estimate for the service area was
98,898. There are no approved projects to address
this shortfall.
Salinas Valley
The major portion of the Salinas River Ground Water
Basin has been overdrafted since the1940s or
earlier. Overdraft conditions have led to seawater
intrusion in the northern portion of the ground
water basin. Intrusion into the 180-foot aquifer
includes the community of Castroville, within two
miles of the western Salinas city limits, and less
than a mile from the Marina city limits. Intrusion
into the 400-foot aquifer is less than one mile
from the Marina city limits and the community of
Castroville. Monterey County Water Resources Agency
estimates that approximately 10% more of the
basin's safe yield, or an average of about
40,000-50,000 acre feet per year, is currently
pumped from the aquifer than is replaced through
ground water recharge. The overdraft indicates that
the Salinas River watershed cannot meet the demands
of existing urban and agricultural uses without
relying on declining reserves. It is estimated that
agriculture use accounts for about 92.5% and urban
use for about 7.5% of total water pumped. Reclaimed
water for irrigation of crops from the Monterey
Regional Water Pollution Control Agency treatment
plant in the Castroville area will slow, but not
stop, continued intrusion. There are no approved
plans to fully resolve the problem.
North Monterey County
The area has significant water supply and quality
problems, including falling water levels, seawater
infiltration and intrusion, and nitrate ion
contamination. The area is severely overdrafted
with annual extractions exceeding average annual
recharge by 100%. No plans have been approved to
address these problems.
Marina Coast Water District
This district indicates that it has sufficient
water supply to accommodate 2020 demand as
projected by AMBAG.
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