Montecito’s Groundwater Sustainability Agency is installing monitoring wells

MONTECITO, Calif. – The Montecito Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency is installing monitoring wells at Manning Park to collect data on groundwater in the basin.

These grant-funded wells will be placed at strategic locations and used to verify groundwater level and quality, change over time and potential seawater intrusion.

A similar project to the wells at Manning Park is expected at Montecito Sanitary District this year.

"Data collected thus far indicates that the basin is in reasonably good health and that current conditions are sustainable,” says Montecito GSA Board President Brian Goebel. “We’re working to fill critical data gaps and focusing on comprehensive, consistent monitoring, modeling, and knowledge acquisition to keep groundwater supplies secure for all stakeholders without taking any unnecessary actions.”

Montecito's GSA is responsible for developing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan that is on-track for completion in Spring of this year.

Community members interested in learning more can attend a town hall meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Montecito Fire Station #1 on 595 San Ysidro Rd. in Montecito.