On Friday, May 20th 2011, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) hosted a groundwater workshop and facility tour for California State Assembly Members Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Roger Hernández (D-San Gabriel Valley). The two Legislators, members of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, addressed a standing-room only crowd at WRD. In attendance were various WRD stakeholders, including elected officials and water managers from throughout the 43 city WRD service area along with representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez.
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Assembly Members Roger Hernández and Ricardo Lara
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Both Assembly Members Lara and Hernández spoke at length on the budget and water challenges facing the State. They also spoke of the need for inter-agency cooperation among water agencies in solving the region's water problems. During the question and answer session, Director Gloria Gray of the West Basin Municipal Water District cited the partnership of her District and WRD as a positive example of such cooperation. WRD and the West Basin Municipal Water District partnered and pioneered the use of recycled water for seawater barrier facilities. The result of this partnership is the reduction, and eventual elimination, of the use of imported water at that seawater barrier facility.
The Legislators presented WRD with a resolution noting the District's "groundwater management responsibilities" and how the District for more than five decades "has operated to fulfill its mission to protect and preserve the groundwater basins."
Following the workshop, Assembly Members Lara and Hernández were provided an overview of the Central and West Coast Groundwater Basins, including the historic problems caused by the unregulated over-pumping of these basins prior to the formation of WRD more than fifty years ago. WRD General Manager Robb Whitaker explained that the groundwater basins managed by WRD provide forty percent of the overall water needs for the four million residents (10 percent of California's total population) within the District's 420 square mile service area.
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Assembly Member Roger Hernández addresses audience
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Whitaker also described the District's Water Independence Now (WIN) Program. The WIN Program is a suite of projects that will allow WRD to become completely independent of water imported from the Bay Delta in Northern California and also from the Colorado River. The result of WRD's WIN Program is that these very important groundwater basins will be completely sustainable using local water resources, which provides increased water reliability and cost stabilization to WRD and its stakeholders.
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 "As a state legislator, I have seen firsthand the innovative work the Water Replenishment District (WRD) has done to protect groundwater resources throughout Southern Los Angeles County, and projects such as WIN take one step closer to fully 'drought proofing' the region," said Assemblymember Roger Hernández (D-San Gabriel Valley). "I understand the importance of having clean groundwater, so I am authoring Assembly Bill 1292, which will draw down federal funds to help clean up California's groundwater. I look forward to working the WRD to help meet the region's water needs."
-Assembly Member Roger Hernández
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WRD groundwater experts also outlined WRD's Groundwater Monitoring Program, which it has managed for over fifty years. This very expansive and comprehensive program includes WRD ownership and operation of nearly 300 specially designed and constructed monitoring wells throughout the Central and West Coast groundwater basins – the two most utilized groundwater basins in California. WRD tests water from these wells for over 100 different chemicals to ensure the health of the basins. This program is vital in ensuring the safety and viability of the groundwater basins managed by WRD.
Following the overview of WRD, Assembly Members Lara and Hernández toured WRD's replenishment projects and related facilities. Both Assembly Members lauded WRD's groundwater management activities and the District's efforts to keep groundwater affordable for the people of Southern Los Angeles County. They also expressed interest in working with WRD on groundwater issues in the future.
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 "The innovation coming out of the WRD is impressive and I was delighted to learn about the advancements made in projects like the Water Independence Now (WIN) program. Through the WIN program we can ensure our region gets closer to building a sustainable groundwater supply. I am committed to working with the WRD, so that we can deliver the most efficient and cost effective water supply for our constituents."
-Assembly Member Ricardo Lara
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WRD Board President Sergio Calderon thanked the Legislators and stated, "We are honored to have two of California's top legislators join WRD for the day to discuss groundwater." He added, "They were able to see firsthand the District's nationally recognized groundwater initiatives and innovations."
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Left to Right: WRD Director Albert Robles, WRD Director Rob Katherman, Assembly Member Roger Hernández, WRD Board President Sergio Calderon, Assembly Member Ricardo Lara, WRD Director Lillian Kawasaki
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"WRD is pleased to have these two rising stars of the California State Legislature visit our District", said WRD Director Albert Robles. "They were able to have one-on-one conversations with our hydrogeologists and engineering experts on WRD's various groundwater management programs that are a key component to solving California's water crisis."
The Water Replenishment District of Southern California is the regional groundwater management agency that protects and preserves the quantity and quality of groundwater for two of the most utilized basins in the State of California. The WRD service area is home to over ten percent of California's population residing in 43 cities in southern Los Angeles County and is governed by a publicly elected Board of Directors, including Willard H. Murray, Jr., Robert Katherman, Lillian Kawasaki, Sergio Calderon, and Albert Robles.
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