Scott Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Implementation

The Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, acting on behalf of the Siskiyou County Flood Control and Water Conservation District as the Groundwater Sustainability Agency for the Scott River Valley Groundwater Basin 1-005, is advancing a project to construct ten shallow groundwater monitoring wells in the Fort Jones, California area adjacent to the Scott River. The wells, eight drilled to 30 feet and two to 60 feet, will be installed using a truck-mounted 6-inch hollow-stem auger on active pastures and existing ranch roads to minimize surface disruption. Each well will be equipped with a locking 3-foot casing cover and constructed in compliance with local, state, and USGS standards to ensure long-term data integrity and environmental protection. The primary objective is to enhance the temporal and spatial resolution of groundwater elevation measurements and water chemistry data, enabling a clearer understanding of the dynamic interactions between groundwater and the Scott River, which supports critical native fish species including coho, Chinook, Steelhead, and Pacific Lamprey. The project’s small footprint—approximately 1,000 square feet total—will supplement existing monitoring infrastructure and directly inform regional groundwater modeling and management decisions under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act framework. All activities are supported by a documented workplan that includes conceptual well designs and maps of the project area, and the initiative has been determined eligible for a categorical exemption under California CEQA §15304 due to its minimal environmental impact. The project was formally filed with Siskiyou County on November 10, 2025, with an administrative fee of $50 processed through the County Clerk’s Office in Yreka, and no federal acquisition regulation clauses, contract pricing, or procurement details are present, indicating this is an environmental compliance and implementation effort led by a local special district rather than a competitively awarded federal contract.