Borrego Valley Groundwater Basin

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On July 20, 2020, the Court approved a Notice of Commencement of Groundwater Adjudication and Form Answer for use in the below-referenced case, a comprehensive adjudication of the Borrego Springs Groundwater Subbasin No. 7-024.01: Borrego Water District v. All Persons Who Claim a Right to Extract Groundwater in the Borrego Valley Groundwater Subbasin, etc., et al., San Diego Superior Court Case No. 37-2020-00005776-CU-TT-CTL Comprehensive Groundwater Adjudication. The Court approved the stipulated judgment for the Borrego Springs Subbasin on April 8, 2021 and established the Borrego Springs Watermaster as the entity responsible for managing groundwater use in the Borrego Springs Subbasin.

Basin Description ( 7-24 )

The Borrego Valley Groundwater Basin (Borrego Basin), shown in yellow on the above map, underlies Borrego Valley in eastern San Diego County and western Imperial County. The portion of the Borrego Basin within San Diego County extends southwest from the San Ysidro Mountains to the eastern boundary with Imperial County. The Department of Water Resources approved a Basin Boundary Modification request in 2016, which divided the Borrego Basin into two subbasins - Borrego Springs and Ocotillo Wells.

The Borrego Springs Subbasin (7-24.01), located entirely in San Diego County, is bounded by the Santa Rosa Mountains to the north and the San Ysidro Mountains on the west. The eastern boundary is represented by the Coyote Creek and Superstition Mountain faults. The southern border of the subbasin is characterized by the San Felipe/Yaqui Ridge anticline and San Felipe fault. These geologic structures compartmentalize the deep alluvial sediments in Borrego Springs from the alluvial sediments to the southeast of the San Felipe Wash, which provides a physical barrier to groundwater and stifles flow between the subbasins. This barrier reduces the effect of groundwater pumping in Borrego Springs Subbasin on groundwater storage in the Ocotillo Wells Subbasin.

The Ocotillo Wells Subbasin exists in both San Diego and Imperial Counties. This subbasin is bounded by Fish Creek and Coyote Mountains to the west. The southeastern boundary is a surface drainage divide from the Coyote Mountains northeast to Superstition Mountain. The Coyote Creek fault marks the northeast boundary of the subbasin. The Ocotillo Wells Subbasin is characterized by a relatively small population, few wells and limited groundwater consumption.

Borrego Valley GSA (MOU between the County and Borrego Water District)

County of San Diego
Borrego Water District
Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Notice of Intent to Develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Advisory Committee Bylaws

Information regarding the Groundwater Sustainability Plan can be found by clicking the link.

Public Meetings (Agendas will be posted at least 72 hours prior to scheduled meetings)

On June 3, 2020, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors authorized County participation on the Watermaster Board for the Borrego Springs Subbasin. Information about Watermaster activities including upcoming meetings can be found at the Borrego Water District website.

Watermaster Board Appointment Notification Letter
June 3, 2020 BOS Minute Order
October 16, 2019 BOS Minute Order

October 4, 2019