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LWA
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Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS)

Since 2009, LWA has been at the forefront of developing comprehensive solutions to address long-term groundwater quality issues in California’s Central Valley. Our work on the Central Valley Salt and Nitrate Management Plan (CV-SNMP) demonstrates our ability to tackle complex environmental challenges through collaboration, innovation, and scientific rigor.

What Sets Us Apart

  • Comprehensive Approach: We address both salt and nitrate issues, considering their impacts on drinking water, agriculture, and the environment.
  • Stakeholder Collaboration: We bring together diverse interests to develop consensus-based solutions that work for all parties.
  • Innovative Modeling: Our advanced conceptual models provide crucial insights into long-term water quality trends.
  • Policy Development Expertise: We translate complex scientific findings into practical, implementable policies.
  • Economic and Environmental Balance: Our analyses consider both the economic impacts and environmental benefits of proposed solutions.
  • Long-term Planning:  We are co-leading a long term study to manage salts sustainably over the next century in the Central Valley of California.

Key Services and Achievements

  • Stakeholder Engagement
    • We are leading a diverse stakeholder group in the selection of modeling tools and development of a salt management plan for the Central Valley.
  • Conceptual Modeling and Data Analysis:
    • We developed comprehensive salt and nitrate budgets for the Central Valley’s surface and groundwater.
    • We assessed long-term water quality trends over a 20-year period.
  • Management Zone Analysis:
    • We created a prototype nitrate management zone analysis for Alta Irrigation District, testing innovative policy and management approaches.
  • Water Quality Objective Development:
    • We developed new water quality objectives for salt and boron in the Lower San Joaquin River, balancing environmental protection with agricultural needs.
  • Economic and Antidegradation Analyses:
    • We conducted an economic analyses of proposed management alternatives, setting the stage for ensuring cost-effective solutions.
    • We prepared antidegradation analyses to protect high-quality waters while allowing for necessary economic development.
  • Beneficial Use Evaluation:
    • We supported the reevaluation and de-designation of agricultural and municipal of beneficial uses in the Tulare Lakebed, ensuring water quality standards align with existing uses and environmental conditions.
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