September 2008:  Cadiz enters into an agreement with the Arizona & California Railroad Company giving Cadiz the ability to build the Water Project’s conveyance pipeline within the railroad’s existing right-of-way. The pipeline will be built along the railroad tracks on pre-disturbed land.

May 2009:  Cadiz enters into a Green Compact with the Natural Heritage Institute pledging to preserve lands, restore ecosystems, manage the aquifer system sustainably, and explore solar power production.

February 2010:  CH2M HILL releases results of year-long, peer-reviewed study measuring the vast scale and productivity of the Cadiz aquifer system. The study, which was conducted utilizing new field work and new models produced by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2006 and 2008, confirms that the aquifer system can sustainably support the Water Project.   Carlton Professor of Geology Dr. John Sharp of the University of Texas releases his first peer review report on the Cadiz wells, strongly supporting the conclusions of the CH2M HILL study.

April 2010:  California State Geologist, Certified Hydrologist, and Professor at USC Dr. Dennis Williams of GeoScience Support Services, Inc. releases GeoScience’s peer review report “Geohydrologic Assessment of the Fenner Gap Area” strongly supporting the conclusions of the CH2M Hill study.

May 2010:  Carlton Professor of Geology Dr. John Sharp of the University of Texas releases his second peer review report on the permeability of the carbonate aquifer, strongly supporting the conclusions of the CH2M Hill study.

June 2010:  Santa Margarita Water District (“SMWD”) joins Project committing to act as lead agency for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review process; committing funds to the environmental review process; and acquiring an option in the Project for a firm annual supply of water and groundwater storage rights.

Three Valleys Municipal Water District and Golden State Water Company join the Project committing funds to the CEQA environmental review process and acquiring an option in the Project for a firm annual supply of water and groundwater storage rights.

October 2010:  Suburban Water Systems joins the Project committing funds to the CEQA environmental review process and acquiring an option in the Project for a firm annual supply of water and groundwater storage rights.

February 2011: SMWD issues a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) formally commencing the public portion of the CEQA process for the Project. A 30-day scoping period is also initiated. Scoping meetings were held by SMWD on March 16th and March 24th. Click here to view copy of the NOP.

May 2011: A Groundwater Stewardship Committee comprised of leading national groundwater experts is assembled to guide the design of the operating plan and groundwater monitoring program for the Project. Committee members are drawn from various sectors and include experts from regulatory institutions, environmental organizations, academia and the professional groundwater industry.

Jurupa Community Services District joins the Project committing funds to the CEQA environmental review process and acquiring an option in the Project for a firm annual supply of water and groundwater storage rights.

Economist John E. Husing, Ph.D. finds that the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project (“Project”) would create and support over 5,900 jobs, generate more than $878 million in economic activity over its two phases, and infuse tens of millions in tax revenue to local governments.

October 2011: The Groundwater Stewardship Committee completes its review of the Project’s technical and scientific studies and determines that the Project can offer a significant water supply to Southern California communities and avoid environmental harm. The GSC’s report, which includes recommendations for the inclusion of a state-of-the-art groundwater protection program, also found that the Project can feasibly recover 1.3 million acre-feet of clean groundwater from impending evaporation over a fifty year period of operation with a continuing conservation benefit of an additional 900,000 acre-feet occurring thereafter.

December 2011: California Water Service Company joins the Project acquiring an option in the Project for a firm annual supply of water and groundwater storage rights. SMWD releases the Project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for public review and comment. To view a copy of the Draft EIR, click here.

January/ February 2012: SMWD hosts an informational workshop about the Project and two public comment meetings to take verbal comments on the Draft EIR.

March 2012: Draft EIR public comment period closes March 14, 2012.

May 2012: Company pledges 50% of labor force and 80% of infrastructure spending for Cadiz Valley Water Project to San Bernardino County residents and businesses.

SMWD, Cadiz and the County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding creating the framework for finalizing the Project’s Groundwater Management, Monitoring, and Mitigation Plan (GMMMP), in accordance with the County’s desert groundwater ordinance. The GMMMP  is a key component of the Project designed to monitor aquifer conditions and establish measures to protect against impacts to critical desert resources and would be enforced by the County The MOU also reserved up to 20% of the Project’s annual yield for the future use of  County-based water providers under terms and conditions similar to those of other Project participants.

July 2012: SMWD releases Final EIR responding  to all comments received on the draft environmental documents and holds a public hearing. On July 31st, the SMWD Board voted 5-0 to certify the Final EIR and approve the Project. At the meeting, SMWD also approved the Project’s Groundwater Management, Monitoring and Mitigation Plan and their Purchase and Sale Agreement with Cadiz, which finalizes economic terms for SMWD’s participation in the Project.

October 2012: The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the final   GMMMP for the Project.  The County is a Responsible Agency in the CEQA review process as the local government entity responsible for oversight over groundwater resources in the Cadiz Valley.  In addition to approving the GMMMP, the County adopted certain findings under CEQA and became the first Responsible Agency to take an approving action pursuant to the certified EIR.