Board of Supervisors approve emergency ordinance for agricultural ponds
Ordinance will require minor use permit to install ponds greater than five acre-feet
–At a special meeting held on July 15 for the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, the board unanimously approved an ordinance that will require minor-use permits to install agricultural ponds greater than five acre-feet.
The ordinance will also prohibit off-site transfer or water, and require design standards to reduce evaporation. All water stored in a pond or reservoir would need to be used on-site.
The ordinance was drafted in response to voiced concerns that unregulated ponds filled with pumped groundwater could deplete groundwater supplies.
The ordinance does allow for certain exemptions, such as “pipeline projects” that are currently in progress, public reservoirs, or emergency water storage. Also, landowners with projects in a groundwater basin would be required to offset evaporative water loss at a 1-to-1 ratio.
The emergency ordinance will be in effect for the next 45 days. There will be a second hearing on Aug. 16.
