§ 33A-1. Legislative intent.

(a)

The Board finds that the protection of the groundwater resource for beneficial use within the County is of major concern to the residents of the County for the protection of their health, welfare and safety. The Board further declares that the beneficial use and maintenance of groundwater and protection of recharge zones is of critical importance to the economy and environment of the County.

(b)

The Board intends to ensure the continued sustainability of groundwater quantity and quality within the County.

(c)

The Board intends to protect groundwater quality and prevent land subsidence.

(d)

The Board does not hereby intend to regulate, outside of Chapter 33, the use of groundwater.

(e)

It is essential to the success of the Basin Management Objective program that the County maintains a monitoring program addressing groundwater elevations, groundwater quality and land subsidence.

(f)

In adopting the groundwater management ordinance codified in this chapter, the Board does not intend to limit other means of managing groundwater within the County authorized elsewhere in statute or ordinance, and intends to work cooperatively with local entities to monitor, evaluate and disseminate information on groundwater conditions to foster sound local groundwater management.

(g)

It is the intent and purpose of the information collection effort described by this chapter to assist in avoiding negative effects on health and welfare of County residents, such as:

(1)

Lowering of groundwater levels leading to increased energy consumption, a potential decrease in stream flows, the increased cost of deepening existing wells and the prospect that new wells shall need to be deeper and more costly than would otherwise be required;

(2)

Damage to public roads, bridges, subterranean infrastructure, canals and other structures caused by land subsidence at substantial cost to the public;

(3)

Depleting surface and subsurface flows leading to the potential loss of wildlife and critical terrestrial and wetland habitat;

(4)

Degradation of groundwater quality;

(5)

A degradation of property values and injury to agricultural lands in Butte County.

(h)

It is the purpose and intent of this chapter to establish an effective policy concerning groundwater that will assure that the overall economy and environment of the County is protected. Through the adoption of this chapter, the Board of Supervisors seeks to protect the health, safety and welfare of County residents and the general public.

(i)

The Board does not intend, in adopting this chapter, to determine whether any groundwater in storage above established Basin Management Objectives is surplus groundwater, to define surplus groundwater, or to impose fees, assessments, charges or taxes upon County residents and/or business owners.

(Ord. No. 4034, § 1, 9-13-11)