Meet MAGSA’s water market study team, a reflection of the multi-disciplinary approach required to design a water market

Bob is a senior principal and hydrogeologist with over 30 years of experience in groundwater resource planning. With Geosyntec, Bob leads the firm’s SGMA initiative. Their team works in several California basins including Tulare Lake, Tule, Borrego, Salina, Santa Ynez, Santa Clarita, East Bay, Vina, Wyandotte, and Sutter basins. He also conducted groundwater planning and agricultural water management assessments in Washington’s Columbia River Basin, where water markets and conjunctive groundwater/surface water management programs have been developing since the 1990’s. Bob brings a long-term perspective and technical knowledge directly applicable to MAGSA’s current study on groundwater allocation and water market structures.

“MAGSA’s challenges are unique to its groundwater management area and, like most water management problems, the solutions rely on sound science, stakeholder outreach, and a willingness to explore and compromise. The process takes time and this work will create a foundation, based on our team’s past experience in California and other regions, for a program tailored to fit MAGSA landowners. We think a groundwater market can be an important part of ensuring the success of SGMA here into the future.”

Duncan is a principal economist and managing partner at ERA Economics specializing in water resources and agricultural economics. Duncan is the lead economist on several Groundwater Sustainability Plans developed under SGMA in high and medium priority groundwater subbasins. He works to assess the value of water assets and evaluates third party impacts of water transfers. Duncan will be focusing on market design and economic implications of a potential market for stakeholders in MAGSA.

“We are really focused on the core task of developing a water market that works for MAGSA. This means looking at strategies for importing water and integrating the projects MAGSA lays out in its Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Looking at all components of market design will help us assess economic implications of this forward-thinking approach to SGMA implementation.”

Gwyn-Mohr, a licensed California attorney with Tully and Young, brings extensive experience in surface and subsurface hydrology, law, and policy. He has evaluated water rights, contractual water obligations, water settlements, and has negotiated water transfers throughout California and the West. Gwyn-Mohr brings valuable understanding of the legal issues surrounding surface water rights and water transfers, and will be working to assess any legal implications of importing surface supplies into MAGSA, as well as how those supplies might be accounted for in an allocation in the market structure.

“We are approaching surface water supplies broadly, looking at a number of opportunities locally, regionally, and statewide. Integrating legal implications into this picture is a critical component to a successful water market strategy, and will be a complex but rewarding task.”

A Managing Senior Mediator and Manager of Sacramento State’s Consensus and Collaboration Program, Dave has overseen extensive outreach efforts relating to water policy, including in 35 different Groundwater Sustainability Agencies in California. Dave has worked in SGMA efforts in the Chowchilla, Madera, and Kaweah regions as well as across the state in areas as north as Siskiyou County and to the south in the San Diego River Basin.

“The stakeholders in MAGSA have an incredible opportunity before them to shape how groundwater is sustainably managed in a way that maximizes its use and more specifically, its value. Our job is to make sure stakeholders are directly involved to develop water market options and can express their preferences on the design of a potential allocation and water market system.”