Page 8 - Beaumont Basin Watermaster
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Section 1
Background
The Tenth Annual Report of the Beaumont Basin Watermaster Committee (Watermaster)
consolidates the information about the basin previously presented in Annual Reports with the
information presented in the bi-annual Engineer’s Report. Section 3 of the original annual report
has been expanded and retitled as “Status of the Basin” to document the Administration of the
Judgment as well as to provide an status of conditions in the basin addressing water production,
water levels, and storage activities. In addition, a Water Quality section has been added to
document historical water quality of selected compounds at selected wells, as well as, basin
wide concentrations.
1.1 History of the Beaumont Basin Stipulated Judgment
In January 2001, the City of Beaumont (Beaumont), the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District
(BCVWD), the South Mesa Water Company (SMWC), and the Yucaipa Valley Water District
(YVWD) formed the San Timoteo Watershed Management Authority (STWMA). One of the
initial tasks of STWMA was to develop a watershed-wide program to develop and implement a
comprehensive management program for the San Timoteo watershed.
Phase I of the management program, documented in the San Timoteo Watershed Management
Program, Phase I Report (WEI, 2002), included the following goals:
Enhancing water supplies
Protecting and enhancing water quality
Optimizing the management of STWMA area groundwater basins
Protecting riparian habitat in San Timoteo Creek and protecting/enhancing habitat in the
STWMA area
Equitably distributing the benefits and costs of developing the Integrated Regional
Watershed Management Program for the San Timoteo watershed
One of the elements identified in the management plan to achieve the listed goals consisted in
the establishment of a groundwater management entity for the Beaumont Basin. As a result of
this initiative, two groups representing overlying users and water agencies with interest in this
basin began negotiations in May 2002.
Over the next 18 months of negotiations, a Stipulated Agreement was developed and submitted
to the Court. Honorable Judge Gary Tranbarger of the Superior Court of the State of California
for the County of Riverside signed the Agreement, titled “San Timoteo Watershed Management
Authority, vs. City of Banning, et al.” (Case No. RIC 389197), on February 4, 2004, (the
Judgment).
Pursuant to the Judgment, the Court appointed a five-member Watermaster Committee,
consisting of representatives from each of the Appropriator parties: the City of Banning,
Beaumont Basin Watermaster 2012 Annual Report – FINAL December 2013 1-1
