Page 207 - Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency - Yucaipa SGMA

Amber J. Ritchie, PG

inflow and outflow to the project area that includes agricultural, industrial, municipal, and
groundwater banking activities.
San Mateo Basin Assessment, San Mateo County, CA
San Mateo County recognized that groundwater development is increasing in the San Mateo
Plain Basin and sponsored a basin‐wide hydrogeologic assessment. This involved
characterization of the hydrogeology, assessment of the water balance, documentation of
groundwater quality, and consideration of groundwater management options. Ms. Ritchie’s
responsibilities included database and GIS management of water levels, well logs and
construction, and water quality. Ms. Ritchie handled large amounts of data to create figures,
maps, charts, and graphs to characterize the groundwater basin. This information was used
in developing a first‐ever basin‐wide groundwater analysis.

Hydrogeologic Characterization of the Eastern Turlock Basin, City of Turlock, CA
The City of Turlock and Turlock Groundwater Basin Association (TGBA) conducted a
comprehensive hydrogeologic characterization of the eastern Turlock Subbasin, which is
undergoing significant agricultural and domestic development. Nonetheless, groundwater
conditions are not well known. Ms. Ritchie served as staff hydrogeologist on this project,
which involved evaluation of hydrostratigraphy and aquifer properties, groundwater
occurrence and flow, groundwater quantity and quality, changes in groundwater use (and
land use) over time, soils and vadose zone permeability, restrictive layers (such as duripans),
and water budgets.

Basin Characterization and Groundwater Quality, San Benito Annual Report
As staff hydrogeologist, Ms. Ritchie collected water quality data from a variety of public and
private sources and organized all data into a database to characterize water quality
throughout San Benito County, California. Ms. Ritchie also provided GIS maps and
visualization of trends in water quality, particularly nitrate and total dissolved solids, in order
to update water quality records and incorporate new data into the database.

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), San Jacinto, CA
This project focused on a basin‐wide understanding of the San Jacinto groundwater basin to
evaluate groundwater recharge and recovery from new EMWD San Jacinto facilities. Ms.
Ritchie led the GIS and data management of this project to determine groundwater quality,
quantity, and water levels within the basin to understand regional groundwater conditions
with the intention of future placement of recharge sites and groundwater geochemical
modeling within the basin.
Copeland Creek Recharge Basin Investigation, Sonoma County Water Agency
Ms. Ritchie served as field hydrogeologist for an investigation of proposed
detention/recharge basins along Copeland Creek in the City of Rohnert Park, California. The
local hydrogeology is complex, with inter‐fingered fluvial, alluvial, and volcanic units offset by
faulting. Ms. Ritchie conducted a field investigation including cone penetrometer test (CPT)
soundings to assess site lithology and occurrence of groundwater, and drilling, logging and
soil sampling during installation of monitoring wells. The investigation revealed shallow
perching conditions that limit potential recharge. Nonetheless, the site may be used for
stormwater detention with release of water for recharge along the creek.

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Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency - August 9, 2018 - Page 204 of 208