Oil and Gas Operation - Water Quality

Announcements

• Oil & Gas Stakeholder Meeting - August 12, 2020

  Oil & Gas Stakeholder Meeting
  Wednesday, August 12, 2020
  1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. PDT
  VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION ONLY

  The US Geological Survey (USGS) will be presenting brief summaries of recently published interpretive manuscripts for studies conducted as part of the State Water Board's Oil and Gas Regional Monitoring Program (RMP). Please see the attached agenda for links to the manuscripts.

  HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

  • To observe the meeting, access the live webcast at https://video.calepa.ca.gov/ (find our meeting and select the video link)
  • If you would like to ask questions or provide comments regarding the presentation during the meeting, please complete the following instructions. 

  • Send an email to OilandGas@waterboards.ca.gov
  • In the subject line, indicate "Stakeholder Meeting Comment"
  • In the body of your email include the following:
  • Your name
  • Who you represent (i.e. self, another person, an organization)
  • Your concise question or comment

  Questions or comments submitted will be read aloud and will be responded to.

  • For technical support, send an email to OilandGas@waterboards.ca.gov with "Technical Support" as the subject line

   

  LANGUAGE SERVICES
  If you require language interpretation or sign language services, please email a request to OilandGas@waterboards.ca.gov at least 15 business days before the meeting

  BACKGROUND
  California Water Code section 10783 (Senate Bill 4, Pavley, statutes of 2013) requires the State Water Board to implement a regional groundwater monitoring program. The program goal is to evaluate potential impacts from oilfield operations and characterize the risk to groundwater resources, while prioritizing areas to be monitored.  The U.S. Geological Survey is technical lead and will be presenting summaries on their recently published studies

• For more information about the Oil and Gas Water Quality Monitoring Program
  • FAQs   (Spanish)
  • Fact Sheet   (Spanish)
  • Glossary   (Spanish)

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Water Boards) have the statutory responsibility to protect the waters of California and to preserve all present and future beneficial uses of those waters.

In conjunction with the State Water Board, the Regional Board Oil and Gas program monitors and evaluates potential impacts to groundwater from well stimulation (hydraulic fracturing) activities, enhanced oil recovery activities as part of the underground injection control (UIC) program, and produced water ponds in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. This work includes UIC review, Aquifer Exemption review, and Project by Project review as required by regulation.

In addition to working with the State Water Board, the Regional Board Oil and Gas program works with the Department of Conservation's Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM). CalGEM oversees the drilling, operation, maintenance, and plugging and abandonment of oil, natural gas, and geothermal wells to prevent underground and surface water contamination. The Water Boards assist CalGEM to make sure oil and gas operations located within Los Angeles and Ventura counties adhere to all regulations associated with groundwater and surface water protection.