California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 2 - Department of Conservation
Chapter 4 - Development, Regulation, and Conservation of Oil and Gas Resources
Subchapter 2 - Environmental Protection
Article 4 - Well Stimulation Treatments
Section 1783.4 - Groundwater Sampling, Testing, and Monitoring

Universal Citation: 14 CA Code of Regs 1783.4

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) The purpose of this section is to provide interim model groundwater monitoring criteria for groundwater sampling, testing, and monitoring related to well stimulation that is conducted prior to the finalization of model groundwater monitoring criteria by the State Water Resources Control Board. These interim criteria do not apply to regional groundwater monitoring programs developed by the State Water Resources Control Board or the Regional Water Board.

(b) A well-specific (also referred to as "well-by-well") or area-specific (also referred to as "oil or gas field-specific") groundwater monitoring plan shall include all of the following:

(1) A map and cross section of the well borehole(s) to undergo well stimulation treatment, showing the well name(s), extent and orientation of the planned fracture network, the stratigraphic depths of protected waters, and the stratigraphic depths of low-permeability zones that will function to slow the migration of fluids towards protected waters or the surface.

(2) Complete well construction details for the well borehole(s) to undergo well stimulation treatment and all new and existing groundwater wells that will be used for monitoring.

(3) To the extent that information is publicly available, a map showing the location of all existing groundwater supply wells (public, private domestic, irrigation, and industrial) and groundwater monitoring wells within a 1500-foot radius of the well(s) to undergo well stimulation treatment, or within 500 feet of the surface representation of the horizontal path of the wellbore of any such well.

(4) A map showing location of any abandoned or inactive wells within a 1500-foot radius of the well(s) to undergo well stimulation treatment, or within 500 feet of the surface representation of the horizontal path of the wellbore of any such well.

(5) A map showing location of groundwater wells (new and existing monitoring wells and supply wells) to be sampled in the groundwater monitoring plan.

(6) A contingency plan for reporting information in the event of a well failure, or any other unintended event that has the potential to affect groundwater quality, such as the detection of a fracture beyond the intended zone or into protected waters. A "well failure" means instances where the well casing has been compromised producing a subsurface leak into water bearing zones and is a potential threat to groundwater quality. The contingency plan shall, at a minimum, require the well operator to submit the following information to the Division, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the appropriate Regional Water Board within 48 hours of discovery of a well failure or other unintended event that has the potential to affect groundwater quality:

(A) A description of the activities leading up to the well failure or unintended event;

(B) Depth interval(s) of the well failure or unintended event;

(C) Chemical composition of the well stimulation treatment fluid and of the fluid in the well at the time of the well failure, or unintended event; and

(D) An estimate of the volume of fluid lost during well failure, or unintended event.

(c) Well-specific and area-specific groundwater monitoring should be designed to assess whether protected waters have been impacted by well stimulation treatment. Groundwater wells to be used for groundwater monitoring should be located within reasonable proximity of the oil or gas well(s) undergoing stimulation treatment. Groundwater wells to be used for groundwater monitoring should be screened at depths in the aquifer where existing groundwater supply wells are screened. Additional groundwater wells to be used for groundwater monitoring should be screened near the base of protected waters. The number of new and existing groundwater wells to be used for groundwater monitoring, their locations, depths, screened intervals, and justification for their use shall be included in the groundwater monitoring plan. If any groundwater wells identified in accordance with subsection (b)(3) are not to be used for groundwater monitoring, a justification for their exclusion shall be included in the groundwater monitoring plan. The Division shall not approve as complete an Interim Well Stimulation Treatment Notice submitted on or after January 1, 2014 that asserts the absence of protected water as the basis for not conducting groundwater monitoring unless the submittal includes written concurrence by the Water Boards with the operator's determination of the absence of protected water.

(d) If new groundwater wells are used for well-specific or area-specific groundwater monitoring, they shall be constructed in accordance with any applicable local well ordinances. If there are no applicable local well ordinances, they shall be constructed in accordance with the California Well Standards contained in Department of Water Resources Bulletin 74-81 (publicly available at http://www.water.ca.gov//pubs/groundwater/water_well_standards__bulletin_74-81_/ca_well_standards_bulletin74-81_1981.pdf), as supplemented by Department of Water Resources Bulletin 74-90 (publicly available at http://www.water.ca.gov/pubs/groundwater/water_well_standards__bulletin_74-90_/ca_well_standards_bulletin74-90_1991.pdf).

(e) For well-specific and area-specific groundwater monitoring, the operator should sample the groundwater monitoring wells frequently enough to detect changes in water quality. The operator shall sample the groundwater monitoring wells before well stimulation commences to establish a groundwater quality baseline and at least once within 60 days after the well stimulation is completed. The well operator shall sample the wells semiannually thereafter until the State Water Resources Control Board has developed its final groundwater monitoring model criteria.

(f) For all groundwater sampling, testing, and monitoring conducted pursuant to this Article, groundwater shall be measured for field parameters including pH, temperature, and electrical conductivity. For all groundwater sampling, testing, and monitoring conducted pursuant to this Article, groundwater samples shall be analyzed using current applicable EPA-approved analytical methods for water, if available, for all of the following: appropriate indicator compounds(s) for the well stimulation treatment fluid; total dissolved solids; metals listed in California Code of Regulations, title 22, section 66261.24, subdivision (a)(2)(A); benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes; total petroleum hydrocarbons for crude oil; polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (including acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, chrysene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene); radionuclides listed under California Code of Regulations, title 22, Table 64442; methane; major and minor cations (including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium); major and minor anions (including nitrate, chloride, sulfate, alkalinity, and bromide); and trace elements (including lithium, strontium, and boron).

(g) For all groundwater sampling, testing, and monitoring conducted pursuant to this Article, groundwater sampling shall be done in accordance with all of the following:

(1) All groundwater sampling is to be performed by a qualified person. A qualified person is any person with the knowledge and training in proper sampling methods, chain of custody, and quality assurance/quality control protocols. Any person conducting groundwater sampling, other than personnel from an approved laboratory, shall consult with the laboratory to ensure that the sampler understands and follows the proper sampling collection procedures and protocols.

(2) All procedures to sample groundwater monitoring wells shall be consistent with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Groundwater Sampling Guidelines for Superfund and RCRA Project Managers (May 2002) (publicly available at www.epa.gov/superfund/remedytech/tsp/download/gw_sampling_guide.pdf). All procedures to sample groundwater supply wells shall be consistent with US EPA Science and Ecosystem Support Division Operating Procedure for Groundwater Sampling (March 2013) (publicly available at www.epa.gov/region04/sesd/fbqstp/Groundwater-Sampling.pdf).

(3) All analytical testing shall be performed by a laboratory that is certified by the California Department of Public Health environmental laboratory accreditation program (ELAP).

(4) All groundwater monitoring data collected in accordance with a well-by-well or area-specific groundwater monitoring plan shall be compiled in groundwater monitoring reports, and submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board. Data collected prior to commencement of, and within 60 days of completion of, well stimulation treatment shall be submitted in a single groundwater monitoring report. Subsequent semiannual data should be submitted in semiannual groundwater monitoring reports. Groundwater monitoring reports shall include at a minimum:

(A) Site plan with locations of wells used for groundwater monitoring, and oil and gas wells.

(B) Table(s) of analytical results, with both recent and historical data in chronological order and tabulated by well number.

(D) Well completion reports and associated lithologic information for sampled well(s).

(E) Description of field procedures, including well installation or selection, and groundwater sampling.

(F) Copies of analytical laboratory reports, including quality assurance/quality control procedures and analytical test methods.

(G) Changes, if any, to the scope of work, and rationale for the changes.

(H) Decontamination procedures.

(I) Waste management and disposal procedures, including associated documentation.

(5) All groundwater quality data and groundwater monitoring reports shall be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board in an electronic format that follows the guidelines detailed in California Code of Regulations, title 23, division 3, chapter 30 (commencing with section 3890).

1. New section filed 12-30-2013 as an emergency; operative 1-1-2014 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.1(d) (Register 2014, No. 1). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-30-2014 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
2. New section refiled 6-27-2014 as an emergency file and print; operative 7-1-2014 (Register 2014, No. 26). Submitted to OAL pursuant to SB 861, Stats. 2014, c. 35, that provides OAL shall not disapprove this emergency regulation and the emergency regulation shall remain in effect until revised by the Department of Conservation or 7-1-2015, whichever is earlier.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 3013, 3160 and 3161, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 3106, 3160 and 3161, Public Resources Code; Section 10783, Water Code.

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