(a) The protection of groundwater resources within San Bernardino County is of utmost importance. The public health, safety and general welfare of the people of the State of California and of the County depend upon the continued availability of groundwater through ensuring that extraction of groundwater does not exceed the safe yield of affected groundwater aquifers, considering both the short and long-term impacts of groundwater extraction, including the recovery of groundwater aquifers through natural as well as artificial recharge. The protection of the groundwater resource within San Bernardino County also includes the consideration of the health of individual aquifers and the continued ability of those aquifers to store and maintain water.
(b) The protection of groundwater resources within the unincorporated and unadjudicated desert region of San Bernardino County is of particular importance due to:
(1) The existence of vast aquifers that underlie those areas which have not been overdrafted;
(2) The relative lack of significant natural recharge in those areas when compared to the mountain areas and other less arid areas of the County; and
(3) The lack of regulatory or judicial oversight of the groundwater aquifers within the unadjudicated desert region, which oversight would serve to ensure the groundwater safe yield and health of the aquifers.
(c) This Article protects the groundwater resources of San Bernardino County in order to ensure the health of that resource. This Article is intended to be consistent with the California Constitution, Article 10, Section 2 (water rights), and Article 11, Section 7 (police powers).
(d) This Article augments and supplements the Groundwater Management authority the County may otherwise have pursuant to the Groundwater Management Act, Water Code §§ 10750 et seq.