Water Audit California sued the City of St. Helena this week over its management of water. The watchdog group says the city is violating its “public trust” responsibilities relating to the Napa River and its aquatic habitat. It cites the city’s policies on groundwater pumping, well permitting, and water consumption by vineyards and wineries. The claims are similar to ones Water Audit made against Napa County in a separate lawsuit filed earlier this month. Both lawsuits claim that local water policies need to account for the hydrological relationship between groundwater extraction and surface flows in streams like the Napa River. Water Audit’s lawsuit against St. Helena also alleges poor documentation of water use at the Stonebridge wells and water deliveries to vineyards, wineries and Meadowood.