California Department of Water Resources employee Katy Janes, Groundwater Hydrogeologist in the Geology and Groundwater Investigations Section of the Division of Regional Assistance North Central Region Office, installs new telemetry equipment in groundwater monitoring wells in the Colusa Basin in Colusa County. Photo taken July 25, 2024.
DWR Approves 15 Groundwater Sustainability Plans in Latest Round of Determinations
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Marking a major milestone towards sustainably managing California’s groundwater supplies, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced determinations for groundwater sustainability plans in 16 basins across the state. These plans are expected to present a roadmap for how local agencies will sustainably manage groundwater, a critical water supply for millions of Californians, over the long-term.
These customized plans are a critical piece towards implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which is centered around the local control of groundwater basins. Passed in 2014, the law calls for local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to develop and implement plans to achieve the sustainability goals of groundwater basins over a 20-year period.
California’s groundwater basins, which collectively make up a massive underground reservoir, provide a critical water supply for over 15 million people, especially during dry years when surface water supplies are lacking. As California adapts to a hotter, drier future, these groundwater supplies will become a more vital resource for local water agencies and agriculture.
This release marks a significant SGMA milestone, completing all initial plan determinations for high and medium priority basins in California that are required to comply with SGMA.
“It’s incredible to think about the tremendous work local groundwater sustainability agencies have put into these plans to ensure a long-term groundwater supply for communities, agriculture, and the environment across California,” said DWR Deputy Director of Sustainable Water Management Paul Gosselin. “As we continue on our journey towards sustainability, we look forward to our ongoing partnerships with local groundwater agencies to support their implementation strategies.”
Of the 16 plan determinations announced today, DWR has approved 15 plans and deemed one plan inadequate.
DWR has approved plans for the following basins:
- Antelope (Tehama County)
- Big Valley (Lassen and Modoc Counties)
- Bowman (Tehama County)
- Butte Valley (Siskiyou County)
- Carpinteria (Santa Barbara and Ventura County)
- Colusa (Glenn and Colusa Counties
- Corning (Glenn and Tehama Counties)
- Fillmore (Ventura County)
- Los Molinos (Tehama County)
- Modesto (Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties)
- Montecito (Santa Barbara County)
- Piru (Ventura County)
- Red Bluff (Tehama County)
- Tulelake (Modoc and Siskiyou Counties)
- Turlock (Merced and Stanislaus Counties)
DWR has deemed the following basin plan Inadequate:
- Pleasant Valley (Fresno County)
Several of the plans approved today were previously deemed incomplete in prior reviews and had 180 days to revise and resubmit. Working together, DWR staff facilitated 46 consultation meetings totaling over 100 hours to provide technical guidance for addressing plan deficiencies with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) from 13 basins.
In total, 86 basins are now operating under an approved plan or alternative plan, with seven deemed inadequate and subject to state intervention. Basins that have not taken sufficient action to address deficiencies in their plans are deemed inadequate and require consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board for possible state intervention.
The approved plans announced today provide direction to the local GSAs, including recommended actions, to ensure the basins remain on a path to long-term sustainability. Plans will be updated over time as new data and information becomes available and as groundwater conditions change. DWR will review annual reports from the GSAs and conduct periodic reviews at least every five years to determine if basins are on track to meet their sustainability goals. DWR will continue to support GSAs as they move forward in the SGMA implementation process.
For more information:
- DWR’s SGMA Portal is the central repository for GSA and plan information and updates
- DWR Fact Sheet on SGMA GSP Evaluation
- Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) webpage
Contact:
Allison Armstrong, Information Officer, Public Affairs, Department of Water Resources
916-820-8083 | media@water.ca.gov