The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced that it has approved groundwater sustainability plans for 10 non-critically overdrafted groundwater basins across the state.
“Local groundwater sustainability agencies have put a tremendous amount of work into these plans that will have long-term benefits for communities, agriculture, and the environment across California,” said DWR Deputy Director of Groundwater Management Paul Gosselin. “These approved plans will continue to address the impacts of ongoing weather extremes associated with climate change to ensure that communities remain safe and resilient to the challenges of a hotter, drier future in California.”
The approved basins are East Bay Plain, East Contra Costa, Ukiah Valley, Sierra Valley, North San Benito, North American, South American, Butte, Vina, and Wyandotte Creek. These basins provide a significant portion of water supply for nearly three million Californians.
Groundwater agencies have been implementing their plans since they were adopted locally in mid- to late-2021. DWR expects all plans to be updated over time as basin conditions change and new data and information becomes available.
Sustainable groundwater conditions and targeted recharge help protect communities that are vulnerable to wells going dry, and these groundwater plans are addressing current issues and long-term solutions toward resiliency for communities, households, industries and the environment that are all dependent on groundwater.
The cornerstone of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is local management with state regulatory oversight. The release of these approved assessments provides direction to the local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs), including recommended actions, to ensure the basins remain on a path to long-term sustainability. DWR will also review annual reports from the GSAs and assess progress toward the basin sustainability goals every five years.
DWR has now made determinations for 46 groundwater basins. Of the 46, a total of 40 basins are approved, including the 10 basins released today. Six basins are deemed inadequate and have transitioned to the State Water Resources Control Board intervention process. Additionally, DWR approved nine basins with alternatives to groundwater sustainability plans in July 2017.
The 10 basins approved today are among the non-critically overdrafted basins that submitted their plans to DWR in January 2022. The GSAs in 37 basins that were required to submit plans in 2022 and currently have plans under review by DWR should anticipate additional determination releases throughout 2023.
DWR provides extensive planning as well as technical and financial assistance to support GSAs and local communities during SGMA implementation. In May 2022, DWR awarded $150 million in grant funding for projects to improve water supply security, water quality, and groundwater supply reliability.
In the coming weeks, DWR will announce final awards for nearly $200 million in additional grant funding for SGMA implementation. These efforts to support sustainable groundwater management at the local level align with the Newsom Administration’s work to create climate ready communities resilient against climate-driven extremes like drought, flooding, heatwaves, and wildfire.
