California Groundwater In 2024
September of this year marked the 10th anniversary of pivotal groundwater legislation in the state of California: The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which requires the state’s most overdrafted groundwater basins to be managed sustainably by 2042. After a decade of SGMA, Clean Water Action and its partners have made significant progress in protecting groundwater resources for Californians. This year we added to our tapestry of advocacy, and we are proud to report our successes. Our accomplishments are thanks in no small part to the support of people like you!
Steps Forward
Alongside our environmental justice allies, Clean Water Action has played a major role in holding the inadequate subbasins in the San Joaquin Valley accountable under SGMA. For the six groundwater basins in the San Joaquin Valley determined to have inadequate plans, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is required to hold a probationary hearing to determine whether the state will take over governance of the basin. That hearing is preceded by a public process during which the State Water Board (SWB) identifies deficiencies in the Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for the basins and the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) are able to provide a response. All of these actions are taken publicly, giving interested community members and others an opportunity to provide feedback.
Clean Water Action and its allies have two major priorities in this process: ensuring that the plans will stop overdrafting the groundwater basin as soon as possible and requiring that the GSAs fund the drilling of new wells for the hundreds of homes and small communities whose own wells are being dewatered by continued overdraft.
This year the State Water Resources Control Board has voted to designate both the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins in the Southern San Joaquin Valley as probationary. The remaining basins being considered for probation will have their hearings in 2025 and early 2026.
The Kern Subbasin is next up at bat with its Probationary Hearing set for February 20th, 2025. Clean Water Action works directly with community members in Lost Hills, and partners with other grassroots organizations in Kern County to ensure disadvantaged communities are at the decision-making table.
The Kings County Farm Bureau responded to the Tulare Lake Basin’s probationary status by filing a lawsuit against the State Water Board, arguing that the Board is overstepping their authority. The Kings County judge issued a preliminary injunction in July, halting efforts to begin metering pumping in the basin. The judge then made the injunction permanent in September, pending a trial to determine the merits of the case. Last month the State Water Board announced that they would appeal the injunction. Hopefully this challenge can be resolved at the appellate level, and we can get on with the business of making groundwater sustainable.
Innovations
A few major advancements that Clean Water Action is particularly excited about are innovations in groundwater monitoring data and tools across the state.
As Paul Gosselin, Director of Sustainable Water Management at California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR), stated in October’s Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update, “DWR has installed 208 new groundwater monitoring wells at 81 sites across California. These wells track groundwater levels and water quality, providing valuable data and helping GSAs track conditions so they can better plan, prepare and respond to local needs.”
Explore the expanding universe of groundwater data:
- Annual reports on SGMA’s progress, from basin storage to groundwater extraction methods for each basin, at the CNRA Open Data platform
- California’s Groundwater live provides an overview of groundwater conditions in the state, including an estimate of the number of wells that have gone dry in the past 30 days
- California’s collection of groundwater reports at Groundwater Bulletin 118
- October’s Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update
State of Groundwater & SGMA in California
Here in California, October 1st observed the start of a new water year, and we have seen marked improvements in groundwater sustainability with fewer reports of dry wells overall, largely due to the easing of our decadal drought.
However, this year did not come without adversity. A mainstay of our legislative work on groundwater in 2024 was Assembly Bill 828 (Connolly), sponsored by both Clean Water Action and Audubon California. This bill would have amended SGMA to temporarily suspend local extraction limits and fees for managed wetlands and small disadvantaged communities in dire need of relief and who use a minimal amount of groundwater compared to agricultural users. In addition, AB 828 would have required local GSA to provide additional analysis concerning the impacts of their GSP on these users.
Unfortunately, AB 828 was vetoed by Governor Newsom after the bill made it through the gauntlet of the California Legislature to his desk. Clean Water Action and its allies were disappointed by the Governor’s decision and his reasoning.
As Jennifer Clary, California Director of Clean Water Action, said in response to the Governor’s reasoning, “Small water systems are already paying the price for unsustainable groundwater management, through water quality impairment and dry wells that drive the cost of water to unaffordable heights. The governor’s veto message appears to endorse the idea that those impacts shouldn’t be considered when determining who pays for SGMA implementation. We disagree.”
Learn More and Do Your Part!
One of the most fortuitous aspects of 10 years of SGMA is its profound impact on public awareness of groundwater, drinking water, and the effects of climate change on public health and the environment. Thanks for supporting our fight to preserve California’s future! Learn more about SGMA and support our efforts to protect California’s water sources.
Learn more about our work with California groundwater here, and click below to learn about what’s going on in the world of groundwater!
SJV Water: State appeals Kings County judge’s groundwater injunction | October 1, 2024
Governor Newsom: Veto Of AB 828 | September 25, 2024
Find out if you are within a groundwater basin and if it is protected under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation: https://sgmareview.org/
Achieving Groundwater Access for All: https://cleanwater.org/publications/achieving-groundwater-access-for-all
Nature Communications: Stakeholder Integration predicts better outcomes from groundwater sustainability policy https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39363-y
This work could not have been achieved without the support of people like you.
We’re committed to continuing our work in the future as we fight for environmental and climate justice, and as you consider your end of year gift, we hope you decide to join us. Thank you for your support!
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