Salinas Valley – Forebay Aquifer
Statistics
- Basin Name
- Salinas Valley – Forebay Aquifer
- Basin Number
- 3-004.04
- SGMA Basin Priority
- Medium
- Critically Overdrafted
- No
- Hydrologic Region Name
- Central Coast
- Counties
- Monterey
Basin Notes
2003: Bulletin 118 basin description
2014: Basin priority “medium.”
2015: Monterey County Water Resources Agency SGMA timeline/links
2018: Basin priority high. Prioritization comment: 1) CASGEM/WDL/GWIDS: Longterm hydrographs show groundwater level decline. Source: DWR See State of the Salinas River Groundwater Basin, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, January 16, 2015: 2018 Final Basin Prioritization: Basin status is unchanged at medium priority.
2022: January 24 – Groundwater Sustainability Plan submitted to DWR
2023: DWR approved GSP
At-A-Glance

California Water Library Documents About This Basin
2024 Annual Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program Report
California Department of Conservation (CDoC) | May 29th, 2025
The Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) increases regional capacity for repurposing irrigated agricultural land to uses that reduce reliance on groundwater while
Application of Hydrologic Simulation Program—FORTRAN (HSPF) as Part of an Integrated Hydrologic Model for the Salinas Valley, California
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | April 8th, 2025
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, conducted studies to help evaluate the surface-water and grou
Salinas Valley Integrated Hydrologic and Reservoir Operations Models, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, California
Monterey County Resources Agency (MCRA) | April 5th, 2025
To evaluate the challenging water management issues in the Salinas Valley, the U.S. Geological Survey, Monterey County Water Resource Agency, and the Salina
Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program Annual Report 2023
California Department of Conservation (CDoC) | April 9th, 2024
The Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) increases regional capacity for repurposing irrigated agricultural land to uses that reduce reliance on groundwat
Establishing ecological thresholds and targets for groundwater management
Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | April 3rd, 2024
Groundwater is critical for many ecosystems, yet groundwater requirements for dependent ecosystems are rarely accounted for during water and conservation planning. Here w
Statement of Findings regarding the Approval of the Salinas Valley - Forebay Aquifer Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | April 27th, 2023
Forebay Aquifer Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency | January 13th, 2022
The 2014 California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires that medium- and high-priority groundwater basins and subbasins develop Groundwater Sustainabil
Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin 180/400-Foot Aquifer Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency | January 3rd, 2020
The 2014 California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires that medium and high-priority groundwater basins and subbasins develop Groundwater Sustainabil
Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the Greater Monterey County Region
Greater Monterey County Regional Water Management Group | August 31st, 2018
Integrated regional water management (IRWM) is an approach to water resource management in California that is being strongly promoted by the State as a way to inc
Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater (1980)
California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | January 1st, 1980
Ground water management is a major issue in California. The Governor's Commission to Review California Water Rights Law, in its December 1978 report, recommends a new g