Today, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released two additional determinations on groundwater sustainability plans developed by local agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
DWR has approved plans for the Los Posas Valley Basin in Ventura County and the Indian Wells Valley Basin, primarily located in northeast Kern County. These two plans are approved with recommended corrective actions that the groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) will need to address in their next plan update, due in January 2025. The GSAs for these basins will continue implementing their plans to achieve SGMA’s goal of groundwater sustainability within 20 years.
The determinations can be found on the Department’s SGMA Portal. For questions, please contact the Sustainable Groundwater Management Office by emailing sgmps@water.ca.gov.
From the Department of Water Resources Sustainable Groundwater Management Office:
NEW First Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys Complete and Additional Surveys Scheduled
AEM data were successfully collected in the Salinas Valley, Paso Robles, and Cuyama Valley in early August. Data are expected to become publicly available in early 2022.
Additional AEM surveys have been scheduled to begin this fall in three areas of the state. The three areas include:
Northern Area: Scott River Valley, Shasta Valley, Butte Valley, Tulelake, Big Valley (Lassen and Modoc counties), and a portion of Fall River Valley.
North-Central Area: Ukiah Valley, Big Valley (Lake County), Santa Rosa Plain, Petaluma Valley, and Sonoma Valley
Southern San Joaquin Valley Area: White Wolf, Kern County, Tulare Lake, Tule, and Kaweah.
NEW State Seeks Public Comment on Draft Drinking Water Well Principles and Strategies Document
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the April 21, 2021 State of Emergency Proclamation after two dry years to prioritize the protection of public health, safety and the environment, and to prepare for and mitigate the effects of drought conditions. Executive Action Item 11 specifically identifies:
“To ensure the potential impacts of drought on communities are anticipated and proactively addressed, the Department of Water Resources, in coordination with the Water Board, shall develop groundwater management principles and strategies to monitor, analyze, and minimize impacts to drinking water wells.”
The state also held a public webinar to review the draft principles and strategies and accept formal public comments on September 23, 2021. Materials from previous public workshops and sessions, a schedule on the next steps, and more information for this effort are available on our Drinking Water Wells Principle website. If you have comments or questions, please email us at sgmps@water.ca.gov.
NEW A Week of Webinars on Statewide Groundwater Management Efforts
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is hosting a week of webinars on statewide groundwater management efforts. More information about each webinar is included in the flyer to the right.
2022 Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Submittal Workshop, Monday, October 18, 2021 from 10AM to 12:30PM, Click Here to Register
2022 Alternative 5-year Update Submittal Workshop, Tuesday, October 19, 2021 from 10AM to 12:00PM, Click Here to Register
Resources for Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation, Wednesday, October 20, 2021 from 10AM to 11:30AM, Click Here to Register
Accessing Groundwater Data and Tools, Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 10AM to 12:00PM, Click Here to Register
For questions about these webinar events, please contact us at: sgmps@water.ca.gov.
REMINDER Submit or Update Your Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) Initial Notification
The 2022 deadline for GSPs is nearing; if your GSP development has undergone some changes since your Initial Notification submission, please make sure visit the SGMA Portal – GSP Initial Notification System and ensure that initial notification is up-to-date . When logged in, the portal allows edits to be made to previously submitted Initial Notifications, including the ability to withdraw a submittal.
If you have not submitted an Initial Notification, remember that before starting a GSP, agencies are required to notify DWR in writing using the SGMA Portal – GSP Initial Notification System.
For more information, contact the regional coordinators in DWR’s four Region Offices. For assistance with the system, email Monica.Reis@water.ca.gov.
REMINDER June 2021 GSP Assessments Release and Live Q&A Webinar Materials
DWR evaluates GSPs to determine if they comply with the SGMA, substantially comply with the GSP Regulations, and whether implementation of the GSP is likely to achieve the sustainability goal for the basin. DWR evaluates GSPs within two years of their submittal and issues a written assessment. See the GSP Evaluation fact sheet for more information on GSP assessment outcomes.
DWR released its first assessments of GSPs developed by local agencies to meet the requirements of SGMA on June 3, 2021. DWR has completed its assessment and approved plans for the Santa Cruz Mid-County Basin in Santa Cruz County and 180/400 Foot Aquifer Subbasin in Monterey County. The groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for these critically over-drafted basins will continue implementing their plans to achieve SGMA’s goal of groundwater sustainability within 20 years.
DWR hosted a live question and answer webinar on June 24, 2021. Materials from this public workshop and more information about GSPs and GSP Evaluation are available on our Groundwater Sustainability Plans website. If you have comments or questions, please email us at sgmps@water.ca.gov.
REMINDER Household Water Supply Shortage Reporting System Website Updates
Individuals served by domestic wells who are experiencing a water supply shortage are encouraged to report it to DWR’s online Household Water Supply Shortage Reporting System. This information will help inform state and local agencies on water shortage impacts to households served by wells, and will help identify the need for local, state, or federal assistance.
To report a water supply shortage, go to the MyDryWell webpage, and click the “Submit Report” button. The form is also available in Spanish by clicking “Enviar Reporte.” The site has been updated with additional Helpful Resources for Homeowners, which can be found at the conclusion of submitting a report or by clicking the “Resources” button on the homepage.
REMINDER DWR Releases Update to Fine-Grid California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model
DWR has released an update to the Fine-Grid California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation (C2VSimFG) Model, which can be used by GSAs developing water budgets for their GSPs.
C2VSimFG Version 1.01 utilizes the latest version of the Integrated Water Flow Model software and corrects minor errors in the model files. These updates do not significantly affect the overall model calibration; however, resulting changes to simulated groundwater levels may vary by basin.
REMINDER Multi-Language Groundwater Educational Videos Now Available
New SGMA groundwater educational videos in various languages are now available. All materials are available for public use and may be shared and added to websites.
“DWR’s Assistance Role in Groundwater Management” video: English and Spanish
REMINDER CASGEM to Monitoring Network Module Transition Frequently Asked Questions Available
The CASGEM to Monitoring Network Module Transition Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document covers questions related to the Groundwater Monitoring Law, the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Program, a GSP’s required monitoring, the SGMA Portal’s Monitoring Network Module (MNM), and a basin’s or subbasin’s transition from the CASGEM Online System to the SGMA Portal’s Monitoring Network Module .
For additional information or questions concerning any topics covered in the FAQ, please contact:
REMINDERMonitoring Network Module Updated to Accept Sustainable Management Criteria Data
The SGMA Portal’s Monitoring Network Module, the online reporting system for monitoring site data, has been updated to accept sustainable management criteria data for the chronic lowering of groundwater levels sustainability indicator. This data includes minimum thresholds, measurable objectives, and interim milestones. Following the update, GSAs must load the sustainable management criteria data before importing any new groundwater level readings to representative monitoring wells in the Monitoring Network Module.
DWR’s written translation service is available to help with communication to non-English speaking constituents. Translation services for materials are available in Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Applicants can submit up to 5,000 words per basin/subbasin.
REMINDERPublic Meetings Can Be Held Remotely During Pandemic
Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-25-20 encourages elected officials to conduct public meetings by teleconference or other electronic venue during the pandemic. The order temporarily waives requirements in the Bagley-Keene Act and Brown Act as long as specific requirements are met. The order applies to GSAs and others involved in the implementation of SGMA.
In response to the sustainable groundwater management community’s interest in guidance, resources, and examples on how to conduct public meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, DWR developed Tips and Tactics for Online Meetings.
REMINDER Groundwater Exchange Shares Information and Resources
Maven’s Notebook’s Groundwater Exchange is a central, collaborative, and publicly accessible online resource center connecting water managers, water users, and community members with tools and resources to support the development and implementation of GSPs. While not a DWR website, DWR representatives have been on the Exchange’s Advisory Board since its inception as it supports the sharing of information and resources for SGMA implementation.
Connect with Your Basin Point of Contact
DWR has designated basin points of contact to assist local agencies as they develop and implement their plans and to assist with applications for Technical Support Services and Facilitation Support Services.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released its first assessments of groundwater sustainability plans developed by local agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
DWR has completed its assessment and approved plans for the Santa Cruz Mid-County Basin in Santa Cruz County and 180/400 Foot Aquifer Subbasin in Monterey County. The groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for these critically over-drafted basins will continue implementing their plans to achieve SGMA’s goal of groundwater sustainability within 20 years.
DWR has notified GSAs for the Cuyama Valley Basin and Paso Robles Subbasin that their plans lack specific details and are not yet approved. DWR is requesting a consultation meeting with the GSAs to discuss actions necessary to improve the plans. DWR is committed to working with local agencies and providing technical and financial support to help them bring their basins into balanced levels of pumping and recharge.
“Local management, including development of solutions for the long-term reliability of groundwater, is the cornerstone of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “DWR’s evaluation and assessment of groundwater sustainability plans is an important step in the long process of bringing our critical groundwater basins into sustainability, helping to ensure Californians have a reliable water source during drought years and for generations to come.”
DWR is releasing plan assessments as they are completed, rather than waiting to release the assessments at the end of the two-year review period in January 2022, to provide early feedback and guidance that can inform other GSAs as they develop their plans.
SGMA initiated a new era of local groundwater management. For the first time in California’s water history, local agencies and groundwater users are required to form GSAs and develop and implement plans to guide how they will achieve groundwater basin sustainability goals over the next 20 years. SGMA lays out a process designed for continuous improvement – gathering information to fill data gaps, updating plans, and promoting science-based adaptation. Plans will be updated as new information becomes available and as conditions change in groundwater basins. DWR will review annual reports and also assess each plan every five years to determine if the GSAs are on track to meet their basin’s goal.
Despite the long-term timeline, SGMA requires near-term actions that will help the state manage water resources during dry and drought years. For example, GSAs have been required to submit annual progress reports since 2020 with the most up-to-date monitoring and plan implementation information for their groundwater basins, including groundwater levels and use. This data can be accessed on the SGMA Portal. By tracking conditions and implementation performance, the state and local agencies can better manage water resources during average and wet years to ensure groundwater will be available as a buffer during dry years.
In addition to and aligned with plan evaluation, DWR continues to support GSAs by providing planning, technical and financial assistance. Recently, DWR announced $26 million in grant funding for project investments to improve water supply security, water quality and the reliability of groundwater. These efforts align with the Administration’s budget proposal for significant additional funding for projects to improve groundwater conditions and advance safe drinking water efforts for groundwater-dependent communities.
For more information about DWR’s available assistance, watch this video and visit the assistance and engagement webpage.
Additional information, including a video message from DWR on the assessments, is available at this website.
Welcome to a tour of the Groundwater Resource Hub, a website full of resources where you will find guidance, tools and examples of how to manage groundwater for the environment.
Environmental users of groundwater can include, but are not limited to Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs), Native Vegetation and Interconnected Surface Water (ISW), etc.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released the draft California’s Groundwater – Update 2020 (Bulletin-118), containing information on the condition of the State’s groundwater, which is especially important as California faces a critically dry water year. DWR encourages community members and water managers to review the publication and provide input.
This version of California’s Groundwater provides a comprehensive look at statewide groundwater activities, compiling technical information and data from 2003 to 2020. This bulletin recognizes the historic passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014 and builds a statewide framework to share new information and progress made by locals who are managing groundwater basins across the state. It also highlights emerging topics such as water markets and the impacts of climate change on groundwater and summarizes groundwater information for each of the State’s 10 hydrologic regions.
The publication contains a Highlights overview section in English and Spanish, and a detailed Statewide Report, which features current knowledge of groundwater resources including information on the location, characteristics, use, management status, and conditions of the state’s groundwater. The publication also presents findings and recommendations that support the future management and protection of groundwater.
This information can help communities and local water managers work together to find unique ways to manage their groundwater basins for long-term reliability and support actions being implemented as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2020 California Water Resilience Portfolio.
California’s Groundwater is organized to share the growing body of groundwater data that is available now and will continue to be submitted by local agencies in the future as part of the implementation of SGMA.
DWR is developing a companion California’s Groundwater web-based dashboard leveraging the California Natural Resources Agency Open Data Platform to improve the access and timeliness of statewide groundwater information, making it easily available for water managers and the public to use.
DWR will present an overview of California’s Groundwater at a public webinar meeting on March 30, 2021, from noon to 1:30 p.m. RSVP here.
Public Comment Period
A 45-day public comment period is now open on the draft report and companion California’s Groundwater Online application. All comments will be reviewed and will provide valuable feedback to DWR to improve the analysis, reporting, and access to California’s groundwater information.
Public comments can be emailed to CalGW@water.ca.gov and will be accepted through April 26, 2021.
You are invited to take a tour of the Groundwater Resource Hub, a website full of resources where you will find guidance, tools and examples of how to manage groundwater for the environment.
Environmental users of groundwater can include, but are not limited to Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs), Native Vegetation and Interconnected Surface Water (ISW), etc. This tour will last 4 weeks, hitting your email the next four Thursdays. Each week you can delve into a specific topic relevant to incorporating the environment into Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs).
The publication is an informal compilation of Bulletin 74-81 and the draft supplemental, Bulletin 74-90. Although Bulletin 74-90 was not finalized by DWR nor officially adopted into the Model Well Ordinance by the State Water Resources Control Board, it has been adopted into local ordinances around the state.
To facilitate its use, DWR has combined the contents according to Table 1 (B74-90) of Bulletin 74-90 and made minor modifications in wording and formatting to improve readability.
DWR is no longer able to post the PDF versions of the original DWR Bulletin 74-81 and Bulletin 74-90 on their webpage since they do not meet accessibility standards. They are available on the Internet Archive: Bulletin 74-81 and Bulletin 74-90.
Until the Bulletin 74 Update is completed, DWR’s project team hopes these Combined Well Standards serve as a useful resource for you in your work. For questions or more information, email Bulletin74@water.ca.gov.
At the Groundwater Exchange, we’re working to update the website and adding new features.
One of those is the new Video Gallery, where you can find introductory videos on SGMA, SGMA videos in Spanish, and special topic videos on groundwater recharge, Integrated Regional Water Management, and more!
The Groundwater Exchange video gallery can link to videos posted on YouTube, Vimeo, or Facebook, so if you have a video to add, send the link to maven@mavensnotebook.com.
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), NASA, the DesertResearch Institute (DRI) and Google announced plans today to develop a new web application called OpenET to enable western U.S. farmers and water managers to accurately track water consumption by crops and other vegetation using data from satellites and weather stations.
OpenET will fill a critical information gap in water management in the West. Today, access to accurate, timely satellite-based data on the amount of water used to grow food is fragmented and often expensive, keeping it out of the hands of many farmers and decision-makers. Water supplies in the western U.S. are critical to the health of our communities, food supply and wildlife, but they are facing increasing pressures in the face of population growth and a changing climate.
Applications of OpenET data include:
●Informing irrigation management and scheduling practices to maximize “crop per drop” and reduce costs for water and fertilizer.
●Enabling water and land managers to develop more accurate water budgets and innovative management programs that promote adequate water supplies for agriculture, people, and ecosystems.
●Supporting groundwater management, water trading and conservation programs that increase the economic viability of agriculture across the West.
From the Department of Water Resources:
