Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014

Amid a significant drought, California Governor Jerry Brown signed what is perhaps the most significant legislative water initiative in California in half a century. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA), consists of three legislative bills, Senate Bill SB 1168 (Pavley), Assembly Bill AB 1739 (Dickinson), and Senate Bill SB 1319 (Pavley). The legislation provides a framework for long-term sustainable groundwater management across California. Under the roadmap laid out by the legislation, local and regional authorities in medium and high priority groundwater basins have formed Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) that oversee the preparation and implementation of a local Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP).

Local stakeholders have until 2022 (in critically overdrafted basins until 2020) to develop, prepare, and begin implementation of Groundwater Sustainability Plans. GSAs across California will have until 2042 to achieve groundwater sustainability.

SGMA design is to manage groundwater locally through GSAs implementing a GSP. If locals fail, the State Water Board intervenes with increased fees and pumping restrictions.

The East Turlock Subbasin GSA and the West Turlock Subbasin GSA are developing a single Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to manage groundwater quantity and quality through at least 2042. For more information regarding the Turlock Subbasin and the developing GSP, please visit Turlock Groundwater.

Turlock Subbasin GSA

Turlock Subbasin GSA Opens in new window

Resources

Turlock Groundwater Opens in new window