Sep 16, 2024California marks 10 years of Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is marking the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a law aimed at reducing overuse of groundwater and protecting water supplies.
SGMA, signed in 2014 during a severe drought, created a statewide framework to manage groundwater, which supplies 41% of the state’s water in a normal year and up to 60% during droughts.
Since its passage, more than 250 local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have been formed to manage groundwater resources. These agencies have developed over 100 sustainability plans, focusing on groundwater recharge, usage limits and other measures to create a resilient water supply.
Paul Gosselin, DWR deputy director of sustainable water management, highlighted the importance of local management.
“Groundwater is best managed locally, by the people that know their groundwater basins and depend on the resource,” he said.
In 2023, California recharged 4.1 million acre-feet of water into underground aquifers, and the state has invested nearly $1 billion into SGMA efforts. Despite progress, Gosselin and others stressed the need for continued efforts to meet sustainability goals by the early 2040s.
“The State of California has made significant investments to support local authorities,” said Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The DWR will host a November event featuring state leaders and groundwater experts to celebrate SGMA’s achievements and discuss future goals.
