Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency (“SGMA”) essentially requires localities to set up Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (“GSA’s”) and Groundwater Sustainability Plans (“GSP’s”) for high and moderate priority basins, some in critical overdraft. If localities do not do so adequately, or in a timely manner, the State can step in. Areas of particularly acute overdraft include the southern San Joaquin Valley, but there are others. Examples of medium priority basins include the Santa Rosa Plain, the Petaluma Valley, and the Sonoma Valley Basins in Sonoma County. In such areas, GSA’s must be set up by June 30, 2017. GSP’s must be established by January 31, 2020 for basins in critical overdraft. GSA’s must be established by January 31, 2022 for medium and high priority basins not in critical overdraft. Basins in critical overdraft must achieve “sustainability” by January 31, 2040, and other medium and high priority basins must achieve sustainability by January 31, 2042.

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