June 3, 2025 – State Water Board Meeting to consider returning the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin to the Department of Water Resources’ jurisdiction under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
At its June 3 Board meeting, the State Water Board will consider referring the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin back to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) for continued state evaluation and assessment consistent with Chapter 10 of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
In March 2023, DWR determined that the local plan to achieve groundwater sustainability in the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin was inadequate, triggering the State Water Board's state intervention process. The local groundwater sustainability agencies for the subbasin have since revised their plan. State Water Board staff prepared a Staff Assessment evaluating the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin’s new 2025 Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). Staff concluded that the plan makes significant progress toward sustainability and included a recommendation to the Board to return the subbasin back to DWR’s jurisdiction.
How to Provide Comments on the Staff Assessment
Send any comments to SGMA-Chowchilla@waterboards.ca.gov and use the subject line: “Comments - Chowchilla Subbasin”. The deadline for written comments on the Staff Assessment for the Chowchilla Subbasin is 12:00 noon on Friday, May 23, 2025.
How to Participate at the Board Meeting
Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
In-Person Location
Coastal Hearing Room
Joe Serna Jr. CalEPA Headquarter Building
1001 I Street, Second Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
How to Provide Public Comments at the Board Meeting
- To provide an oral comment remotely, you will need to fill out a virtual speaker card using an online form and wait for the Board Clerk to provide you with Zoom login information.
- To provide an oral comment in-person, you can fill out the online speaker card form on the day of the Board meeting, or in advance. The speaker card form will be available online a few days before the Board meeting. Should you have any questions or problems, please send an email to: board.clerk@waterboards.ca.gov.
How to Watch Online
If you do not wish to provide a comment, you can watch the Board meeting in English, Spanish, or Punjabi on the CalEPA webcast.
How to Request Language Services
Spanish and Punjabi interpretation will be provided at the Board meeting. For language services other than Spanish or Punjabi, please call 916-322-6508 or email opp-languageservices@waterboards.ca.gov by May 19, 2025.
The June 3 Board meeting agenda item to consider returning the Chowchilla Subbasin to DWR’s oversight is subject to change. The State Water Board will send a notification to the SGMA Groundwater Management email list if the agenda item is postponed. The Board meeting agenda will be available at least 10 days before the meeting and will be posted on the Board Meeting Calendar webpage.
More Information
Questions? Contact the SGMA Program at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or 916-322-6508
 Map of the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin
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