At its June 3rd Board meeting, the State Water Board approved a resolution to return the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin to the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) jurisdiction under 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 and referred the subbasin to the State Water Board for potential state intervention. The local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for the subbasin revised their plan and the State Water Board determined that the new plan addresses the problems that DWR identified as well as Board staff concerns and, by implementing the revised plan, the GSAs are on track to achieve sustainable groundwater management. Local groundwater sustainability agencies will continue managing groundwater in the subbasin under DWR’s jurisdiction.  

For more information about the Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin, please visit the State Water Board’s Chowchilla Groundwater Subbasin webpage.   

To receive SGMA-related updates from DWR, please visit DWR’s SGMA webpage to sign up. 

Questions? Contact the State Water Board SGMA Program at sgma@waterboards.ca.gov or 916-322-6508.