Sustainable Groundwater Management News: October 2023 Newsletter

This bulletin was sent at 10/31/2023 05:11 PM PDT

Please do not reply directly to this email; for more information or general inquiries, please contact: sgmps@water.ca.gov

TOPICS FOR TODAY: October 31, 2023

Here's a preview of what you'll find in this edition of the Newsletter, with full updates below:

Sustainable Groundwater Management News

DWR Releases Groundwater Sustainability Plan Determinations for 17 Non-Critically Overdrafted Basins
Release of New Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Implementation Guidance: Groundwater Sustainability Plan Implementation: A Guide to Annual Reports, Periodic Evaluations, and Plan Amendments
Fall 2023 Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Data Submission Reminder
Webinar Recording on CASGEM Program Overview and Release of New Online System

Upcoming News and Events

Fall 2023 Groundwater Sustainability Agency Forum - November 9, 2023

General Reminders

Ongoing Improvements to the SGMA Data Viewer
California Environmental Quality Act Suspension Eligibility for Recharge Projects
Dry Domestic Well Tools Available
Written Translation and Facilitation Support Services Available
Connect With Your DWR Basin Point of Contact
Groundwater Exchange Shares Information and Resources

Sustainable Groundwater Management News

DWR Releases Groundwater Sustainability Plan Determinations for 17 Non-Critically Overdrafted Basins

On October 26, 2023, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released seventeen assessments of groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) developed by local agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

The release includes the approval of eleven GSPs for the following basins: Cosumnes in Sacramento County, Eel River Valley in Humboldt County, Mound and Ojai Valley in Ventura County, Elsinore Valley and San Gorgonio Pass in Riverside County, San Pasqual Valley in San Diego County, Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, Sutter in Sutter County, White Wolf in Kern County, and Yolo in Yolo County. The assessments can be viewed on the SGMA Portal. These plans are approved with recommended corrective actions that the groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) will need to address in their next plan update, due in January 2027. DWR’s approval of a GSP identifies that the plan substantially complies with the GSP Regulations and SGMA law, relying upon the best available science and information and whether implementation of the plan is likely to achieve the basin’s sustainability goal over the 20-year planning horizon of SGMA.

DWR has also found in its technical review that the GSPs in six basins contain deficiencies that preclude approval and the plans are determined to be Incomplete. The six basins include the Big Valley (Basin No. 5-004) and five subbasins within the Sacramento Valley Basin, including the Antelope, Colusa, Corning, Los Molinos, and Red Bluff subbasins. The basins with GSPs that are determined Incomplete have 180 days from today’s release of DWR’s determination to address deficiencies and resubmit their corrected GSPs to the Department for review.

For additional information on these GSP assessments, DWR has prepared a press release providing an overview of these assessments and a GSP Evaluation fact sheet summarizing SGMA’s determination pathways for GSPs. SGMA lays out a process for continuous improvement, gathering information to fill data gaps, updating plans, carrying out projects and actions, and promoting science-based adaptation.

DWR encourages all SGMA interested parties to review the assessments, and related materials, accessible on our GSP webpage. For any SGMA-related questions, please email DWR at: sgmps@water.ca.gov.

Release of New Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Implementation Guidance: Groundwater Sustainability Plan Implementation: A Guide to Annual Reports, Periodic Evaluations, and Plan Amendments

On October 30, 2023, DWR released its Groundwater Sustainability Plan Implementation: A Guide to Annual Reports, Periodic Evaluations, and Plan Amendments, which provides guidance to GSAs preparing these documents under SGMA and the GSP Regulations.

The Department also released a Frequently Asked Questions and Available Resources document that provides commonly asked questions and answers about Annual Reports, Periodic Evaluations, and GSP Amendments. These resources do not create any requirements or obligations for GSAs; the information is intended to clarify the necessary content of the documents already required by SGMA and the GSP Regulations.

These and other guidance documents and resources can be found on DWR’s Best Management Practices and Guidance Documents website. Additional information that explains the GSP evaluation process can be found in DWR’s SGMA Plan Evaluation Pathways Fact Sheet.

For questions about this guidance, please email sgmps@water.ca.gov.

Fall 2023 Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Data Submissions

Groundwater elevation measurements collected by GSAs, and those collected by other local agencies, are critically important and enhance California’s ability to assess the State’s groundwater conditions. The GSP Regulations requires the collection of at least two static groundwater elevation measurements per year, representing the seasonal low and high groundwater conditions in the basin, which must be submitted to the DWR electronically (23 CCR § 354.34(c)(1)(B) and § 354.40). DWR has historically defined the seasonal low measurement as Fall, with a measurement collected between July 1 and December 31 and submitted to the Department as promptly as possible and no later than January 1.

Groundwater level assessments are typically conducted during specific months each year operating under the assumption that these months accurately represent the seasonal conditions in their respective areas. Due to recent shifts in California's climate patterns, DWR is taking proactive steps to enhance the frequency of groundwater measurements. We have transitioned from seasonal to monthly measurements at many of our monitoring wells and now also provide real-time measurements in a growing number of wells. Our goal is to provide a more precise understanding of the annual high and low groundwater levels, along with more operational groundwater information. We strongly encourage other local agencies to consider this approach. Doing so will foster a more robust understanding of local groundwater conditions and support sustainable groundwater management.

Webinar Recording on CASGEM Program Overview and Release of New Online System

On August 30, 2023, DWR hosted a webinar for the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Program Overview and Release of New Online System. The webinar provided an update on the CASGEM Program and covered important updates to the CASGEM Online System, including an enhanced user interface, easier access for public users, and a new data import process. A recording of the event has been posted on the CASGEM website.

For questions or more information, please email casgem@water.ca.gov.

Upcoming News and Events

Fall 2023 Groundwater Sustainability Agency Forum - November 9, 2023

DWR is hosting a virtual Fall 2023 Groundwater Sustainability Agency Forum (GSA Forum) for GSA members and representatives on November 9, 2023, from 8:30 AM to noon. The GSA Forum series was established by DWR to help GSAs engage in conversation and exchange ideas related to SGMA implementation. Please follow this link to register for the event.

The theme for the Fall 2023 GSA Forum is Well Management Approaches: from Enhancing Local Understanding to Leveraging Local Coordination. The event will include a panel discussion highlighting how GSAs are addressing well management topics such as well inventory programs and registrations, implementation of Senate Bill 552, and well permitting approaches to satisfy Executive Orders issued in response to the most recent drought. Panelist presentations will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. The program will also include an opportunity for attendees to share experiences and resources through a breakout session. Lastly, DWR will spotlight upcoming Department efforts and resources that support well management. An agenda for the event is attached here.

We hope you will join this event intended to support SGMA implementation. For questions or more information, email sgmps@water.ca.gov.

General Reminders

Ongoing Improvements to the SGMA Data Viewer

As part of DWR's technical assistance to GSAs, other water managers, and the public, DWR actively maintains the SGMA Data Viewer. The SGMA Data Viewer is an interactive mapping tool that provides access to groundwater related datasets that are organized by the requirements of SGMA and the GSP Regulations for the purpose of supporting GSP development and implementation. Recent improvements to the Viewer include the addition of GSP Monitoring and Annual Report Data, Statewide Crop Mapping data for 2020, updated Subsidence information, U.S. Geological Survey CVHM2 texture data, as well as new reference layers including legislative districts, Assessor's Parcels, and major Rivers and Creeks. New functionality includes improved access to site-specific groundwater level and subsidence data.

California Environmental Quality Act Suspension Eligibility for Recharge Projects

On March 28, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Drought Executive Order N-7-22, in response to a third year of record drought conditions in California. Action 13 of Drought Executive Order N-7-22 includes the suspension of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), under specified circumstances, for eligible groundwater recharge projects that mitigate drought impacts on groundwater conditions that take place on open or working lands.

DWR developed a Fact Sheet to describe the intent and requirements of Action 13, as well as a process for local agencies to submit a Self-Certification Form requesting DWR to review the eligibility of their groundwater recharge projects for CEQA suspension. For the projects receiving DWR concurrence, DWR will notify the local agencies and list eligible recharge projects on the DWR Drought Webpage.

The materials and information are posted on DWR’s Drought Webpage, under the ‘CEQA Suspension for Recharge Projects’ accordion dropdown: https://water.ca.gov/water-basics/drought.

Please submit additional questions regarding Action 13 of the Executive Order to: sgmps@water.ca.gov.

Dry Domestic Well Tools Available

Dry Domestic Well Susceptibility Tool

DWR, in coordination with the State Water Resources Control Board, developed an interactive mapping tool, called the Dry Well Susceptibility Tool. This tool identifies areas within groundwater basins throughout the State that may be prone to water supply shortages in drinking water wells. Susceptibility is identified based on recent groundwater level measurements and potential 5-year water level decline.

The Dry Well Susceptibility Tool is housed on the California's Groundwater Live web-based platform, which contains the latest information and data on groundwater conditions across the state. State and local agencies and well owners can use this tool to anticipate where wells may go dry based on historical conditions to inform drought preparedness decision-making. To use this tool, navigate to California’s Groundwater Live website and click the Dry Domestic Well Susceptibility tab. A fact sheet on this tool, as well as DWR’s Dry Well Reporting System, is available here.

Dry Well Reporting Public Outreach Templates

To support counties and local agencies with their outreach and communication with well owners regarding dry well emergency assistance, DWR developed public outreach material templates that are available for download, local customization, and immediate use.

The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley developed outreach materials for the following ten counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare, San Joaquin, and Los Angeles Counties.
For all remaining counties, DWR developed a downloadable outreach template with instructions for counties and local agencies to customize the template, proactively outreach, and communicate with well owners on how to report dry wells and receive emergency water supply assistance. This template is available for download in the following additional languages:

These materials can also be found by clicking the Resources button on DWR’s Dry Well Reporting System website, under the Public Outreach Materials section.

'Be Well Prepared' Flyer

DWR released a flyer that provides four initial steps to take if a well owner thinks their well has gone dry. These flyers are available for download, at the links below in the following languages:

As Step 4 of the flyer suggests, please feel free to pass this information on to neighbors, family, and friends that may live in a household with a well or may be experiencing dry well conditions. Additional resources for well owners can be found on the Be Well Prepared website.

Please contact sgmps@water.ca.gov with any questions. To find more information about the State’s Drought Response and Assistance, please visit drought.ca.gov.

Written Translation Services Available

DWR’s written translation service is available to help local agencies with communication to non-English speaking constituents. Translation services for materials are available in Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Applicants can submit written translation requests for up to 5,000 words per basin/subbasin.

For details, visit the Written Translation tab on the Assistance and Engagement webpage.

Facilitation Support Services Available

DWR’s Facilitation Support Services (FSS) program is available to help local agencies work through challenging water management situations. This service provides the help of professional facilitators to foster discussions among diverse water management interests and local agencies when developing and implementing GSPs.

Additionally, DWR has developed an interactive map tool, showing basins where the FSS program has been provided (shown as 'closed' services) and is currently being provided (shown as 'active').

The FSS interactive map tool and more information about the FSS program can be found on the Facilitation Support tab on the Assistance and Engagement webpage.

Connect with Your DWR Basin Point of Contact

DWR has designated basin points of contact (POC) to assist local agencies as they develop and implement their groundwater sustainability plans and to assist with applications for Technical Support Services and Facilitation Support Services. Find your DWR Region Office POC at the links below:

For regional inquiries, contact sgmp_rc@water.ca.gov.

For general inquiries, contact sgmps@water.ca.gov.

Groundwater Exchange Shares Information and Resources

Maven’s Notebook’s Groundwater Exchange is a central, collaborative, and publicly accessible online resource center connecting water managers, water users, and community members with tools and resources to support the development and implementation of GSPs. While not a DWR website, DWR representatives have been on the Exchange’s Advisory Board since its inception as it supports the sharing of information and resources for SGMA implementation.

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