Today’s Lunch-MAR presentation will focus on how California’s new definition of regenerative agriculture could influence groundwater programs — especially efforts to manage nitrate contamination. Daniel Rath, of the Natural Resources Defense Council, will explain how managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can support both soil health and cleaner water when paired with smart nitrogen strategies. Today’s hour-long webinar begins at 12:30 p.m.

Last week, DWR released California’s Groundwater Conditions Semi-Annual Update: May 2025. This semi-annual report shows measurable statewide improvements for Water Year 2024 through gains in groundwater storage and sharper insight into water management strategies such as recharge, subsidence, and well reliability. These semi-annual updates are part of the informational resources associated with DWR’s California’s Groundwater (Bulletin 118), the State’s official publication on the occurrence and nature of groundwater in California. Previous semi-annual groundwater conditions updates going back to 2017 are also available online to view or download.

On Tuesday, July 8, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) will host a public listening session to gather community input on the new Tribal Stewardship Policy and Toolkit, a framework designed to strengthen partnerships between California Tribes and State government in natural resource management and land stewardship. This initiative represents a significant step forward in advancing the return of ancestral lands to tribal ownership. This two-hour listening session will begin at 3 p.m. Registration is required. Questions about this event may be directed to the CNRA at tribalaffairs@resources.ca.gov.

At its June 26 meeting, the Delta Stewardship Council adopted the Delta Adapts: Creating a Climate Resilient Future, the first-ever comprehensive regional climate adaptation plan for California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This plan is a key part of the Delta Adapts initiative. The initiative, launched in 2018, has two main components: a vulnerability assessment (released in 2021) and the newly-adopted adaptation plan. The vulnerability assessment identifies the risks posed by climate change to the Delta and Suisun Marsh; the adaptation plan outlines strategies to improve the Delta's resilience to climate change, focusing on human safety and well-being. The adaption plan centers on four key areas: flood risk reduction, ecosystems, agriculture, and water supply reliability. It also identifies equity considerations of adaptation, costs, and governance challenges.

The Delta Protection Commission has scheduled public workshops on Tuesday, July 15, in Brentwood, and Thursday, July 17, in Rio Vista, to hear about the impacts of farmland conversion for habitat and flood control projects on farmers, reclamation districts, and other affected parties. The workshops will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. each day. Following the second workshop, the Delta Protection Commission will hold its regular meeting at 5 p.m. at the same location as the workshop. At this meeting, which is open to the public, staff will share a summary of input received at the workshops. More information about the workshops, and the location of each workshop, is available online. Registration for each workshop is free and required.

A recap of last year’s efforts by the California Water Data Consortium is available in the new Year in Review: 2024. The consortium’s efforts focused on enhancing data accessibility and promoting collaboration for a more resilient water future. Key achievements included progress on the Groundwater Accounting Platform, the Urban Water Reporting Project, and the Telemetered Water Data Project. The consortium also hosted well-attended events including the Western Groundwater Congress and Data for Lunch sessions, both of which fostered discussions on critical water management issues.