DWR will host the Fall 2025 Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Forum on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “SGMA After 10-years – How to Keep the Momentum Going” will feature interviews with GSA representatives, highlighting approaches they have used to navigate SGMA implementation challenges. These discussions will cover onboarding GSA staff and include experiences centered on management actions. DWR will also host a Q&A session about periodic evaluations and an informational session on current and planned tools, resources, and opportunities to aid GSAs during implementation. This online event will also offer an opportunity for attendees to share experiences and resources through breakout sessions. Registration is required for this free forum. An agenda is available online. For questions or more information, email sgmps@water.ca.gov. To learn about DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Program, visit the Statewide Groundwater Management webpage.

The California Water Data Consortium and its partners have released a new white paper. “Groundwater Accounting Platform — Real-World Impact from DWR Investment in Open, Scalable SGMA Tools" highlights how DWR’s investment in open-source groundwater tools is accelerating implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) across diverse basins in the state. The white paper addresses common challenges faced by groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs), namely (1) making complex water data accessible to growers, (2) building trust while introducing new policies, and (3) avoiding the reinvention of tools already developed by other agencies. The white paper documents the successful pilot deployments in six diverse GSAs, showcasing how the public investment in a shared, open-source Groundwater Accounting Platform provides a scalable solution by allowing agencies to configure a single platform to fit their unique needs rather than starting from scratch. To read more about the white paper, see the article on Maven’s Notebook.

The California Data Collaborative and the California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP) will host an hour-long, interactive webinar today beginning at 11 a.m. As part of the ongoing “Charting the Course for Compliance” educational series for urban water suppliers, this webinar will offer a hands-on walkthrough of the reporting process for the first Urban Water Use Objective (UWUO) Report due January 1, 2026. This meeting will highlight key updates from the State Water Resources Control Board and provide a step-by-step look at completing a report using sample data and available tools, including CalWEP’s suite of resources. Registration for this free webinar is required.

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will host a webinar on the new Urban Water Use Objective (UWUO) Reporting Form. Beginning January 1, 2026, urban retail water suppliers subject to the Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation must use this form to report data. The hour-long virtual meeting will be on Tuesday, November 18, beginning at 11 a.m., and will be entirely dedicated to Q&A. Registration is required. To learn more about the UWUO form, visit the State Water Board UWUO webpage. A recording of the webinar  will be posted at a later date on the State Water Board’s Making Conservation a California Way of Life webpage.

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will host a 90-minute virtual public workshop about the agency’s new water rights data system, CalWATRS (short for California Water Accounting, Tracking, and Reporting System). State Water Board staff will demonstrate the system’s key features and answer questions. The online event will focus on water right holders and agents who must register for an account, connect to water right records, and submit annual water diversion and use reports. Time permitting, staff will also demonstrate new mapping functions that allow the public to view water rights by stream and watershed. Registration is not required for this webinar. The workshop is open to all via Zoom (passcode 831478). More workshop information is available on the CalWATRS virtual public workshop public meeting notice.