DWR released the Draft California’s Groundwater: Bulletin 118 – Update 2025 (CalGW Update 2025) on Oct. 20, opening a 45-day public comment period. That comment window is drawing to a close. Public comments will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 5, and can be emailed to CalGW@water.ca.gov. All comments will be reviewed and will provide valuable feedback to DWR to improve the analysis, reporting, and access to California’s groundwater information. The final version of CalGW Update 2025 is expected to be released in spring 2026.

On Nov. 4, DWR presented an overview and answered questions on the Draft CalGW Update 2025 at a public virtual webinar meeting. A recording of that meeting and a PDF of the meeting’s presentation slides are now available online. The recording includes captioning in both English and Spanish. To select your preferred language for captions, in the menu bar of the video, select the “Settings” wheel icon, click “Subtitles/CC,” and then select between “Off,” “English,” or “Spanish.”

Those who missed the 2025 Flood-MAR Network Forum held on Nov. 5 and 6 can get up to speed by reading a recap of the event on Sustainable Conservation’s website. Presentation materials are also available online. The California Flood-MAR Hub offers all things Flood-MAR related, including a factsheet about groundwater recharge estimation and detailed information about the broad benefits of employing Flood-MAR adaption strategies.

The next Lunch-MAR monthly webinar will be on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The discussion will feature the San Joaquin Flood-MAR Watershed Studies team; they will describe results from the five watershed studies that provide a compelling case for innovative and at-scale implementation. The event runs an hour, starting at 12:30 p.m.

Sustainable Conservation is conducting an online survey on groundwater recharge incentives. The survey is a collaborative effort between the Almond Board of California and Sustainable Conservation to learn more about the variety of incentives and opportunities available to support and scale groundwater recharge at the local level. The survey’s findings will be compiled into a report designed to help growers and landowners understand the recharge options available in their region. The report will also inform the efforts of water districts and groundwater sustainability agencies looking to develop or expand recharge programs. The survey closes on Friday. Dec. 5.

DWR has released the San Joaquin Valley Conveyance Study, which assesses the impact of land subsidence on water conveyance systems in the San Joaquin Valley. This region is critical for agriculture and home to more than four million Californians. The study confirms that many conveyance facilities are rarely filled to maximum capacity, indicating that water availability, not conveyance capacity, is the main constraint. The report determined that repairing existing structure (canals and aqueducts) is more crucial than building new or expanding facilities, and that the most effective action is stabilizing groundwater levels above critical thresholds to stop or reduce the sinking of the land, especially near major State Water Project and Central Valley Project facilities. The San Joaquin Valley Conveyance Study follows the State Water Project Adaptation Strategy as the second report in a series of ongoing studies conducted by DWR that underscore the future challenges, opportunities, and solutions for water management in the San Joaquin Valley.

The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) will host a discussion on building science partnerships with California universities and national laboratories to help guide agency decision-making. “Standing With Science: Strengthening Science-informed Decision Making in the Golden State,” the next webinar in the Secretary Speaker Series, will take place on Thursday, Dec. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is required.