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The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released the Spring 2026 Semi-Annual Groundwater Update, which provides a look back at California’s groundwater conditions during Water Year 2025 and early Water Year 2026. The groundwater update released today includes Water Year 2025 Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) and GSP Alternative annual report data reported across 101 groundwater basins, which make up over 90 percent of the groundwater use in the state. This information is helping provide an increasingly clearer picture of groundwater conditions, including the amount of change in groundwater storage, groundwater extractions, and managed recharge that occurs each year.
Data from Water Year 2025 reflect both the local successes and ongoing challenges of Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) implementation as California moves toward long-term groundwater sustainability. Progress was evident through enhanced monitoring and improved data tools, and nearly 2,000 projects and management actions identified statewide, and although reported recharge was less than the previous two water years, many State and local agencies continued to work to find sustainable recharge solutions for the future. At the same time, persistent groundwater level and groundwater storage declines, continued land subsidence, and increased extractions from the previous two water years in select regions of the state underscore the need for sustained and adaptive management. As Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) refine their strategies and the State continues to invest in scientific support and transparency, California is better positioned to address groundwater challenges in a changing climate and ensure resilient water systems for the future.
Semi-Annual Groundwater Updates include data and discussion on statewide groundwater levels, groundwater storage, recharge, land subsidence, well infrastructure, groundwater reporting improvements, and the status of California’s groundwater basins. DWR produces Groundwater Updates semi-annually in spring and fall to help State and local agencies make management decisions informed by the latest conditions.
These semi-annual updates support DWR’s comprehensive California’s Groundwater (Bulletin 118) publication; the Department released California’s Groundwater Update 2025 on March 12, 2026. Together, Bulletin 118, Semi-Annual Updates, and California’s Groundwater Live provide knowledge and understanding about California’s groundwater system that is necessary for State and local agencies to plan and implement management actions that will help to ensure long-term resiliency of the state’s groundwater supply.
For more information about this update and additional groundwater information, see the following resources:
For general inquiries, please contact: sgmps@water.ca.gov and for inquires related to the latest groundwater information, please contact: CalGW@water.ca.gov.
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