SGMA Alternative Groundwater Sustainability Plan Bridge Document for the Mission Creek Subbasin

Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) | December 29th, 2016

SGMA and Underrepresented Farmers

Clean Water Action | May 31st, 2022

Groundwater resources play a vital role in maintaining environmental sustainability in California. During a typical year, approximately 40 percent of the state’s total

Groundwater resources play a vital role in maintaining environmental sustainability in California. During a typical year, approximately 40 percent of the state’s total water supply comes from groundwater. During dry years, groundwater contributes 60 percent (or more) of the state’s total supply, and serves as a critical buffer against the impacts of drought and climate change. This paper responds to concerns expressed by groundwater sustainability advocates that underrepresented farmers have not been included in the development and implementation of Groundwater SustainabilityPlans (GSPs) under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014. It contains results from the evaluation of 14 Groundwater Sustainability Plans (12 from the San Joaquin Valley and 2 from the Central Coast) with a focus on stakeholder engagement and projected impacts of groundwater decline on underrepresented farmers.

SGMA Best Management Practice: Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | December 23rd, 2016

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist in the use and development of hydrogeologic conceptual models (HCM). The California Department of Water

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist in the use and development of hydrogeologic conceptual models (HCM). The California Department of Water Resources (the Department or DWR) has developed this document as part of the obligation in the Technical Assistance Chapter (Chapter 7) of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to support the long-term sustainability of California’s groundwater basins. Information provided in this BMP is meant to provide support to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) when developing a HCM in accordance with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Emergency Regulations (GSP Regulations). This BMP identifies available resources to support development of HCMs. This BMP includes the following sections: Objective. The objective and brief description of the contents of this BMP. Use and Limitations. A brief description of the use and limitations of this BMP. HCM Fundamentals. A description of HCM fundamental concepts. Relationship of HCM to other BMPs. A description of how the HCM relates to other BMPs and is the basis for development of other GSP requirements. Technical Assistance. A description of technical assistance to support the development of a HCM and potential sources of information and relevant datasets that can be used to further define each component. Key Definitions. Definitions relevant for this BMP as provided in the GSP and Basin Boundary Regulations and in SGMA. Related Materials. References and other materials that provide supporting information related to the development of HCMs.

SGMA Best Management Practice: Modeling

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | December 23rd, 2016

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist with the use and development of groundwater and surface water models. The California Department of Water

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist with the use and development of groundwater and surface water models. The California Department of Water Resources (the Department or DWR) has developed this document as part of the obligation in the Technical Assistance chapter (Chapter 7) of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to support the long-term sustainability of California’s groundwater basins. Information in this BMP provides technical assistance to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other stakeholders on how to address modeling requirements outlined in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Emergency Regulations (GSP Regulations). This BMP identifies available resources to support the development of groundwater and surface water models. This BMP includes the following sections: 1. Objective. The objective and outline of the contents of this BMP. 2. Use and Limitations. A description of the use and limitation of this BMP. 3. Modeling Fundamentals. A description of fundamental modeling concepts. 4. Relationship of modeling to other BMPs. A description of how modeling relates to other BMPs and is a tool used to develop other GSP requirements. 5. Technical Assistance. A description of technical assistance for the development of a model, potential sources of information, and relevant datasets that can be used to further define model components. 6. Key Definitions. Definitions relevant for this BMP as provided in the GSP Regulations, Basin Boundary Regulations, and SGMA. 7. Related Materials. References and other materials related to the development of models.

SGMA Best Management Practice: Monitoring Networks and Identification of Data Gaps

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | December 23rd, 2016

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist in the development of Monitoring Networks and Identification of Data Gaps. The California Department of

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist in the development of Monitoring Networks and Identification of Data Gaps. The California Department of Water Resources (the Department or DWR) has developed this document as part of the obligation in the Technical Assistance chapter (Chapter 7) of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to support the long-term sustainability of California’s groundwater basins. Information provided in this BMP provides technical assistance to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other stakeholders to aid in the development of a monitoring network that is capable of providing sustainability indicator data of sufficient accuracy and quantity to demonstrate that the basin is being sustainably managed. In addition, this BMP is intended to provide information on how to identify and plan to resolve data gaps to reduce uncertainty that may be necessary to improve the ability of the GSP to achieve the sustainability goal for the basin. This BMP includes the following sections: 1. Objective. A brief description of how and where monitoring networks are required under Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and the overall objective of this BMP. 2. Use and Limitations. A brief description of the use and limitations of this BMP. 3. Monitoring Network Fundamentals. A description of the general approach and background of groundwater monitoring networks. 4. Relationship of Monitoring Network to other BMPs. A description of how this BMP is connected with other BMPs. 5. Technical Assistance. Technical content of BMP providing guidance for regulatory sections. 6. Key Definitions. Descriptions of those definitions identified in the GSP Regulations, SGMA, or Basin Boundary Regulations. 7. Related Materials. References and other materials that provide supporting information related to the development of Groundwater Monitoring Networks.

SGMA Best Management Practice: Water Budget

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | December 23rd, 2016

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist the use and development of water budgets. The Department of Water Resources (the Department or DWR) has

The objective of this Best Management Practice (BMP) is to assist the use and development of water budgets. The Department of Water Resources (the Department or DWR) has developed this document as part of the obligation in the Technical Assistance Chapter (Chapter 7) of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to support the long-term sustainability of California’s groundwater basins. Information provided in this BMP provides technical assistance to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other stakeholders on how to address water budget requirements outlined in the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Emergency Regulations (GSP Regulations). This BMP identifies available resources to support development, implementation, and reporting of water budget information. This BMP includes the following sections: 1. Objective. The objective and brief description of the contents of this BMP. 2. Use and Limitations. A brief description of the use and limitations of this BMP. 3. Water Budget Fundamentals. A description of fundamental water budget concepts. 4. Relationship of Water Budgets to other BMPs. A description of how the water budget BMP relates to other BMPs and how water budget information may be used to support development of other GSP requirements. 5. Technical Assistance. A description of technical assistance to support the development of a water budget, potential sources of information, and relevant datasets that can be used to further define each component. 6. Key Definitions. Definitions relevant for this BMP as provided in the GSP Regulations, Basin Boundary Regulations, SGMA, and DWR Bulletin 118. 7. Related Materials. References and other materials that provide supporting information related to the development of water budget estimates.

Shasta Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Siskiyou County Flood Control and Water Conservation District | January 28th, 2022

SGMA was established to provide local and regional agencies the authority to sustainably manage groundwater resources through the development and implementation of GSPs

SGMA was established to provide local and regional agencies the authority to sustainably manage groundwater resources through the development and implementation of GSPs for high and medium priority subbasins (e.g., Shasta Valley). In accordance with SGMA, this GSP was developed and will be implemented by the GSA representing the Basin: the Siskiyou County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. To deal with file size, the Shasta Valley GSP has been divided into three files: Part 1, Part 2,  Part 3 Plan approved by DWR

Sierra Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Sierra Valley Groundwater Management District | January 18th, 2022

This Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was developed by the Sierra Valley Groundwater Management District (SVGMD) and Plumas County, the Groundwater Sustainability Ag

This Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was developed by the Sierra Valley Groundwater Management District (SVGMD) and Plumas County, the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) for the Sierra Valley Groundwater Basin (SV Subbasin). Due to size, this file has been divided into five parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Simulation of groundwater and surface-water resources of the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed, Santa Barbara County, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | February 1st, 2022

In the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed (SACVW), western Santa Barbara County, California, groundwater is the primary source of water for agricultural irrigation, the t

In the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed (SACVW), western Santa Barbara County, California, groundwater is the primary source of water for agricultural irrigation, the town of Los Alamos, and supplemental water to Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Groundwater pumpage has increased since the 1970s as non-irrigated agricultural land has been converted to irrigated land and as local pumping for municipal use has increased. This increase in groundwater use has resulted in declining groundwater levels, adjustments in surface-water flows and species habitats, and changes in water quality. Water managers are addressing the challenges of meeting this increased demand while maintaining sustainable groundwater supplies. To address these challenges, Santa Barbara County Water Agency, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) undertook a cooperative study to characterize the integrated hydrologic system of the SACVW and develop tools to better understand and manage the groundwater system. The objectives of this study were to improve the understanding of the integrated hydrologic system and incorporate the understanding into an integrated groundwater and surface-water flow model that can be used to help manage the water resources in the SACVW. The San Antonio Creek integrated model (SACIM) was developed using the USGS coupled groundwater and surface-water flow model to simulate the hydrologic system of the SACVW and provide annual and average water budgets for 1948–2018 water years. Results from the SACIM indicated that between 1948 and 2018, total groundwater from storage (storage depletion) for the period was 453,300 acre-feet (acre-ft). Agricultural pumpage was the largest discharge and accounted for a total of 1,020,000 acre-ft of groundwater. Increased pumpage since the mid-1980s (of which agricultural pumpage is the primary component) is tied to an increased rate of storage depletion and reduced rates of groundwater evapotranspiration and surface leakage (groundwater discharge to the surface and soil zone). The increased pumpage also reduced subsurface inflow to Barka Slough, resulting in a decline in upward flow through the underlying hydrogeologic units and surface leakage. In addition to quantifying historical changes in the integrated hydrologic system, the SACIM is a tool than can be used by water managers to evaluate the effects of different climatic and hydrologic conditions and management strategies.

Solano Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Solano Subbasin GSA Collaborative | November 30th, 2021

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) encourages groundwater management at the local level. Local entities are responsible for forming Groundwater Sustainabil

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) encourages groundwater management at the local level. Local entities are responsible for forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) to guide sustainable management of groundwater basins or subbasins identified as high or medium priority by the State. Five GSAs in the Solano Subbasin organized to form the Solano Collaborative to develop a single GSP for the Subbasin: Solano Subbasin GSA, Solano Irrigation District GSA, City of Vacaville GSA, Northern Delta GSA, and Sacramento County GSA. The Solano Collaborative together with five other GSAs have adopted the Solano Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan.