Groundwater sustainability plans for critically over-drafted basins were submitted in January 2020. DWR has two years from the date of submission to evaluate them.
The Measure
The appropriate agencies will carry out their responsibilities established by the SGMA. This measure will track administrative actions until Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) begin to be completed in 2020.
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Expectations
State or local agencies will carry out their responsibilities under SGMA and will meet implementation deadlines.
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Performance Metrics
- Provide a more reliable water supply for California
- Complete the actions required by SGMA
- This will be evaluated annually until GSPs are complete.
Legend
Completed
In Progress
Project Behind Schedule
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) includes a key principal of solving problems on the local level. SGMA mandates: “to manage groundwater basins through the actions of local governmental agencies to the greatest extent feasible, while minimizing state intervention to only when necessary to ensure that local agencies manage groundwater in a sustainable manner.”
Groundwater Sustainability Agencies are required to adopt sustainability goals for the maximum amount of groundwater withdrawn annually without causing an undesirable result. Undesirable results of chronic groundwater overdraft include: chronic lowering of groundwater levels, reduction in groundwater storage, seawater intrusion, degradation of water quality, land subsidence, impacts on beneficial uses of surface water. For each of the undesirable results, Groundwater Sustainability Plans are required to define sustainable management criteria that:
- Minimum thresholds: numeric values to define undesirable results
- Measurable objectives: specific, quantitative goals to achieve sustainability for the basin by 2040
- Interim milestones: incremental 5-year targets leading to achievement of the measurable objective.
GSAs are also required to establish monitoring programs to evaluate these metrics and implement projects and management actions, as appropriate, to meet their locally define sustainability goals.
Each chapter of the Delta plan includes strategies to achieve the goals of the plan. These strategies are general guidance on achieving the objective laid out in the plan and in the Delta Reform Act of 2009. Associated with these strategies are recommendations. The recommendations describe more specific and implementable actions to support the achievement of Delta Plan strategies. Strategies and recommendations may also have associated performance measures. Delta Plan performance measures track progress in achieving desired outcomes for the Delta Plan. Below are the strategies and recommendations associated with this performance measure.
Delta Plan Strategy
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Improve groundwater management
Delta Plan Recommendations
- Update Bulletin 118, California’s Groundwater Plan
- Implement Groundwater Management Plans in Areas that Receive Water from the Delta Watershed
- Recover and Manage Critically Overdrafted Groundwater Basins