What is SGMA?
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is a California law that requires local agencies to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) who must develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) to achieve sustainable groundwater management within 20 years. Sustainability means groundwater pumping is in balance with replenishment from rainfall, rivers and other surface waters. The Kern Subbasin must achieve sustainability by 2040.
What is a GSP?
A GSP is a document that describes current conditions and trends related to the groundwater within a subbasin, including an assessment of beneficial users. The GSP sets standards and objectives for the quantity and quality of groundwater that must be maintained and lists actions that the GSAs will take to reach a long-term balance between groundwater use and replenishment. The Kern Subbasin draft 2024 amended GSPs can be downloaded under Documents.
What GSA am I located in?
The Kern Subbasin is covered by 20 GSAs. An interactive map for locating your parcel, identifying your GSA, and obtaining GSA contact information can be found online at the Kern County GIS mapping tool (click on parcel and toggle dropdown to “GSA Information”).
How is sustainability defined?
Sustainability means groundwater levels are maintained at levels to meet current and future needs. In the Kern County Subbasin, this means stabilizing groundwater levels by 2040. While GSAs are working to reach sustainability, they must monitor certain indicators and take actions to prevent problems that may be related to declining water levels, such as permanent loss of groundwater storage, degraded water quality, and land subsidence (sinking).
What is the current health of our groundwater basin?
According to the Kern Subbasin draft 2024 amended GSPs, the Subbasin is estimated to contain 90 to 260 million acre-feet of groundwater. Surface water importation and water banking have contributed to raising groundwater levels and have aided the Subbasin in counteracting the impacts of recent severe droughts. GSAs continue to implement projects and management actions to offset the historically declining water table.
Will SGMA or the GSP affect my domestic well? What if my well goes dry?
The GSP does not place any restrictions, fees, or monitoring requirements on domestic wells. Domestic wells that go dry are eligible for deepening or replacement through the Subbasin’s well mitigation program, which will be fully operational by January 2025. If you have a domestic well and would like more information about SGMA, reach out to your GSA.
Will my groundwater pumping be limited?
GSAs can set limits on how much groundwater a landowner can pump. There is currently no subbasin-wide limitation to groundwater pumping. Each GSA determines when groundwater pumping limits may be required. For instance, in Semitropic Water Storage District GSA, water budgets have already been assigned to each landowner to reduce overall groundwater demand by 2040. Similar demand management actions may be implemented by other GSAs in the future.
Will I have to pay to pump groundwater?
There is currently no subbasin-wide fee to pump groundwater. GSAs may charge groundwater users based on the amount of groundwater that they use within their management area. Groundwater charges may be implemented by GSAs in the future. If the State Water Resources Control Board places the Subbasin on probation in February 2025, groundwater pumpers will need to pay fees to the State ($300 per well and $20 per acre-foot of groundwater pumped).
Don’t we already have a GSP? Why are we doing this again?
In 2020, the GSAs in the Kern County Subbasin submitted five GSPs covering different areas of the subbasin, but the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) determined that the plans were incomplete. In 2022, the GSAs submitted six revised GSPs, which DWR deemed inadequate due to lack of coordination and consistency across the subbasin. The 2024 amended GSP was developed in coordination with all 20 GSAs in the Kern County Subbasin. Each of the amended 2024 GSPs covering the subbasin are essentially identical to ensure consistency.
What is the state’s involvement?
DWR was responsible for reviewing the 2020 and 2022 GSPs. Following DWR’s “inadequate” determination, responsibility shifted to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The California Water Code allows SWRCB to place a subbasin on probation after holding a hearing. SWRCB has announced that it will hold a probationary hearing for the Kern County Subbasin on February 20, 2025. If the Subbasin is placed on probation, SWRCB will immediately begin requiring groundwater pumpers to report and pay fees to the State. If the GSAs do not fix deficiencies within a year, SWRCB may implement its own interim plan for the subbasin. The amended 2024 GSP was developed in consultation with SWRCB staff to address their concerns prior to SWRCB review. Subbasin GSAs continue to consult with SWRCB staff to ensure the amended 2024 GSP meets all regulatory requirements prior to its adoption later this year.
Who is paying for the GSP?
The GSAs pay for GSP development. GSAs receive funding from the fees that their member agencies (e.g. water districts) charge to customers. Some ongoing studies, monitoring, and projects are funded through State and Federal grants.
What is the timeline for the probationary process?
SWRCB released its Draft Staff Report on the 2020 and 2022 GSPs on July 25, 2024. The report also contains comments based on a preliminary review of the 2024 GSP. Written comments on the Draft Staff Report can be submitted to SWRCB until September 23, 2024 at noon. SWRCB staff will hold two public workshops during the comment period: a virtual workshop on August 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM and an in-person workshop on August 29, 2024 at 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM in Bakersfield. The probationary hearing will be held on February 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM in Sacramento. More information on the probationary process can be found at the State Water Boards SGMA webpage.
Why is the probationary process happening if Kern GSAs submitted a new Coordinated GSP in 2024?
With DWR’s “inadequate” determination in 2023, responsibility shifted from DWR to the SWRCB. The SWRCB will continue with its probationary process, and simultaneously continue to work with Subbasin GSAs to review the 2024 GSPs, leading up to the February 2025 hearing.