Restored

Feature | Groundwater
Going
DEEP
DWR Helps Agencies Reach
Groundwater Sustainability
T
By Lauren Hersh
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is landmark
legislation that seeks to bring key groundwater basins into balance for the
long term, helping communities cope better with climate change and future
droughts. Now a year and a half into SGMA, DWR provides the framework,
technical guidance and financial support needed to assist local agencies reach
groundwater sustainability. That framework comes in the form of regulations
that first established groundwater basin boundaries, earning DWR high
praise for its public outreach.
The California Water Commission Commends DWR
At the California Water Commission (CWC) meeting in Yuba City
on October 21, 2015, DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management
Executive Program Manager David Gutierrez and Basin Boundary
Regulations Project Manager Steven Springhorn presented an overview
of the SGMA timeline and the final basin boundary regulations for the
CWC’s consideration. What happened next was beyond expectations.
Commissioners lauded DWR for its stakeholder engagement, outreach
to the public and the CWC, clarity of the regulations, transparency and the
number of supportive letters the CWC received from stakeholders.
“I think your commitment to communications and stakeholder engagement
was a high success…It sets the tone very favorably for the next level of work,”
said Commissioner David Orth.
The CWC also heard overwhelmingly positive public comments,
in some cases from individuals representing groups that are often at
odds. John Woodling, Executive Director of Sacramento Groundwater
10 DWR Magazine j
Winter 2015 | 2016
www.water.ca.gov