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Historically, groundwater in California has been a property right, i.e., landowners can pump as much water from the ground as they need. However, with the state in its third year of draught, pumping groundwater is now drawing closer attention from water agencies. The California Water Department says about a quarter of the state's groundwater basins need to be monitored, as water is being pumped out faster than nature can replenished the water tables. These 127 groundwater basins and sub-basins account for almost 96 percent of California's groundwater pumping. Most of these basins are in the agricultural lands of the Central Valley, but also in areas surrounding Los Angeles. On Sept. 16, 2014, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation that requires local water agencies in fast-depleting basins to draw up sustainability plans. The legislation does not give state agencies the power to authorize or prohibit groundwater pumping, but does give the California Water Resources Control Board authority to intervene if local agencies fail to act or come up with inadequate solutions. Local land planners have until 2017 to choose or establish a groundwater sustainability agency. Those agencies have until 2020 or 2022 (the deadlines depend on groundwater levels) to draw up sustainability plans. The legislation foresees sustainability groundwater basins by 2040. Even with this management plan in place, some water experts think it could take decades for depleted basins to recover. The groundwater legislation is really three bills: SB 1168 directs local water agencies to create management plans; AB 1739 allows the state to intervene if local groups don't do the job; and SB 1319, is a concession to farmers, allowing postponement of state action in certain agricultural areas where surface water levels have been affected by groundwater pumping.
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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