California Needs More than Groundwater to Ensure Water Sustainability

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Newsom and the Department of Water Resources June 24 released a new report showing that the state is collecting more groundwater data than ever before, and strengthening partnerships with water agencies to ensure that more groundwater is collected. While this can help the millions of Californians who rely on this water supply, it is not nearly enough. In order to continue capturing, moving, and storing enough water for all Californians, the state must complete long-delayed infrastructure projects and water system improvements, such as the Delta Conveyance Project.

More groundwater data

California is now collecting more groundwater data than ever before. A new report released today by the California Department of Water Resources or DWR shows that groundwater storage increased by 2.2 million acre-feet during Water Year 2024 — thanks to abundant precipitation and efforts by the State and its regional partners to capture and store more high flows during winter storms in groundwater basins, expand recharge basins, improve groundwater monitoring, and better coordination amongst local agencies to reduce groundwater pumping. That’s on top of significant groundwater storage increases in the previous water year.

Yet, despite this, California still lacks the water infrastructure needed to ensure the state is prepared for a hotter, drier future and to provide Californians with the water they need.

California must complete one of the most important water management and climate adaptation projects in state history, the Delta Conveyance Project, advancing long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project.

The groundwater data, provided as part of DWR Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update, will help state and local agencies better manage groundwater basins – a source of more than half of California’s water supplies in dry years – by providing updated information on statewide groundwater levels, groundwater storage, recharge, land subsidence, and well infrastructure.

This data will continue to support groundwater recharge, which Gov. Newsom has directed state agencies to maximize whenever possible.

Partnering with farmers for increased groundwater storage

Additionally, Gov. Newsom provided an update on the state’s ongoing partnerships with groundwater sustainability agencies and farmers, through the LandFlex program, which was launched in 2022.

To address the impacts of multiyear drought in the Central Valley, DWR awarded $23.3 million in grant funding to six groundwater sustainability agencies in the Central Valley. The funding was distributed to help 52 small and mid-sized farms transition to more sustainable practices while eliminating groundwater overdraft and protecting drinking water supplies. 

As a result, the program helped save over 100,000 acre-feet of groundwater, protected 16,500 drinking water wells, and reduced the over-pumping of groundwater on Central Valley farms.

Details: Learn more about this first-of-its-kind program.