Sustaining Groundwater Supplies

Groundwater Pumping

With both the level and quality of groundwater declining in alarming fashion, Water Forum efforts since 2000 have helped stabilize and safeguard the region’s underground aquifers.

Despite the Sacramento region’s unique access to two major rivers, more than half of the area’s water supplies come from groundwater.  Water Forum members agreed to establish a comprehensive program to manage these supplies in a way that would control groundwater contamination and increase conjunctive use between groundwater and surface water supplies.

Key to these efforts was first developing governance structures for the three sub-basins (north, central, and south), along with agreed-upon annual sustainable yields.

All three sub-basins have implemented groundwater management plans with specific actions needed in each area.

Recent progress includes:

Sacramento Groundwater Authority (north of the American River) 

• Currently updating management plan for the sub-basin
• Data Management System (DMS) for monitoring and data collection
• Development of a regional conjunctive use program
• Coordination of quality groundwater protection programs
• Outreach and education program

Sacramento Central Groundwater Authority (between American and Cosumnes Rivers)

• Currently developing water accounting framework
• Well Protection Program
• Groundwater Contamination Monitoring and Collaboration Program

South Area Water Council (south of the Cosumnes River, Galt area) 

• Adopted groundwater management plan