Successful implementation of SGMA would protect water quality\u00a0and supplies\u00a0for agricultural, municipal and wildlife usage. It would also maintain and improve the health and long-term viability of the ecosystems that sustain these various uses.<\/p>\n Achieving these sometimes competing goals will not be easy. That\u2019s why implementing SGMA will be a major balancing act.<\/p>\n Here are four enabling conditions EDF believes are necessary to successfully implement SGMA and bring groundwater basins into balance:<\/p>\n Every groundwater basin is unique and faces its own challenges. But with nearly two dozen groundwater basins working hard to meet the Jan. 31, 2020, deadline, water managers and community members still have the opportunity to learn from each other.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/52\/files\/2019\/01\/44540289955_98d827918e_o-1024x683.jpg\")
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\nSGMA deliberately gave local communities the power to figure out how to manage their groundwater more sustainably and stop over-pumping \u2013 an increasingly common practice that has led to negative local impacts including water quality degradation and subsidence in some areas. Successful SGMA implementation requires representation of all local interests, including disadvantaged communities and environmental interests.<\/li>\n
\nNot all groundwater basins are created equal: Some have more local funding to create groundwater plans as required by SGMA, which can cost as much as $1 million or more. The state should help ensure all basins have sufficient funding to support development and implementation of groundwater plans.
\nFour conditions for successful #SGMA implementation as water managers work to meet the 2020 deadline <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n
\nAfter creating a water budget and deciding who gets how much water<\/a>, groundwater basins need robust, transparent, and cost-effective monitoring and information systems\u00a0that use solid science to inform decision-making and engage a broad range of stakeholders. Such monitoring costs money and may require additional state funding or new fees charged by groundwater basins.<\/li>\n
\nTo truly balance groundwater supply and demand, groundwater sustainability plans must include conjunctive management programs, which are programs that integrate groundwater and surface water management<\/a>. They must also employ adaptive management strategies that address changing needs \u2013 think drought versus high-water years \u2013 and incorporate enhanced understanding of the basin over time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n