BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Efforts to preserve groundwater supplies for communities continue in the Central Valley as the Department of Water Resources has awarded millions of dollars to groundwater sustainability agencies through a new program.
The Department of Water Resources developed the LandFlex Grant Program to provide immediate drought relief and limit unsustainable groundwater pumping in critically over-drafted basins in the Central Valley.
“LandfFex big picture is providing a connection between ag water management, successful implementation of SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act), and human right to water, making sure that all lands enrolled in these critically over-drafted basins are in compliance with SGMA from here until 2040 but also providing relief to domestic drinking water wells,” said Teji Sandhu, the DWR LandFlex Program manager.
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is a "statewide framework to help protect groundwater resources over the long-term. SGMA requires local agencies to form groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for the high and medium priority basins. GSAs develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) to avoid undesirable results and mitigate overdraft within 20 years."
The state’s Department of Water Resources says the grants that are awarded to groundwater sustainability agencies not only allow them to work directly with interested growers, the funding can also be used to help permanently eliminate groundwater over-pumping.
Sandhu says when the program launched there were seven critically over-drafted basins that qualified. During the program’s first phase, there were three groundwater agencies or “GSA’s” awarded and during the second phase the remaining agencies will be awarded.
“With the remaining funds we opened up a phase two and offered it to the four remaining eligible GSAs which were Lower Tule, Pixley GSA, Westlands, and Mid-Kaweah.”
Shandu says a lot of critically over-drafted basins are supposed to be under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act compliance by 2040 which is why the department is asking them to do so 18 years early. According to the DWR, the act requires local agencies to form groundwater sustainability agencies for high and medium-priority basins.
From there the agencies develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans or “GSPs” to mitigate over-draft within 20 years.
“That could go one of two ways with them depending on their business needs. I think at this point with some of the GSPs that are coming out inadequate for some of these basins, that they’re wanting to get their growers and their basins into compliance sooner,” added Sandhu.
23ABC IN-DEPTH
Phase one was launched in January and provided funds for the three highest-ranking GSAs: Madera County, Greater Kiwaiha, and Eastern Tule.
Phase two began last month, opening up $10 million to the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, the Pixley Irrigation District, as well as the Mid0-Kiwaiha and Westside water districts.
Growers with land in these GSAs can apply for the funds on the LandFlex website.