DEADLINES APPLICABLE TO THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT*
Deadline
[Beginning]
Milestone
[Responsible Party]
Comment
[Code Section]
January 31, 2015
Categorize and prioritize basins as high,medium, low, or very Low.
[Department of Water Resources (DWR)]
The characterization will be based on DWRBulletin 118, or modifications to the boundaries of basins in the bulletin.
[§ 10722.4(a)]
January 1, 2016
Adopt regulations for basin boundaryadjustments and accept adjustmentrequests from local agencies.
[DWR]
Keep abreast of DWR activity on this issue.There will be three (3) workshops. Make sure that you or a representative canattend to ensure that you are familiar with the process to adjust basins ifyou intend to propose changes to the boundaries for a basin identified inbulletin 118.
[§ 10722.2(4)(b)]
April 1, 2016
Submit final judgment /order / decree andrequired report to DWR (report annually thereafter).
[Water-master or local agency in adjudicatedarea.]
The report to be submitted annually each yearmust provide, to the extent available, the: groundwater elevation, amount ofgroundwater extracted during the year, surface water supplied for recharge,total water use in the basin, changes in the amount of groundwater storageavailable, any annual report submitted to the court. [§ 10720.8(f)]
June 1, 2016
Adopt regulations for evaluating adequacy ofGroundwater
Sustainability Plans (GSPs) and Groundwater SustainabilityAgency (GSA) coordination agreements. [DWR]
Keep abreast of DWR activity on this issue.There will be three (3) workshops. Make sure that you or a representative canattend to ensure that you influence how the DWR will evaluate GSP. Theregulations that DWR adopts will be considered emergency regulations and willtake effect immediately.
[§ 10733.2]
December 31, 2016
Publish report estimating water available forgroundwater Replenishment. [DWR]
This report will be published on DWR’swebsite.
[§ 10729(c)]
January 1, 2017
Publish groundwater sustainability bestmanagement practices. [DWR]
Keep abreast of DWR activity on this issue.There will be three (3) workshops. Make sure that you or a representative canattend to ensure that you can provide input on what constitutes best management practices.
[§ 10729(d)]
June 30, 2017
Establish GSAs.
[Local agency.]
An agency that desires to elect to be the GSAmust publish notice pursuant to Government Code §6066 and hold a publichearing in the county or counties that overly a basin in advance of anyelection, and provide notice to DWR. [§10723(b), see also §10733.3 and §10735.2(a)(1).]
Keep abreast of agencies that are opting tobe a GSA and monitor their activity. Great power will lie with those who areapart of or control a GSA.
[July 1, 2017]
Designate basins as probationary where GSAshave not been formed.
[State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)]
If a basin is declared probationary the SWRCBcan implement its own interim GSP. The SWRCB will have the power to restrictextractions.
[§ 10735.2(1)]
[July 1, 2017]
File annual groundwater extraction reportwith SWRCB by December 15 each year.
[Groundwater users (Probationary Basins)]
Check with the SWRCB to ascertain the feethat must accompany your report.
[§ 5202]
January 31, 2020
Adopt GSPs and begin managing basins underGSPs. [GSA (Med/High Priority Basins in Critical Overdraft)]
[§ 10720.7(a)(1)] or alternative submittalunder [§ 10733.6]
[January 31, 2020]
Designate basins as probationary where GSPshave not been
adopted in medium- and high-priority basinsin critical
overdraft.
[SWRCB]
See comment to July 1, 2017.
Keep abreast of the SWRCB web page. The Boardwill have to post notices of its determinations 30 days prior to making afinal determination and receive public comment before declaring the basinprobationary.
If litigation prevents the formation of a GSAor the implementation of a GSP, then this deadline is delayed for a period oftime equal to the delay caused by the litigation. [§ 10735.2(1)]
January 31, 2022
Adopt GSPs and begin managing basins underGSPs. [GSA (All other High/Med Priority Basins)]
[§ 10720.7(a)(2)]
[January 31, 2022]
Designate basins as probationary where GSPshave not been adopted in other medium- and high-priority basins.
[SWRCB]
See January 31, 2020 comment.
[§ 10735.2(1)]
[January 31, 2025]
Designate basins as probationary where GSPsare deemed inadequate or not being implemented.
[SWRCB]
See comment to July 1, 2017.
Keep abreast of the SWRCB web page. The Boardwill have to post notices of its determinations 30 days prior to making itsfinal determination and receive public comment before declaring the basinprobationary.
[§ 10735.2(a)(5)(B)]
[January 31, 2040]
Achieve groundwater sustainability goals. TheDWR may grant two five-year extensions.
[GSA (Med/High Priority Basins in CriticalOverdraft)]
The first extension is based solely on goodcause. The second requires both good cause and a showing that sustainabilitywill be reached.
[§ 10727.2(3)(A)]
[January 31, 2042]
Achieve groundwater sustainability goals. DWRmay grant two
five-year extensions. [GSA (All otherHigh/Med Priority Basins)]
See comment to January 31, 2042.
[§ 10727.2(3)(A)]
*Deadlines and milestones were obtained by reviewing the Office of Planning and Research’s compilation of AB 1739, SB 1168 and SB 1319 and resources from the Association of California Water Agencies.