Eight years ago, a milestone law for climate adaptation took effect to ensure California could maintain adequate water supplies for generations to come. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, created a 25-year roadmap by which local agencies would begin modeling, implement sustainability plans and enforce compliance. While still early in the overall timeline, 2026 marks a significant decision year as the Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency brings together feasibility studies, modeling and economic analysis to formulate a set of projects and management actions to carry forward. 

Other California water planning news:

• VC Reporter (Ventura, Calif.): Water districts across Ventura County are planning for long-term use and drought resilience
• Santa Cruz Sentinel (Calif.): Pajaro Valley Water opens public comment on draft resilience plan