A five-year review of the Vina Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s plan could determine whether Chico and Durham residents face chronic drought conditions, according to Groundwater for Butte. The public has until Oct. 26 to submit comments on proposed changes that critics say don’t go far enough to protect domestic wells and local ecosystems. The Vina GSA released its draft Periodic Evaluation and proposed plan amendments in September. Required under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the review will shape how groundwater is managed across the Vina Subbasin for the next 5 years. Groundwater levels in the Vina Subbasin have already declined an average of 25 feet over the past 25 years. The current plan would allow roughly 20 more feet of decline before stabilizing at its long-term goals, effectively turning historic drought-level groundwater conditions into the new normal.