In a move to bolster local control over California’s critical water resources, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 709 into law. The legislation, authored by Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio), clarifies the authority of local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to adapt their management plans in response to new data and changing conditions. The bill addresses a key component of the state’s landmark 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). …[T]he law lacked explicit clarity on whether the legally binding coordination agreements between these agencies could be amended after receiving an official assessment from the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR).

Other groundwater regulation news:

• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Legal battle continues over Saudi groundwater pumping in Arizona​
• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Ag-to-Urban will reshape Arizona’s agriculture industry, but farmers question if it’s worth it​
• Brownstein: Blog: Going with the flow: The switch from eWRIMS to CalWATRS