As the calendar turns from May to June, entities in high and medium groundwater basins throughout the state are finalizing efforts to organize and form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) ahead of the June 30 deadline. Sustainable groundwater management means the management and use of groundwater in a manner that can be maintained without causing undesirable results. This is very important to the Sacramento Valley and its citizens. One of the six (6) undesirable results that we are all working to avoid in the Sacramento Valley is significant and unreasonable degraded water quality.
Groundwater quality has also been the priority of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) to address and prevent elevated salinity and nitrates in surface water and groundwater. Earlier this year the Regional Water Board gave direction on developing the Framework for establishment of Salt and Nitrate Management Plan (SNMPs). As the infographic below details, the goals of the SNMP are 1) to ensure safe drinking water supplies, 2) reduce salt and nitrate impacts, and 3) restore groundwater quality.
