Event Date
Abstract
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and an analysis of the past decade reveals significant changes in groundwater management across California. SGMA mandated local agencies to develop and implement plans aimed at achieving long-term sustainability of groundwater basins. This represents a shift from largely unregulated groundwater use to a more proactive, locally-driven management approach that balances water extraction with replenishment, as well as considers the interest of all beneficial users and uses of groundwater.
SGMA emphasizes local governance, empowering Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to manage resources collaboratively based on regional conditions. The act requires these agencies to address critical issues such as over-extraction, aquifer depletion, surface water depletion, subsidence, and water quality degradation.
From an academic perspective, SGMA has provided opportunities to advance innovative field data collection and numerical modeling techniques. These tools enhance predictions of groundwater behavior under various scenarios, ultimately improving management strategies. We will examine Groundwater Sustainability Plans developed in Northern California to highlight the collaboration between state and local agencies. This will illustrate how a robust scientific approach, incorporating diverse data collection and modeling, can support SGMA’s success and foster stakeholder engagement. The cases of Scott Valley and Shasta Valley in Siskiyou County exemplify the importance of ongoing dialogue among academics, agencies, consultants, and stakeholders for the continued success of sustainable groundwater management.
Bio
Laura is a Vice President assisting with projects in the areas of hydrological modelling, groundwater management assistance, and managed aquifer recharge. At LWA, she leads the groundwater services for the Ukiah Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency, the development and implementation of Groundwater Sustainability Plans for Siskiyou County, and for the South American Subbasin Sacramento Central Groundwater Authority, and she is designing and implementing groundwater recharge projects for a variety of Water Districts, including the Omochumne-Hartnell Water District, the Scott Valley Irrigation District, and the Dunnigan Water District. Since January 2016, Dr. Foglia is also an Adjunct Faculty Staff in the Land, Air, and Water Resources (LAWR) Department at the University of California, Davis, where she supervises graduate students working on groundwater models and model calibration. She also teaches Groundwater Modeling classes for the State Water Resources Control Board. Laura holds a master in Physics from university of Milan and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from ETH Zurich, Switzerland.