After five parched years, substantial winter rains and Sierra snowpack have brought California a long-sought reprieve from drought, though not without presenting a new set of challenges. In February, nearly 200,000 residents...more
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) will have lasting implications on water users throughout the State. Downey Brand's water law practice is on the cutting edge of SGMA and groundwater law developments and has...more
Key Principle: Sustainable Management Through Local Efforts - The California Water Commission unanimously adopted a demanding set of regulations to govern the creation and implementation of groundwater sustainability...more
The Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) recent release of draft emergency regulations for developing and evaluating groundwater sustainability plans marks continued progress toward implementation of the Sustainable...more
Last year, the California Legislature passed the historic Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA,” or “the Act”), which for the first time established the foundation for a statewide effort to comprehensively and...more
As one of many implementation steps under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA” codified as Water Code §§ 10720 et seq.), basin boundary regulations were released recently by the California Department of Water...more
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (Act) directs the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to develop a list of priority basins by Jan. 31, 2015. TODAY, Dec. 15, 2014, DWR announced that the basin...more
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which takes effect Jan. 1, requires that the Department of Water Resources categorize each of California’s 515 alluvial groundwater basins and subbasins as high, medium, low, or...more