The groundwater management agency advisory is going to recommend transitioning from time-based pumping credits to a volume-based "bucket" system that caps credit accumulation at 5 times an entity's sustainable yield allocation. Credits can only be earned through actual water conservation efforts like importing supplemental water or reducing usage below allocated amounts, ensuring they represent real water savings rather than unused allocations. Historical data analysis revealed the basin naturally maintained sustainability over 50+ years without regulations, with pumping fluctuating dramatically during droughts before returning to equilibrium during wet periods.
Agency reported strong basin recovery with water levels up 100 feet and all zones pumping below sustainable limits. The board debated changing pumping credit expiration periods from 5 years to between 3-50 years to prevent "paper water" accumulation. DWR approved their sustainability report while workshops on credit reforms are scheduled for August and September.
