1. The Groundwater Sustainability Plan Update Is Headed for December Consideration. The Sacramento Groundwater Authority (SGA) and four other groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) in the North American Sub Basin are updating the original 2021 Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) after nearly five years of implementation and review. Trevor Joseph, Manager of Technical Services, reported no basin-wide undesirable results. Localized groundwater-level declines, particularly in the West Placer area, nevertheless caused water levels at several monitoring wells to fall below their minimum thresholds. Staff associated those declines with increased agricultural land use and drought. Some water levels recovered; others stabilized while remaining below their thresholds. The proposed update would strengthen criteria protecting shallow domestic wells, refine applicable SGMA sustainability measures, and incorporate an updated groundwater model funded by a Department of Water Resources grant. Other basin agencies will also consider adoption. Staff plans to seek SGA board adoption at its December 10, 2026 meeting. A virtual public meeting on the draft plan is scheduled for October 12 at 5:30 p.m.
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