Our 2024 California Water Leaders cohort completed its year with a report on its policy recommendations for ensuring the state’s over-pumped groundwater basins reach sustainability under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

The landmark law known as SGMA turned 10 in 2024 as many of the state’s sustainability plans were moving into implementation. The goal is for those basins to become sustainable by 2040 or 2042.

The Water Leaders cohort of 20 up-and-coming leaders – engineers, attorneys, planners, scientists, water managers and other professionals from water-related organizations – worked collaboratively and had full editorial control on the report. 

Among the cohort’s key recommendations:

• Expand educational and leadership development programs to create a support system for professionals working towards groundwater sustainability.
• Increase the availability, transparency and frequency of water resource data to build trust across diverse parties.
• Develop regional community networks to provide a venue for all beneficial users to fully integrate regulatory changes and updates. In addition, the California Department of Water Resources should convene an annual summit of these networks.
• Improve coordination around land-use planning and the impact from SGMA’s mandates, which will likely result in fallowing of agricultural land. Strategic land repurposing could help meet regional goals such as climate adapation, flood management and habitat restoration.
• Ensure sustainable and equitable funding to help with SGMA implementation.

Get more details in the cohort’s report.

Established in 1997, the William R. Gianelli Water Leaders program is a yearlong program that selects up-and-coming leaders in California from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds.

The program, led by Foundation Executive Director Jenn Bowles, deepens water knowledge, enhances leadership skills and prepares participants to take an active, cooperative approach to decision-making on water resource issues. Leading experts and top policymakers serve as mentors to cohort members.