The California Water Institute, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley (Water Blueprint) and its partners continue to make significant progress in developing a Unified Water Plan for the San Joaquin Valley. The Unified Water Plan aims to develop and integrate subregional water management initiatives into a comprehensive water plan. As part of this process, we have met with several Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA’s) to assess their groundwater management plans and present our interpretations of the data. While many agencies have engaged in productive discussions, we have encountered some speed bumps with a few, highlighting the complexities of water management in the region.
The data gathered from these evaluations will be used to prepare the final report, a critical component of the Unified Water Plan. Currently, we are in the process of reviewing a draft of Chapter 1, ensuring its accuracy and alignment with our overall objectives. Meanwhile, Chapter 2 is being drafted by Scott Hamilton, of Hamilton Resource Economics and Chair of the Water Blueprint Technical Committee, along with the Stantec Team, with Chapters 3 and 4 set to follow shortly after.
To maintain the quality and integrity of the report, the Blueprint’s technical committee, key faculty at Fresno State, and the GSA’s whose GSP data was used will conduct internal reviews of each chapter before sharing them with external groups including the public for a high-level review. We anticipate having a public review period sometime in September 2025. The external feedback will provide additional perspectives that will help refine the final document.
Efforts are also underway to schedule meetings and evaluations for the Merced, Madera, and Chowchilla subbasins. These discussions will further inform the Unified Water Plan and contribute to the final report’s comprehensive assessment of groundwater sustainability efforts in the region.
How You Can Help
We recognize that water management is a shared responsibility, and your involvement can make a difference. One of the best ways to support this effort is by helping us connect with key individuals in the GSA’s in the following subbasins:
- Kern
- Modesto
- Turlock
- Tracy
- East San Joaquin
- White Wolf
- Tulare Lake
- Tule
- Pleasant Valley
If you have personal contacts within these subbasins and are willing to make an introduction, we would greatly appreciate your support. A personal connection can help facilitate discussions, strengthen relationships, and ensure that the Unified Water Plan reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of the region. If you’re open to making an introduction or would like to learn more, please reach out to Laura Ramos at lramos@mail.fresnostate.edu—we would love to collaborate with you!
Looking Ahead
As we continue to advance the development of the Unified Water Plan, we remain committed to working closely with GSAs and other stakeholders to ensure a thorough and practical approach to water management in the San Joaquin Valley. We appreciate the collaboration and insights provided by those we have worked with so far and look forward to sharing further updates as we move closer to finalizing the report.
Stay tuned for more progress updates as we navigate this essential process!
