Groundwater Rules Changing in California.

What’s happening? California use to allow farmers unlimited access to groundwater. Now, flow meters are required on agricultural wells courtesy of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

Why is this important? The policy argument is that the state can best manage its groundwater resources if it understands how much groundwater is being used

How will this be important? There’s that Texas study recommending changes to Texas “antiquated” groundwater rules. As water resources change, rethinking the old ways changes. The California rules require “managers of the state’s 140 most overdrawn groundwater basins must balance the amount of water being pumped from, and recharged into, aquifers by 2040. It allows increased pumping during drought only if no major problems result.”

San Jose Mercury News | The end of California’s groundwater free-for-all