East Turlock Subbasin GSA

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed in 2014 to help protect the groundwater resource over the long term.  SGMA enables local agencies to form and manage groundwater.  SGMA required local agencies to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) covering the groundwater Subbasins in which they are located.  GSAs are required to develop and implement a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), plans to achieve sustainability and prevent undesirable results. 

Under SGMA, failure to comply with any of these requirements may lead to State intervention.  Should this happen, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) may require reporting, may charge fees and could create interim management plans until such time that local agencies are able to take over. 

The Turlock Subbasin is comprised of two GSAs; the West Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (West Turlock Subbasin GSA) and the East Turlock Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (East Turlock Subbasin GSA). The Eastside Water District is a member of the East Turlock Subbasin GSA.  The West Turlock Subbasin GSA (consisting of 12 public agencies) and the East Turlock Subbasin GSA (five agencies) jointly developed a single GSP to manage groundwater sustainably through at least 2042. The GSP was submitted to DWR on Jan. 28, 2022.

For more information on the GSA, GSP, and the Turlock Subbasin please visit TurlockGroundwater.org.