In California, groundwater accounts for about 30 percent of the total water supply, and in dry years that number increases to more than 40 percent of the supply. With a projected population increase to 46 million people by the year 2020, California's reliance on groundwater will grow significantly. The CASGEM program was created through passage of SBx7 6, a component of the 2009 Comprehensive Water Package. As a result of this bill's passage, the California State Legislature established for the first time a statewide program to collect groundwater elevations, facilitate collaboration between local monitoring entities and the Department of Water Resources, and to report this information to the public. Once fully implemented, the program will provide seasonal and long-term trends in groundwater levels within California's groundwater basins to the general public.

On December 21st 2010, the Kings River Conservation District (KRCD) notified the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) of its intention to become the "Monitoring Entity" for the Kings and Tulare Lake groundwater subbasins. KRCD has received signed copies of SBx 7 6 Monitoring Plan Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) and letters of support from participating agencies within the subbasins. The monitoring plan will direct those local participating agencies within the two subbasins to monitor a pre-selected inventory of representative groundwater wells located within their respective boundaries. Twice annual surveys will be conducted in April (spring) and October (fall) with the data submitted to KRCD following each survey. KRCD will compile and input collected data to the CDWR CASGEM Online Submittal System (OSS). The first collection of groundwater elevations is required to be submitted to CDWR before January 1, 2012.

The CASGEM Monitoring and Networking Plan for the Kings and Tulare Lake subbasins is currently being prepared and will be submitted to CDWR by fall 2011.

Last updated 08-17-11