The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is a California law that requires local agencies to manage groundwater resources sustainably.

Under SGMA, groundwater basins are managed by local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), which are responsible for developing and implementing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). The goal of SGMA is to ensure that groundwater is used in a way that can be maintained over the long term without causing negative impacts such as declining water levels, reduced water quality, or land subsidence.

To demonstrate sustainability, GSAs are required to:

• Monitor groundwater conditions 
• Prepare annual reports 
• Conduct periodic (five-year) evaluations 
• Implement management actions as needed 

SGMA is designed to support local control while ensuring accountability through statewide standards and oversight by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).