DWR Releases Draft Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Guidelines for Public Comment
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On Friday July 31, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the 2026 Draft Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program Guidelines for public comment.
The SGM Grant Program provides funding to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other entities to support the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Program objectives include:
- Promoting healthy and sustainable groundwater basins
- Reducing and eliminating undesirable effects
- Promoting projects that provide multiple benefits while also improving groundwater supply and quality
The SGM Grant Program is funded through California’s Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. Under the Budget Act of 2025, the legislature allocated:
- $3.5 million to support sustainable groundwater management for small GSAs
- $6.5 million for the Underrepresented Technical Assistance (URCTA) Program
The 2026 Draft Guidelines contain the general process, procedures, and criteria DWR will use to implement the program and administer this funding.
DWR will host two public workshops to provide an overview of the program, review key components of the draft guidelines, and accept public comments:
DWR is accepting public comments through September 30, 2026. Questions and comments may be submitted to FinancialAssistance@water.ca.gov.
For more information, please visit the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program webpage.