Groundwater has always played an integral role in California's history. Management of groundwater has been guided by a number of court decisions that started in the late 1800s. Those decisions have provided guidance that is relevant to specific groundwater rights issues in each dispute, but they have not provided a workable framework dealing with groundwater that can be applied to the day-to-day workings required for effective groundwater management throughout the state. 

In a similar manner, the legislature has passed a number of statutes that deal with specific water issues. Yet the Water Code, like the case law, does not provide a workable framework that deals with groundwater supplies. Instead, the Water Code treats surface water and groundwater as if they were two independent resources. 

Water managers in many basins have developed groundwater management plans in response to AB 3030, some other section of the Water Code, or court decision. Managers in some areas have not yet developed groundwater management plans. Enactment of county ordinances relating to groundwater has created a concern among water agencies about equitable sharing of the water supply. What ordinances will accomplish in terms of groundwater management remains to be seen. It will be necessary for water agencies and cities and counties to pool their authorities to manage ground water resources efficiently.  

This 21st Biennial Groundwater Conference emphasizes that groundwater managers must be concerned not only with quantity, but also with water quality. Natural chemical constituents as well as synthetic chemicals can render our ground water supply unusable. Thus, the program includes a discussion of ground water quantity, groundwater quality, and protection of the resource to ensure usefulness into the future. 

The 21st Biennial Groundwater Conference will offer a new, concurrent session format which will address the professional needs of those who attend the traditional groundwater conference as well as members of the Groundwater Resources Association of California, a new conference sponsor joining the University of California Water Resources Center, Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, and the Water Education Foundation. Plenary sessions with the Keynote Address and the lunch speaker will be given. Conference participants may attend alternate concurrent sessions and may switch sessions as they deem appropriate. Vendors will exhibit along with posters at the Monday evening reception.