Kern County Subbasin returns to DWR
On September 17, 2025, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) determined that a probationary designation for the Kern County Subbasin was not necessary and that the Board would return the subbasin to the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) oversight after Board staff confirms the 2025 Final Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) are consistent with the Draft Kern County Subbasin GSPs (2025 Draft GSPs) and confirms that the three priority deficiencies have been adequately addressed.
On March 2, 2023, DWR determined that the Kern County Subbasin’s July 2022 GSPs were inadequate. DWR’s determination temporarily shifted primary regulatory oversight of the subbasin to the State Water Board. State Water Board staff reviewed the 2022 GSPs and 2024 revised GSPs and released a staff report of their findings prior to a February 20, 2025 hearing. At this hearing, the State Water Board considered a probationary designation for the Kern County Subbasin, ultimately continuing the hearing until September 17, 2025. The hearing continuation gave the groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) time to continue addressing the deficiencies in their GSPs. The GSAs submitted the 2025 Draft GSPs to the Board on June 20, 2025.
Board staff reviewed the 2025 Draft GSPs and produced a Staff Review and associated documents, linked below. Board staff will review the 2025 Final GSPs for consistency with the 2025 Draft GSPs and to confirm that the three priority deficiencies identified in the have been adequately addressed. If the deficiencies are satisfactorily resolved, Board staff will transmit a letter to DWR formalizing the return of the Kern County Subbasin to DWR’s oversight.Final Kern County Subbasin Resolution
https://waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/sgma/docs/kern/202509-kern-exec-summary-en.pdf
