Introduction 

Groundwater is a critical resource in California, serving as a lifeline for communities, agriculture, and the environment. It provides between 40 to 80 percent of the state's water supply, making responsible management essential for California’s long-term economic and environmental sustainability.   

The passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014 established a forward-thinking, statewide framework aimed at safeguarding California’s groundwater resources. SGMA mandates that high- and medium-priority basins establish Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). These locally governed GSAs are empowered by SGMA with the authority to manage groundwater resources within their jurisdictions.  

By emphasizing local control, SGMA allows GSAs to customize their sustainability plans to address the unique challenges and needs of their respective basins, fostering a more effective and community-driven approach to groundwater management. These plans focus on resolving critical issues such as overdraft and other undesirable results, ensuring that groundwater conditions remain sustainable through 2042 and beyond. 

To support local SGMA implementation, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) provides regulatory oversight, evaluates GSPs, and offers ongoing technical, financial, and planning assistance. DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program further supports local efforts by funding projects that promote long-term groundwater sustainability and help fulfill SGMA’s groundwater management requirements. 

The Vina GSA 

The Vina Groundwater Subbasin is a portion of the larger Sacramento Valley Groundwater Basin covering approximately 184,917 acres. The Vina Subbasin is a portion of the larger Sacramento Valley Groundwater Basin and is bounded by Tehama County to the north, the county line along the Sacramento River to the west, the foothills to the east (as defined by Bulletin 118), and the Western Canal Water District to the south.   

Designated as a high-priority basin by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the Vina Subbasin is jointly managed by two Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs): the Vina GSA and the Rock Creek Reclamation District GSA. The Vina GSA was established through a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the County of Butte, the City of Chico, and the Durham Irrigation District (DID). This collaborative governance structure ensures diverse representation and comprehensive management of the subbasin’s groundwater resources. 

The Vina GSA’s Board of Directors consists of five seats, each holding equal voting rights. The composition includes elected representatives from each member agency (Butte County, City of Chico, DID), alongside an agricultural groundwater user and a domestic well user who does not engage in agricultural activities. The latter two positions are appointed by the Butte County Board of Supervisors, ensuring input from key stakeholder groups. 

The Vina GSP serves as the Subbasin’s strategic roadmap for achieving and maintaining sustainable groundwater management. Developed through an inclusive and publicly engaged process, the GSP incorporates input from all beneficial uses and users of groundwater in the Subbasin. After being submitted to the DWR for review in January 2022, the GSP was officially approved in July 2023. 

Vina Subbasin Sustainability Goal  

The Vina Subbasin’s sustainability goal is to ensure that groundwater is managed to provide a water supply of adequate quantity and quality to support rural areas and communities, the agricultural economic base of the region, and environmental uses now and in the future.