User:Warrenbergman/Water in California

In 2014, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was introduced to regulate usage of groundwater sources statewide. This legislation regulates management of groundwater through local agencies in their own respective groundwater basin regions. Groundwater sustainability agencies are created by the legislation, and they are required to develop groundwater sustainability plans that control overdraft and recharge. California's groundwater is also overseen by the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program, which evaluates groundwater quality and contamination across the state under the direction of the California State Water Resources Control Board.

Annual precipitation in California is highly variable, with a statewide average of 22.9 inches (58.2 cm) of precipitation per year. However, recorded precipitation totals can fluctuate heavily from year to year because of atmospheric forcings and climate change. El Niño–Southern Oscillation often has a significant affect on the state's precipitation, with generally higher precipitation during El Niño periods. In addition, climate change has impacted California's precipitation patterns in recent years with effects including more rapid snowmelt, more frequent heatwaves, and drier conditions across the state.