Data and Tools

We have a long history of data collection, monitoring, and reporting. With the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), there is an increased need for local and state agencies and the public to easily access water data in order to make informed management decisions.

Data Tools and Reports Fact Sheet ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 10, 2023)

Quick reference guide to data, tools and guidance that help Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), and implement the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

Tags: Groundwater-Management

California Natural Resources Agency Open Data Platform

The CNRA Open Data Platform has been developed to provide data to State of California citizens, agencies, and interested stakeholders in a transparent and useful manner. The Open Data Platform supports the CNRA organizations’ and programs’ missions by providing an environment to publish and share useful data that can be effectively utilized by all.

DWR's SGMA Portal

DWR's SGMA Portal allows local agencies, groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs), and watermasters to submit, modify, and view the information required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). It also enables you to view submitted information and provide comments, where applicable. You don't need a login for public access.

The Water Data Library

The Water Data Library contains hydrologic data (groundwater level data and some groundwater quality data) for over 35,000 wells in California. The data is collected by DWR Region Offices and dozens of local and federal cooperators.

California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Program

California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Program - In 2009, the Legislature passed SBX7 6, which establishes, for the first time in California, collaboration between local monitoring parties and DWR to collect groundwater elevations statewide and that this information be made available to the public.

SGMA Data Viewer

The SGMA Data Viewer provides access to groundwater related datasets that are organized by the requirements of SGMA and the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) regulations for the purpose of supporting GSP development and implementation.

View the two-page SGMA Data Viewer Fact Sheet for more information about this application.

NC Dataset Viewer Natural Communities Commonly Associated with Groundwater (NCCAG) Dataset Viewer

The NC Dataset Viewer provides efficient access to the Natural Communities dataset and related source datasets, allowing both query and download of features in the NC Dataset and query of source data sets used in the development of the NC Dataset.

View the Summary Document to learn more about the Natural Communities dataset.

California DWR Land Use Viewer

The CADWR Land Use Viewer allows you to easily view and download both statewide (as recent as 2014 crop data) and existing county land use datasets that have been collected over the last 30 years. The application also enables you to filter crop specific information and visualize land use change over time. Learn more about the Viewer in the Land Use Fact Sheet or view the SGMA Tech Talk webinar for a demo on how to use it.

California DWR Well Completion Report Map Application

The Well Completion Report Map Application provides direct statewide access to copies of Well Completion Reports. Well Completion Reports contain information collected by drillers during the drilling and construction of water wells, including the location, dates of construction, planned use, depth of the well, subsurface geologic units encountered, well construction, and well yield.

Groundwater Information Center Interactive Map Application

The Groundwater Information Center Interactive Map Application allows you to view individual Geographic Information Systems (GIS) layers containing geospatially-referenced groundwater-related information, and download these layers as GIS shapefiles or GeoTIFF raster files.

Water Management Planning Tool

The Water Management Planning Tool is an interactive map application that allows you to overlay numerous Geographic Information Systems (GIS) layers onto a map of California. Each planning layer includes a brief description and a location or source where you can find additional information regarding that layer.

Groundwater Basin Boundary Assessment Tool (BBAT)

The The Groundwater Basin Boundary Assessment Tool (BBAT) is a web-based application to inform local agencies and the public about the existing Bulletin 118 groundwater basins and other relevant geologic and geographic data.

Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) Mapping Tool

The The Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) Mapping Tool is a web-based application to assist local agencies and other interested parties in evaluating disadvantaged community (DAC) status throughout the State, using the definition provided by Proposition 84 IRWM Guidelines (2015). The DAC Mapping Tool is an interactive map application that allows users to overlay three US Census geographies as separate data layers:1) Census Place, 2) Census Tract, 3) Census Block Group.

Modeling Code

DWR’s Modeling Support Branch of the Bay-Delta Office provides ongoing support for the Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM) code. IWFM is a water resources management and planning model that simulates groundwater, surface water, stream-groundwater interaction, and other components of the hydrologic system.

Find out more: IWFM Fact Sheet

Modeling Applications

California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (C2VSim)

C2VSim is an integrated numerical model that simulates water movement through the linked land surface, groundwater and surface water flow systems in California's Central Valley using the IWFM modeling platform.

Version 1.0 Release of Fine-Grid Model:

Download at Open Data

Provide Feedback

Sacramento Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (SVSim)

SVSim is a new model of the Sacramento Valley using the IWFM code and based on the C2VSim-Fine Grid dataset. This model is being developed to support more detailed analysis of streamflow depletion due to groundwater substitution transfers as well as support the implementation of SGMA. SVSim will have an updated representation of the hydrogeologic conceptual model and aquifer parameters based on an extensive lithologic texture analysis. It will also have a more refined (smaller) horizontal grid along major waterways and more discretized vertical layering. A beta version of SVSim was posted on April 30, 2020. The calibrated SVSim Version 1.0 model including complete documentation is now available.

SVSim Technical Memos:

SVSim TM-1A: Modeling Approach for C2VSim Enhancement
SVSim TM-1B: Development of Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model and Aquifer Parameters
SVSim TM-2: Model Grid Development
SVSim TM-3: Model Input Data Development
SVSim TM-4: Calibration and Sensitivity Analysis

SVSim Version 1.0 and the Beta Release, TM's, Fact Sheet, and the Sacramento Valley Texture Data can be accessed and commented on at the links below:

Download at Open Data

Provide Feedback

DWR Integrated Hydrologic Models and Water Budget Pilot Projects FAQ ( ) | (Revision Date: Sep 21, 2017) (Publish Date: Sep 21, 2017) Version: 1

These frequently asked questions (FAQ) have been addressed by DWR’s staff working on the enhancement of publically available tools, such as the California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (C2VSim) and the Integrated Water Flow Model (IWFM). These tools are being enhanced by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to foster and improve understanding of groundwater conditions (including the preparation of water budgets) at the State and regional levels.

DWR Modeling Tools Fact Sheet ( ) | (Revision Date: Apr 20, 2018) (Publish Date: Apr 20, 2018) Version: 1

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has prepared this fact sheet to inform local agencies and stakeholders about DWR’s integrated hydrologic modeling codes and applications, including their current status and plans for future development. Note that any future timelines mentioned in this document are subject to change.

DWR is providing data, tools, and guidance to assist GSAs with incorporating climate change into their GSPs. This effort leverages previous work done by DWR for the California Water Commission Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). The intent is to provide GSAs with a possible method to include climate change into their projected water budget calculations, especially if no local climate change analysis has been done before.

Screen shot of Open Data Platform CNRA Open Data Platform - SGMA Climate Change Resources

The climate change resources are available through the CNRA Open Data Platform. These resources include the data, tools, and guidance in a single location and the access to download the desktop tools. These desktop tools are designed to assist users of the climate change data and processing the climate change projections to integrated hydrologic models.

CNRA Open Data Platform Climate Change Toolbox Climate Change Tools

The ArcGIS tools are developed to assist users in developing projected precipitation and evapotranspiration input files for models.

ArcGIS Climate Change Toolbox for MODFLOW

ArcGIS Climate Change Toolbox for IWFM

The Second Order Correction Tool is to assist users in correcting streamflow timing under projected conditions.

Resource Guide | (Publish Date: Aug 06, 2018)

The Resource Guide gives GSAs and other stakeholders a high-level overview of the climate change resources including datasets provided by DWR, tools for working with the DWR-provided datasets, and guidance for using DWR-provided data and tools in developing GSPs. The datasets and methods can provide technical assistance to GSAs for developing projected water budgets.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Climate-Change, Groundwater-Sustainability-Plans, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Hydrology, Data

Guidance for Climate Change Data Use During Sustainability Plan Development ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Aug 06, 2018)

The objective of this Guidance Document is to provide Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other stakeholders with information regarding climate change datasets and related tools provided by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for use in developing Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs). The datasets and methods are provided as technical assistance to GSAs to develop projected water budgets.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Climate-Change, Groundwater-Sustainability-Plans, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Hydrology, Data

Climate Change Fact Sheet ( PDF) | (Revision Date: Aug 01, 2017) (Publish Date: Aug 01, 2017) Version: 1

This fact sheet describes the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program (SGMP) Technical Assistance Climate Change Analysis data sources and application of Climate Change Data for Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Climate-Change

Statewide Groundwater Level Change Maps

Spring Seasonal GW Change Maps

Fall Seasonal GW Change Maps

Statewide Groundwater Level Change Summarized by Hydrologic Region "Piemaps"

Spring Seasonal Piemaps

Sacramento Valley Groundwater Elevation Change

Northern Sacramento Valley Groundwater Elevation Change Maps

Statewide Reports

Cover photo of the Current Groundwater Conditions summary fall 2022

Fall 2021 Groundwater Level Data Summary (English PDF) | (Publish Date: Mar 11, 2022)

This document presents a summary of fall 2021 groundwater conditions based on available data from DWR databases as of January 14, 2022 and includes information on groundwater levels, land subsidence, well infrastructure and dry well reports.

Tags: Groundwater-Management

Spring 2021 Groundwater Level Data Summary (English PDF) | (Publish Date: Oct 13, 2021)

This document presents a summary of spring 2021 groundwater level data available in the DWR groundwater level database as of September 9, 2021 and includes a discussion of groundwater level trends through one-, three-, five-, 10-, and 20-year comparisons.

Tags: Groundwater-Management

Spring 2020 Groundwater Level Data Summary (English PDF) | (Publish Date: Sep 22, 2020)

This document presents a summary of spring 2020 groundwater level data available in the DWR groundwater level database as of September 22, 2020 and includes a discussion of groundwater level trends through one-, three-, five-, 10-, and 20-year comparisons.

Tags: Groundwater-Management

Spring 2019 Groundwater Level Data Summary (English PDF) | (Publish Date: Jan 15, 2020)

This document presents a summary of spring 2019 groundwater level data available in the DWR groundwater level database as of August 15, 2019 and includes a discussion of groundwater level trends through one-, three-, five-, and 10-year comparisons.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Sustainability, Subsidence

Fall 2017 Groundwater Level Data Summary ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 06, 2018) Version: Final

This document presents a summary of fall 2017 groundwater level data available in the DWR groundwater level database as of February 21, 2018 and includes a discussion of fall 2017, data coverage and groundwater level trends.

Water Year 2017 - What a Difference a Year Makes ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Sep 01, 2017)

Water year 2017 (October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017) dramatically illustrated the variability in California’s annual precipitation, ending the state’s 5-year drought and coming in at second place for statewide runoff, behind the wettest year of 1983. This report presents trends in precipitation and climate information as well as forecasting for 2018 and beyond.

Spring 2017 Groundwater Level Data Summary ( ) | (Publish Date: Oct 01, 2017)

This document presents a draft summary of Spring 2017 groundwater level data available in the DWR groundwater level database as of July 11, 2017 and includes a discussion of Spring 2017 data coverage and groundwater level trends.

Bulletin 118 Interim Update 2016 ( ) | (Publish Date: Dec 22, 2016)

This report contains key information to help local agencies meet Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requirements. Three critical pieces of information are provided in this update: details on Critical Conditions of Overdraft, Basin Boundaries, and Basin Prioritization details and criteria. In 2020, and every 5 years after, DWR will publish comprehensive updates to Bulletin 118.

California's Groundwater Update 2013 ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 01, 2015)

California's Groundwater Update 2013: A Compilation of Enhanced Content for California Water Plan Update 2013 compiles and analyzes readily-available groundwater information to characterize California’s groundwater basins, aquifers, and well infrastructure. The Update expands and enhances baseline groundwater information on a regional scale, identifies challenges associated with sustainable groundwater management and helps guide implementation of diverse resource management strategies. Statewide and regional findings, data gaps and recommendations to improve groundwater management also are included.

NASA Progress Report: Subsidence in California, March 2015-September 2016 ( ) | (Publish Date: Dec 01, 2016)

Over the last few years, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been used from satellites and aircraft to produce maps of subsidence with sensitivity of fractions of an inch. For this study, NASA JPL obtained and analyzed data from the European Space Agency’s satellite-borne Sentinel-1A from the period March 2015 – September 2016 and the NASA airborne UAVSAR for the period March 2015 – June 2016, and produced maps of total subsidence from the two data sets.

NASA Progress Report: Subsidence in the Central Valley, California, August 2015 ( ) | (Publish Date: Aug 01, 2015)

Over the last few years, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been used from satellites and aircraft to produce maps of subsidence with sensitivity of fractions of an inch. For this study, NASA JPL obtained and analyzed Japanese PALSAR data for 2006 - 2010 and Canadian Radarsat-2 data for the period May 2014 – January 2015 and produced maps of the total subsidence for those periods.

Public Update for Drought Response - April 2014 ( ) | (Publish Date: Apr 30, 2014)

Pursuant to Order #11 of the Governor’s Proclamation, this Public Update provides information regarding groundwater basins with potential water shortages and addresses gaps in groundwater monitoring.

Public Update for Drought Response - November 2014 ( ) | (Publish Date: Nov 01, 2014)

Prepared pursuant to April 2014 Proclamation of a Continued State of Emergency, this report provides additional and expanded information on groundwater basins with potential water shortages, gaps in groundwater monitoring, monitoring of land subsidence, and agricultural land fallowing.

Regional Reports

A selected list of regional reports is presented below. Additional regional reports can be found under Bulletin 118.

2017 Sacramento Valley GPS Subsidence Network Report | (Publish Date: Jan 29, 2019)

A report on the findings of the 2017 GPS Survey of the Sacramento Valley Subsidence Network.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Integrated-Regional-Water-Management, Subsidence, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Groundwater-Sustainability-Plans, Water-Monitoring, Water-Supply

2017 Sacramento Valley Subsidence Survey Project Factsheet ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Jan 29, 2019)

An overview of the report on the 2017 GPS Survey of the Sacramento Valley Subsidence Network with background and key findings.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act, Integrated-Regional-Water-Management, Subsidence, Groundwater-Sustainability-Plans, Water-Supply

Geology of the Northern Sacramento Valley California June 2014 ( ) | (Publish Date: Jun 01, 2014)

This study describes the complex geology of the northern Sacramento Valley, focusing on the Late Cenozoic geologic formations and structures that compose or influence the valley’s fresh groundwater aquifer formations. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) acquired geologic data from groundwater observation well drilling operations that were conducted in the valley over the last 15 years.

Water Resources of the Arroyo Grande - Nipomo Mesa Area 2002 | (Publish Date: Jun 01, 2002)

This study presents an update to hydrologic and hydrogeologic conditions and data in the Santa Maria groundwater basin and surrounding bedrock within San Luis Obispo County.

Water Available for Replenishment - WAFR

Water Available for Replenishment - Final Report | (Publish Date: Apr 12, 2018) Version: Final

A critical element of sustainable groundwater management is the replenishment of groundwater basins. SGMA directs the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to provide assistance to local agencies in estimating the amount of water available for groundwater replenishment. The act directs DWR to prepare a report “that presents the department’s best estimate, based on available information, of water available for replenishment of groundwater in the state” (California Water Code Section 10729(c)). This report satisfies that statutory requirement.

Appendix A for Water Available for Replenishment - Information and Estimates ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 12, 2018)

As part of development of the WAFR Report, a series of technical analyses were conducted to provide DWR’s estimates of water available for replenishment in the state, based on available information. An important step in conducting these analyses was to establish existing information and tools.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act

Appendix B for Water Available for Replenishment - SWP and CVP Reliability and Availability ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 12, 2018)

This appendix provides historical information and context for the SWP and CVP as background to estimates of the current reliability of surface water deliveries for both projects. This appendix also includes a summary of results from surface water project investigations that quantify the additional surface water supplies that may be developed by enhancing California’s water infrastructure. This appendix also includes information on how water supplies, particularly inflow to major reservoirs, may be affected by climate change.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act

Appendix C for Water Available for Replenishment - Method Guidance ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 12, 2018)

The guidance to assess and plan water available projects or management actions from each water available method can be found in Appendix C. These water available methods include surface water, including stormwater; water conservation; recycled water; desalination; and water transfers.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act

Appendix D for Water Available for Replenishment - Methods of Replenishment Guidance ( PDF) | (Publish Date: Apr 12, 2018)

Managed replenishment methods can be generally divided into two main categories: direct replenishment and indirect or in-lieu replenishment. These methods affect different components of a groundwater budget. The considerations described in this appendix will be the responsibility of the GSAs, including water agencies and their consultants, who can best evaluate the optimal civil and hydrogeological aspects of recharge projects for their GSAs.

Tags: Groundwater-Management, Sustainable-Groundwater-Management-Act

White Paper - Water Available for Replenishment | (Publish Date: Apr 01, 2016)

This white paper first defines and describes “water available for replenishment” by separating the concept into two constituent parts (Section 2): (1) water available, and (2) for replenishment of groundwater. An implementing entity (such as a GSA) would likely need to develop a project in two parts — first, to identify the timing and amount of water available, and second, to determine the location and logistics for groundwater replenishment.

California's Groundwater Update 2013

The Update expands and enhances baseline groundwater information on a regional scale, identifies challenges associated with sustainable groundwater management and helps guide implementation of diverse resource management strategies. Statewide and regional findings, data gaps and recommendations to improve groundwater management also are included.

View Hydrologic Region Chapters

View Appendices

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Handbook for Water Budget Development

Draft Handbook for Water Budget Development

Decorative image of the Water Budget handbook

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released a draft Handbook for Water Budget Development: With or Without Models, a single-volume, technical reference that systematically presents existing information on various methods and data sources for developing water budgets. The Water Budget Handbook can help in the development of water budgets for any geographic area and time period, and uses modeling and non-modeling approaches.

For more information on the Water Budget Handbook, view the Frequently Asked Questions on the Water Budget Handbook and the Water Budget Handbook Story Map.

Public comment is now open on the draft document and closes on April 7, 2020.

Please email comments to cwpcom@water.ca.gov, attention Abdul Khan.

Proposition 68 Technical Support Projects

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is leading eight Proposition 68-funded projects managed through the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program. These projects provide groundwater sustainability agencies, related stakeholders, and the public with regional and statewide data, tools, and analysis aligned with the technical requirements of the groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) regulations and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

The projects can help GSAs successfully develop and implement GSPs. These activities also allow DWR to adequately evaluate GSPs within the statutory deadlines of SGMA. The projects will provide publicly available data to facilitate additional water management activities including groundwater recharge and conjunctive use which will contribute to drought resilience and regional sustainability. The data collection, tool development, and analysis efforts will be focused in the critically overdrafted groundwater basins and in high- and medium-priority basins across the state. Below are fact sheets for each of the projects:

Proposition 68-Funded Project Fact Sheets:

Conduct Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys - Published 2020
Improve Groundwater Elevation and Quality Monitoring Network - Published 2019
Statewide Land Use Data Collection - Published 2019
Improve Subsidence Monitoring Network - Published 2019
Install and Maintain Stream Gauges - Published 2019
Maintain and Enhance Statewide Well Completion Reports - Published 2019
Manage and Report Sustainable Groundwater Information - Published 2019 (Includes planned timeline for projects)
Enhance and Maintain DWR’s Modeling Tools - Published 2019

For information on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program, please visit the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program webpage.

DWR is providing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Water Year Type Dataset to assist GSAs with their GSP water budget development, as stated in the GSP Regulations (23 CCR Section 354.18). The use of the Dataset is optional as GSAs may utilize data of comparable quality.

CNRA Open Data Platform – SGMA Water Year Type Dataset

The SGMA Water Year Type Dataset is available for download through the CNRA Open Data Platform. The dataset provides the water year types for 98 HUC-8 watersheds from WY 1931 through WY 2018.

SGMA Water Year Type Dataset Development Report

This report describes the background of the implementation of water year type classifications in California and process used to develop the SGMA Water Year Type Dataset. The SGMA Water Year Type Dataset has been developed to assist GSAs in the development of their Water Budget, should they choose not to develop their own water year type based on available data.

The SGMA Water Year Type Dataset can also be downloaded through the CNRA Open Data Platform.

Resources

DWR and other agencies are developing guidelines, tools, best management practices, and regulations to assist local agencies with their sustainable groundwater management planning efforts. Statewide and regional foundations, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and groups within and outside of California have prepared reference documents, presentations, case studies, and conceptual models intended to help local agencies make informed decisions about sustainable groundwater management. DWR makes these resources available to the public through its Sustainable Groundwater Management website; however, does so for the convenience of the user and is not responsible for its content.

Accessing Groundwater Data October 2021

The California Department of Water Resources provides assistance to locals managing groundwater resources, including datasets, tools, and online visualization platforms. The following video highlights the most recent datasets and tools available, including the newly released the California’s Groundwater Live, to understand the most current groundwater levels and conditions.

Data and Tools

Modeling Code

Modeling Applications

California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (C2VSim)

Version 1.0 Release of Fine-Grid Model:

Sacramento Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (SVSim)

Statewide Reports

Regional Reports

Water Available for Replenishment - WAFR

California's Groundwater Update 2013

Handbook for Water Budget Development

Draft Handbook for Water Budget Development

Proposition 68 Technical Support Projects

CNRA Open Data Platform – SGMA Water Year Type Dataset

SGMA Water Year Type Dataset Development Report

Resources

Additional DWR Resources

State & Federal Resources

External & Local Agency Resources

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