Underrepresented Communities, California Tribes, and Small Farmers Groundwater Technical Assistance Program
Daou Vineyard, located in Paso Robles, is an organic vineyard that uses cover crops and other methods to ensure healthy soils.
The DWR Underrepresented Communities, California Tribes, and Small Farmers Groundwater Technical Assistance (URCTA) Program strives to determine the needs, risks, and vulnerabilities of communities impacted by the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The program identifies eligible communities throughout California with water supply challenges such as dry groundwater wells, water shortages, or poor water quality.
These services may be provided to the following entities:
- Underrepresented Communities and Small Farmers within SGMA-regulated medium and high priority basins, including critically over-drafted (COD) basins, as specified by the Program
- California Native American Tribes (Federally and Non-Federally Recognized) within groundwater basins statewide
The URCTA program is made possible by $18 million in funding through Proposition 68 and the Budget Act of 2021 and 2022.
- URCTA Fact Sheet (English) (Spanish)
- URCTA Services (English) (Spanish)
- URCTA Steps (English) (Spanish)
- Communication and Engagement Plan (CEP) (English) (Spanish)
- Outreach Videos
This program can provide onsite engineering, geologic, hydrologic, and other technical services to eligible Underrepresented Communities, California Native American (Federally and non-Federally recognized) Tribes, and URCTA Small Farmers. The types of services provided include, but are not limited to:
- Analysis of groundwater conditions, interference, impact (for depletion, land subsidence, groundwater dependent ecosystem depletion, etc.), and water quality
- Analysis of long-term water supply demand, and assistance with facilitating water transfers, groundwater sustainability matters, water well and pump repairs
- Design of water systems (supply, production, distribution, treatment, and storage, including fire flow requirements)
- Preparation and submittals of relevant applications, project plans and specifications, equipment and system trainings
- URCTA Fact Sheet (English) (Spanish)
- URCTA Services (English) (Spanish)
- URCTA Steps (English) (Spanish)
Tribal Outreach and Engagement
The URCTA Program and its contractor, and in collaboration with DWR’s Office of Tribal Affairs, is working to provide California Tribes with information on available technical assistance, outreach materials for both agricultural and groundwater-related needs, Water Needs and Tribal Small Farmer Surveys, and the opportunity to request a formal consultation.
Agriculture-related Tribal outreach began in early 2024 with additional collaborative organizations identified for outreach to Tribes, including a focus on Tribal small farmers with connection to agricultural and native food growing practices.
Tribal Water Stories
The URCTA program, in collaboration with DWR’s Office of Tribal Affairs and partnering Tribes, developed culturally relevant educational materials to support continued Tribal outreach and to help educate California youth on the importance of water with connection to California Native American Tribes. Materials include the generation of Tribal graphic novels (Tribal Water Stories) with Native American stories shared by Tribes for this educational purpose, coloring books, animations, native language narration recordings, and video interviews. These materials provide the connection to indigenous origin stories and the beneficial uses of water.
URCTA Tribal Water Stories Process Flyer
Tribal Graphic Novels
How the Earth Was Made
Wolf and Isha Make the Land
Animated Videos
The Fish Story
How the Earth Was Made
Wolf and Isha Make the Land
Contact Us
Questions and more information:
Email: URCTA@water.ca.gov
DWR partners with and funds a number of agencies and non-profits as part of this technical assistance program including the Water Foundation, the Community Water Center, Self-Help Enterprises, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), UC Davis School of Law Small Farmer Clinic, DUDEK, and more.