Sutter Bypass. Paul Hames & California Department of Water Resources (CA_DWR)
Just because the calendars have flipped to 2025 doesn’t mean we’ve run out of time to celebrate everything we did in 2024! From leading expert convenings and research on cover cropping to scaling efforts in groundwater recharge and restoration, our blogs captured the key milestones and collaborative achievements that defined our 2024. Here are the top five highlights from last year’s blogs, showcasing the collaborative work and lasting solutions that we’ve helped to champion across California.
Multi-Disciplinary Committee Jointly Publishes Report on the Intersection of SGMA and Cover Crop Water Use in California’s Central Valley
Left: Cover crops on Central Valley almond orchard. Sustainable Conservation; Right: Side-by-side of an orchard without (left) and with (right) cover crops. Andrew Gal & UC Davis.
In May, an authorship group of 30+ members and 15+ organizations across private, public, nonprofit, and academic sectors published a report entitled “Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era.” Coordinated by Sustainable Conservation’s Solutions in our Soil team, the report was the culmination of a convening series, meticulous research, interviews, and writing to clarify the complex relationship between cover crops and groundwater use within the framework of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
What are cover crops?
Cover crops are non-income-generating crops that protect and improve the soil between regular annual crop production or between rows of perennial tree and vine crops. Cover cropping provides many diverse and important benefits in California, including reducing erosion (and the harmful dust it produces), increasing carbon storage and water infiltration, and improving habitat and soil biodiversity.
Sustainable Conservation has long been defined by our water conservation work, and we invest in bettering our state’s soil health because of the water quality and quantity benefits we can reap through cover cropping and other beneficial practices. By bridging critical knowledge gaps, this report provides valuable recommendations to better incorporate cover cropping into groundwater sustainability plans, ensuring that this practice’s potential water benefits are understood across the Central Valley.
Ashley Boren Guest Op-Ed for the Sacramento Bee: “A resilient water future for the San Joaquin Valley is within reach. Here’s how”
Clockwise starting at the top: Recharge on a Lodi vineyard. Sustainable Conservation; Don Cameron on his flooded vineyard at Terranova Ranch. Paolo Vescia; Hands holding water glass. Dave Schwep; Recharge on a rice field. Dan Kolke & CA-DWR.
In July, Sustainable Conservation CEO Ashley Boren had a guest column published in the Sacramento, Modesto, and Fresno Bees as well as the Merced Sun-Star. In reflecting on scaling groundwater recharge efforts in the San Joaquin Valley, Boren highlighted that 2023 was exceptional for recharge efforts, but there’s more we must do to secure California’s water future. She emphasized that collaborating with water managers, farmers, and conservationists advances the state’s water management strategies, but our journey toward sustainable groundwater balance is far from over.
The impetus for the column was the “Replenishing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley” report released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in June, which investigated groundwater recharge volumes, methods, and policy in 2023. The most significant proof points for Sustainable Conservation were the 17% increase the report showed in total recharge volume from a similarly wet 2017, and a concurrent twofold increase of on-farm recharge volume.
“Recharging California” Webinar Highlights Featuring Climate Scientist Dr. Daniel Swain
Clockwise starting at the top: Groundwater recharge in Coachella. Kelly M. Grow & CA-DWR; Aerial View of the Sacramento River in Redding; Russian River Flooding on Westside Road in Healdsburg.
On September 4th, we kicked off the Fall “Recharging California” webinar series with a wide-ranging discussion between CEO Ashley Boren and climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain. Renowned for his expertise in climate and weather extremes, Dr. Swain offered a thought-provoking exploration of California’s increasing climate volatility and emphasized the phenomenon of “climate whiplash” and how it explains the intensifying droughts — and floods — California has seen in the past two decades.
In 2024, California is about 2.5-3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was a century ago. The weather whiplash Californians already feel is evidence of a rapidly growing atmospheric sponge. But to Dr. Swain, climate science isn’t merely a way to paint a bleak picture of our future life on the West Coast — it’s a means to develop adaptive and lasting solutions.
He cited successful examples of these solutions like the Yolo Bypass floodplain, which mitigates flood risk, supports migratory bird habitats, and enhances groundwater recharge. Furthermore, the strategy of Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge (Flood-MAR) can complement these efforts by redirecting floodwaters to replenish aquifers, providing a vital water reserve for future droughts while mitigating flood risk for communities during peak flows. The discussion closed with Ashley sharing Sustainable Conservation’s commitment to scaling Flood-MAR for sustainable water management that benefits both communities and ecosystems.
Sustainable Conservation Publishes Key Report on Accelerating Ecological Restoration in the Sacramento Valley and Beyond
Clockwise starting at the top: Sutter Bypass. Paul Hames & California Department of Water Resources; Salmon spawn in the feather river gravel restoration project area during the fall season in Oroville. Kelly M. Grow & California Department of Water Resources; Sutter Bypass. Paul Hames & California Department of Water Resources.
In October, Sustainable Conservation released a report, “Accelerating Restoration in the Sacramento Valley and Beyond: Progress and Next Steps to Cutting Green Tape in California.” This white paper assesses our current regulatory landscape and provides actionable recommendations to maximize existing accelerated permitting pathways, advance coordinated permitting efforts, expand successful programs, and fill the regulatory and institutional gaps to better serve the needs of our ecosystems and all those involved in restoring them.
Smart, coordinated permitting for environmentally beneficial restoration is essential. Sustainable Conservation believes restoration permitting does not have to be a bottleneck. Rather, it is a critical lever to unlock large-scale ecological benefits while maintaining vital environmental protections. Efficient permitting processes expedite project completion, reduce administrative burdens, and multiply the positive impact of every dollar spent on restoration. Efficient permitting catalyzes restoration efforts to enhance water resources, bolster fire resilience, and support both ecosystems and communities. By making permitting more accessible and predictable, we can transform potential into action and revitalize ecosystems more quickly and effectively.
“Community-Driven Solutions for Groundwater Resilience” StoryMap
Clockwise starting at the top: Fairmead Community & Friends Board Members. Aysha Massell; Solar panels on orchards. Sustainable Conservation; John Peters, a Mennonite settler, using his groundwater pumping station to irrigate his new fields in 1913. Fresno Pacific University Library; Groundwater recharge project at Ball Ranch near San Joaquin River in Madera County. Odin Abbott & CA-DWR.
Achieving groundwater resilience can involve various approaches, from increasing groundwater supply through recharge to reducing demand for water by repurposing lands. The Fairmead Groundwater Resilience Project seeks to demonstrate how recharge and land repurposing can be done successfully with strong community engagement within the community of Fairmead.
Our “Community-Driven Solutions for Groundwater Resilience” StoryMap presents the ideal outcomes and steps for achieving them throughout the course of the Fairmead Groundwater Resilience Project. Phase 2 includes supporting on-the-ground implementation and strengthening community engagement in the design, implementation, and management of these projects. We hope Fairmead can serve as a model for other communities seeking to secure their own water future, and provide inspiration and guidance for equitable and collaborative land repurposing and groundwater recharge efforts.
What’s Next?
We’re proud that last year’s highlights reflect Sustainable Conservation’s ongoing commitment to advancing the collaborative stewardship of California’s land, air, and water for the benefit of both nature and people. As we move into 2025, we’ll build on our successes and drive innovative solutions that balance environmental stewardship with economic sustainability, ensuring a resilient future for all Californians.