The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was a package of three separate bills that were signed by Governor Brown in September 2014. This legislation created a statewide mandate for all groundwater basins to reach sustainability by 2040. The legislation empowered local agencies to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans that will outline how the GSA’s intend to reach sustainability.

The State Water Resources Control Board oversees the administration of surface water rights in the state and the Regional Water Boards oversee water quality programs. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was the first statewide groundwater regulation and was passed by the legislature in 2014 and provides the authority to form local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA's) that will be responsible for bringing groundwater basins into sustainability by 2040.