The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously on September 1 to delegate specified groundwater-management responsibilities to the director of its Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management. This significant action, taken through the adoption of Resolution 2026-0033, transfers various program administration duties and enforcement authorities to the office director.
The resolution specifically authorizes the office director to handle a range of program-administration duties, which include preparing and signing documents and maintaining records. Beyond administrative functions, the delegation extends to more substantive areas of groundwater management. The director is now assigned authority over certain groundwater-management fees. Furthermore, the delegated powers include addressing alternatives to measurement requirements in probationary determinations. Critically, the resolution also grants authority over specified cease-and-desist actions and administrative-civil-liability actions, though these are subject to the defined limits and escalation provisions outlined within the resolution itself.
This decision by the State Water Resources Control Board is identified as a component of California’s broader implementation of its groundwater-management program. The move aims to streamline aspects of the program by centralizing certain operational and enforcement responsibilities within the Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management, under the purview of its director.
However, the board’s action does not grant unlimited authority to the director. The resolution deliberately preserves existing delegations, ensuring continuity in previously established processes. Additionally, it directs matters back to the full board under specific circumstances. These include any situation involving a substantial risk of litigation, any request from a board member for full board review, or other circumstances that, in the board's judgment, warrant direct board attention. This structure ensures that high-stakes or particularly complex issues continue to receive oversight from the full State Water Resources Control Board.
Further clarifying the scope of the delegation, the resolution indicates that some of the newly assigned authority may be redelegated. This internal distribution of responsibilities can extend to assistant directors or other qualified staff members, provided such redelegations occur under conditions specifically set out in the resolution. This provision allows for operational flexibility within the Office of Sustainable Groundwater Management while maintaining adherence to the board's established guidelines.
The unanimous vote to adopt Resolution 2026-0033 occurred on a motion made by board member Nichole Morgan, which was subsequently seconded by board member Sean Maguire. According to the board’s meeting minutes, all five members who were present for the vote cast their ballots in favor of the resolution. The item was presented to the board by Amanda Pearson and Natalie Stork. The board's published minutes clearly identify both the adoption of the resolution and the outcome of the vote, while the adopted resolution itself provides all the operative details concerning the delegation of authority.
