In face of historic drought, California Legislature agrees to regulate groundwater pumping.

Current drought conditions might make you think twice about singing a long song in the shower. They also have state lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown pushing hard for better water-supply monitoring.

On Aug. 29, the California Legislature passed a package of three bills that now await Brown’s signature. Together, they would be the first step toward regulating groundwater pumping.

California has long been the only state with unregulated groundwater pumping, generally allowing users to drill wells and “pump as you please.” That’s in stark contrast to closely monitored surface water pumping from rivers and streams, like the Carmel River that supplies the Monterey Peninsula.

Lawmakers representing Monterey County were split on the bills. State Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, and Assemblyman Mark Stone, D-Scotts Valley, voted yes on all three; State Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, voted against all three, and Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, abstained.

Alejo says the bills needed more time for vetting and compromise. He says all but one grower in his jurisdiction who weighed in on the bills were against them.

“Whether you’re a university researcher or a farmer or a legislator, we all agree the status quo is not enough,” he says. “But we need to pass a bill that would have more support from the agricultural community.”

The bills don’t automatically force groundwater users to cut back, but they do create new reporting rules and allow regulators to put restrictions on groundwater basins that are overpumped – as are all of the major aquifers in Monterey County.