• Sustainable Conservation
• Department of Water Resources

The purpose of this guidance document is to equip water districts, GSAs, and their
technical consultants with the necessary considerations, publicly available tools, and
examples to design and refine groundwater recharge programs that address the specific
needs and priorities of all stakeholders in their subbasins. By incorporating strategic and innovative approaches, these programs can maximize results benefiting various parts of
a watershed, including water quantity and quality, flood risk reduction, ecosystem
enhancement, and long-term sustainable economic development.

Key objectives include the following:
• Aligning recharge programs with Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs)
and other regional plans.
• Expanding beyond conventional groundwater recharge approaches.
• Integrating multiple stakeholder perspectives.
• Enhancing technical considerations.

Developing robust groundwater recharge programs is a critical step toward helping
ensure sustainable water management in the face of evolving challenges. By using this
guidance document, water districts, GSAs, and their technical consultants can design
recharge programs that not only replenish groundwater supplies, but also deliver
additional benefits to their communities, ecosystems, and local economies.

• Crop System Suitability
• Economic Analysis
• Environment – Terrestrial and Riparian/Aquatic
• Infrastructure Conveyance and Hydraulics
• Land Use Planning and Management
• Local, State, and Federal Policies and Legal Considerations
• People and Water
• Recharge and Extraction Methods and Measurement
• Soils, Geology, and Aquifer Characterization
• Water Quality