California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project--shallow aquifer assessment

The California State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) GAMA Program is a comprehensive assessment of statewide groundwater quality in California. From 2004 to 2012, the GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project focused on assessing groundwater resources used for public drinking-water supplies. More than 2,000 public-supply wells were sampled by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for this effort. Starting in 2012, the GAMA Priority Basin Project began an assessment of water resources in shallow aquifers in California. These shallow aquifers provide water for domestic and small community-supply wells, which are often drilled to shallower depths in the groundwater system than public-supply wells. Shallow aquifers are of interest because shallow groundwater may respond more quickly and be more susceptible to contamination from human activities at the land surface, than the deeper aquifers. The SWRCB’s GAMA Program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 (Water Code sections 10780-10782.3): a public mandate to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supplies, and to increase the availability of information about groundwater quality to the public. The U.S. Geological Survey is the technical lead of the Priority Basin Project. Stewardship of California’s groundwater resources is a responsibility shared between well owners, communities, and the State. Participants and collaborators in the GAMA Program include Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Department of Water Resources, Department of Public Health, local and regional groundwater management entities, county and local water agencies, community groups, and private citizens. Well-owner participation in the GAMA Program is entirely voluntary.

Suggested Citation

U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project—Shallow aquifer assessment (ver. 1.1, September 2018): U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012–3136, 2 p.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

Study Area

Additional publication details
Publication type	Report
Publication Subtype	USGS Numbered Series
Title	California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project--shallow aquifer assessment
Series title	Fact Sheet
Series number	2012-3136
DOI	10.3133/fs20123136
Edition	Ver. 1.1: Sept. 2018; Ver. 1.0: March 2013
Publication Date	March 26, 2013
Year Published	2013
Language	English
Publisher	U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location	Reston, VA
Contributing office(s)	California Water Science Center
Description	2 p.
Country	United States
State	California
Additional Online Files (Y/N)	N