Water Management and Monitoring

Groundwater Elevations in a Brophy Water District Well

A graph showing groundwater levels over time in a well in south Yuba County.

Ensuring a sustainable water supply for the people of Yuba County is one of the primary reasons Yuba Water Agency exists. Partnerships, planning and collaborative agreements are at the heart of our successful management of Yuba County’s water supplies.

The conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater is at the core of Yuba Water Agency’s commitment to resource management. Conjunctive use means the planned use of both surface water and groundwater resources to maximize total water availability in a region long-term. Accordingly, the agency monitors Yuba County’s surface and groundwater in coordination with the California Department of Water Resources, local irrigation districts and landowners, measuring water quality, conducting studies and ensuring the long-term sustainability of surface and groundwater supplies for the benefit of the county and state.

Over the past several decades, Yuba Water has met water resources management challenges brought on by floods, droughts and instream flow requirements by investing substantial time and resources in planning efforts with local, state and federal agencies and partners to sustainably manage Yuba County’s water supplies. The Agricultural Water Management Plan, Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and Yuba Subbasins Groundwater Sustainability Plan are all outcomes of this coordination. Learn more about each of these plans and initiatives below.

A flooded rice field with the Yuba County foothills in the background.Agricultural Water ManagementA photo of a dirt road in between a rice field and canal.Integrated Regional Water Management
A photo of a groundwater pump next to an agriculture field. Groundwater ManagementA photo of a river with a water level stake on the right side. Lower Yuba River Accord