President’s Message
Are You Feeling Energized?! Dear GRA Members and Groundwater Super Fans! It’s spring and I don’t know about you, but I am thankful for Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow which led to another six weeks of winter! We saw another big storm shortly after adding to the sparse snowpack in the Sierra’s. Although the snowpack is still below the seasonal average (my ski addiction is not pleased with the lagging snowpack, but I’ll recover), surface water supplies are relatively full which is a good thing for groundwater! Our first GRA Board meeting in February was an important one. The Board approved the contract with Marketing General Inc., to start work on developing a marketing plan for GRA. This marketing plan will help GRA forge a path to growth while also increasing GRA’s visibility within the water industry. The marketing plan is being guided by Dave Ceppos (Board member) and Amanda Smith (GRA Administrative Director) with support from the GRA Executive Committee. We anticipate the marketing plan to be completed within the next 3 to 6 months and, upon completion, we’ll have items ready to start implementing shortly after. We are also gearing up to embark on developing the next strategic plan (2026-2028), which will set the vision and direction for GRA for the next three years to continue building on success. Our primary focus on this strategic plan will be to improve internal GRA functions, clarify volunteer expectations, and overall GRA member satisfaction and experience. Growth is challenging, especially without these items being tuned up to setup a stronger foundation for future success! We also have exciting conferences, branch meetings, and GRACasts coming up in the Spring and early Summer that should pique our interest. On March 31st through April 2nd, we had the 2026 Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge which was led by Adam Hutchinson and Garrett Rapp. This conference was co-hosted with the Arizona Hydrological Society and took place at the Double Tree Hotel in Sacramento. We had two full days of valuable technical content from an amazing lineup of speakers followed by a field trip to Yolo County on the third day to see recharge projects up close! In addition, the Herman Bouwer Award, a prestigious honor bestowed upon a globally respected pioneer in managed aquifer recharge, was given to Adam Hutchinson. The GRA Awards Task Force summed up why Adam was selected for this award better than I could state myself “…Adam’s highly effective accomplishments in advancing the science and practice of MAR over 30 years are coupled with his generosity of spirit in guiding and encouraging others, and leadership in running BSMARS and ISMARS. He is such a selfless, humble man, friendly, endearing, always focused on serving others. These are a rare combination [which] makes this award so special and to be celebrated. I can think of no more distinguished and truly deserving nominee.” I agree! Congratulations Adam and thank you for your service to advance sustainable groundwater for all during your career! Are you located in SoCal? If so, you might not want to miss out on the opportunity to network with local GRA members at Angels Stadium on April 21st for a night at the ballpark to see the Angels take on the Blue Jays! There’s no better way to connect with others in groundwater than with peanuts, cracker jacks, and Mike Trout! We hear about PFAS often, but we don’t usually get the chance to learn more about how PFAS in public water system drinking water may lead to exposure within the public population and what the data says on what exposure has occurred within the SoCal adult population. In May, Toki Fillman (CA Department of Public Health) will present her findings virtually at one of our GRACasts. In June, GRA will be having its first SGMA Summit in the heart of where SGMA implementation is being felt the most: the San Joaquin Valley. The 2026 SGMA Summit is being led by Trelawney Bullis (Board Member) who pitched a vision for this conference to be a little different from what we’ve done in the past. The primary focus for this conference is to focus on the boots-on-the-ground realities of SGMA implementation and the people experiencing its impacts firsthand: rural domestic well owners and agricultural entities. A full day of panels will explore implementation successes, challenges, and ripple effects across operations, communities, and local economies. The second day will provide an opportunity for attendees to actively participate in a “SGMA Scenario Lab” where you get a fixed amount of water and money and get to dictate what happens on your property in certain scenarios and see the outcome! Who will cause water levels to plummet (feeling like a troublemaker?! — I’ll have a pie ready to throw at you, don’t worry)? Who will do the most recharge (Divert! Divert! Divert!)? Only one way to find out!
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2026 Spring Issue
President’s Message
Hydro Visions