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An annual groundwater conference is being moved this year from downtown Sacramento to Clovis in an attempt to reach those most affected by the state\u2019s new groundwater law \u2013 farmers.<\/p>\n
The conference, \u201cFaces of SGMA Implementation Summit\u201d put on by the Groundwater Resources Association will be held June 2-3 at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am trying to make it more accessible to the people who are living and breathing SGMA implementation,\u201d said organizer Trelawney Buillis.<\/p>\n
She referred to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which requires water managers and farmers to bring overdrafted aquifers into balance by 2040. That will likely require up to 1 million acres to be fallowed in the San Joaquin Valley, a severe economic hit.<\/p>\n
The Groundwater Resources Association\u2019s mission is to help improve groundwater supply by fostering greater education.<\/p>\n
To that end, this year\u2019s conference will feature large and small growers who will give examples of how they\u2019ve modified their operations under SGMA.<\/p>\n
Panels will build upon each other over the two-day event, culminating in an interactive workshop led by Tulare Irrigation District manager Aaron Fukuda titled \u201c Drop by Drop Decisions: The SGMA Scenario Lab.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople will put on their \u2018boots\u2019 and we will let them see how it feels,\u201d to navigate real-time water use and trading decisions under SGMA\u2019s constraints, Bullis said.<\/p>\n
In an era when water conferences are a dime a dozen, Bullis said she has high hopes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019ve learned from this event is that key players from (the Department of Water Resources) and the state (Water Resources Control Board) attend, take notes and follow up on those notes,\u201d she said. \u201cTo have growers there to share their stories will move the needle in the right direction in a setting that\u2019s more comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
She is hopeful the conference will help bridge the gap between those \u201cin charge\u201d of SGMA and growers and water agencies that are shifting mindsets and operations to comply with reduced groundwater allocations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not just another place to air your grievances but where collaboration and meaningful talk can happen to make the future of SGMA better for everyone,\u201d she said. \u201cIn this era, it\u2019s no longer \u2018go turn on the water and forget about it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Bullis, a water and geographic information systems manager at AC Foods, first attended the Groundwater Resources Association conference about five years ago.<\/p>\n
She noticed consultants, advocacy organizations and representatives from DWR and the Water Board speaking on panels but the viewpoint of growers was missing. She spoke up, and people listened. A few years ago, she was asked to be on the board. Then she was asked to organize the summit.<\/p>\n
The change in location to reach more farmers had another benefit, cutting the cost from more than $800 to $250. Review the agenda and find information here: Groundwater Resources Association.<\/p>\n
SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site covering water in the San Joaquin Valley, www.sjvwater.org. Email us at sjvwater@sjvwater.org<\/p>\n
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 7:45 PM.<\/p>\n