California is being pulled, kicking and screaming to the point of becoming the last state in the western U.S. to regulate its groundwater resources.

Legislation passed in 2014 sets the stage for an unprecedented effort to balance our groundwater supplies with demand. Thursday in Bakersfield, growers and water managers received a progress report on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which promises to be a game-changer down on the farm. At Hodel’s Restaurant Thursday morning, stakeholders were digesting what they learned about the landmark water legislation passed in 2014.