(Gov.CA) - Putting California communities on a path to become more resilient to water shortages, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed historic legislation to strengthen local management and monitoring of groundwater basins most critical to the state's water needs.

"We have to learn to manage wisely water, energy, land and our investments," said Governor Brown. "That's why this is important."

The three bills signed by the Governor today - AB 1739 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) and Senate Bills 1168 and 1319 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) - create a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management for the first time in California history. The legislation allows local agencies to tailor sustainable groundwater plans to their regional economic and environmental needs. A signing message can be found here.

"California will no longer be the only Western state that does not manage its groundwater," said Senator Pavley. "The cost of doing nothing is the biggest economic gamble. Thousands of homes and small farms cannot keep pace with the race to drill deeper and deeper wells. The bills take a balanced approach - they protect property rights and incentivize local control."

"Ensuring a sustainable supply of groundwater is a critical element of addressing the water challenges facing California," said Assemblymember Dickinson. "Over drafting our groundwater leads to subsidence and contamination; consequences we cannot afford. With these new laws in effect, California will take important steps to ensure we are protecting our valuable water supply for years to come.

"I applaud the leadership of Governor Brown, Senator Pavley and Assemblymember Dickinson on the passage of this landmark legislation to better manage our precious groundwater supplies," said Senate President pro Tem-elect Kevin de León. "There's still a lot of hard work left to do, but these bills coupled with the $7.5 billion water bond proposal we adopted in August will help protect our residents', farmers' and industry's access to affordable and reliable water."

"Today's bill signing is a historic step for our state. It is so important that we take these steps to preserve and protect one of our most valuable resources, groundwater," said California State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig McNamara.

"Not very many years from now, I believe that we will look back on today as a turning point in securing reliable, long-term water supplies for California's vital agricultural economy," said Association of California Water Agencies Executive Director Tim Quinn.