Ambiguity and its drivers in groundwater sustainability policies: implementation of California’s Sustainable Management Act

Puntos clave

• Ambiguity in groundwater policy affects implementation and resource management efforts in California.
• Key factors identified include legislative frameworks impacting sustainability and local governance challenges.
• Assessment used comprehensive policy analysis across multiple California regions to understand implementation discrepancies.
• These findings highlight the need for clearer guidelines to ensure effective groundwater management and policy compliance.