GAMA: Groundwater Ambient Monitoring & Assessment Program
Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 (AB 599 - Liu)
The Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 - Assembly Bill 599 (AB 599 - Liu) - was established to improve comprehensive groundwater monitoring and increase the availability of information about groundwater quality to the public. AB 599 specified that the comprehensive monitoring program integrate projects established in response to the Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act (GAMA Program), strive to take advantage of and incorporate existing data whenever possible, and prioritize groundwater basins that supply drinking water.
AB 599 required that the SWRCB, in coordination with an Interagency Task Force and Public Advisory Committee integrate existing monitoring programs and design new program elements, as necessary, to establish a comprehensive statewide groundwater quality monitoring program.
This effort resulted in a Report to the Governor and Legislature (3MB PDF, released November 2003) that describes the comprehensive groundwater quality monitoring program for the state. As part of the AB 599 effort, in collaboration with the SWRCB, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prepared a plan to monitor California's groundwater quality. The report outlining the plan is entitled: "Framework for a Ground-Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Program for California" (16MB PDF) as is included in Appendix E of the SWRCB's Report to the Governor and Legislature.
AB 599 has affected all the GAMA Program’s Projects, including the Priority Basin Project.