Water and Natural Resources Division

Welcome to the Water and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Public Works and Planning.

Our department develops and implements county policies and activities regarding water resources, mineral resources and natural resources within Fresno County.

Water Resources

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2014. This legislation fundamentally changes management of California’s groundwater basins. SGMA mandated the formation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and requires the adoption of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for basins or sub-basins designated as medium or high priority by the CA Department of Water Resources. The regulations require GSPs address groundwater overdraft and bring groundwater basins into balanced levels of pumping and recharge without causing significant and unreasonable undesirable results by the year 2040.

There are four Sub-basins located within Fresno County:

• Delta-Mendota Sub-basin
• Kings Sub-basin
• Westside Sub-basin
• Pleasant Valley Sub-basin

If your well is going dry or has gone dry, there may be some assistance to help you.  Please see the attached flyers and links for you to learn more about these resources.

County of Fresno, Affordable Housing Programs     English(PDF, 112KB)     Spanish(PDF, 143KB)

California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley    English(PDF, 499KB)     Spanish(PDF, 507KB)

Mineral Resources

Fresno County has been a leading producer of minerals due to the abundance and extensive variety of mineral resources present within the county.  Extracted resources include: 

• Aggregate products (sand and gravel)
• Fossil fuels (oil and coal)
• Metals (chromite, copper, gold, mercury, and tungsten)
• Other minerals used in construction or industrial applications (asbestos, high-grade clay, diatomite, granite, gypsum, and limestone)

 In 1991, the Division of Mine Reclamation (DMR) was created to provide a measure of oversight for local governments as they administer the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) within their respective jurisdictions.  Primarily their focus is on existing mining operations and returning mined lands to a usable and safe condition. 

Fresno County has 15 active and operating sites:

Natural Resources

Fresno County is unique among California counties in the range of natural resources (forests, riverways, and wildlife habitats) that encompass its vast terrain. Centrally located, the County swaths an east to west crossway through the San Joaquin Valley, starting from the spine of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east, cascading down through the chaparral of the foothills, descending on to the agriculturally rich soils of the Valley floor that continue westward, and end at the inner Coast Range. Two major rivers, the Kings and San Joaquin, flow through this rich landscape, providing the County with its most prized resource, water. With such robust topography, the County aims to conserve forest resources, enhance the quality and diversity of forest ecosystems, reduce conflicts between forestry and other uses, while conserving forest lands that have additional resource value such as grazing and recreation to contributing to the watershed and wildlife habitats.

Other Important Links

Fresno County Improvement Standards II-H Geotechnical Reports (Hydro Study)(PDF, 82KB)

Water Well Yield Permit and Inspections(PDF, 666KB)

County Water Short Areas Map(PDF, 122KB)

Contact Us

General Information: (559) 600-4292
WaterandNaturalResources@fresnocountyca.gov

Mailing Address:

2220 Tulare Street, 6th Floor
Fresno, California 93721

Street Address: 

Water and Natural Resources office is located on the 8th floor of the Fresno County Plaza
2220 Tulare Street (South /West Corner of "M" and Tulare Streets) in Fresno, CA 93721