California Climate Science and Data for Water Resources Management

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 6th, 2015

Climate change creates critical challenges for California water resources management. The vulnerability of the water sector to climate change stems from a modified hydrol

Climate change creates critical challenges for California water resources management. The vulnerability of the water sector to climate change stems from a modified hydrology that affects the frequency, magnitude, and duration of extreme events, which, in turn, affect water quantity, quality, and infrastructure. Warmer temperatures drive the snow line higher and reduce snowpack, resulting in less water storage. Intense rainfall events will continue to affect the state, possibly leading to more frequent and/or more extensive flooding. The acceleration of sea level rise will produce higher storm surges during coastal storms. Droughts are likely to become more frequent and persistent during this century. Because California contains multiple climate zones, each region of the state will experience a combination of impacts from climate change unique to that area. While significant uncertainties still remain for local precipitation and temperature changes, projections at the regional and statewide levels are already available. Water supply managers in California have multiple tools and institutional capabilities to limit vulnerability to changing conditions, which can also serve as response mechanisms to a wide range of climate changes. This brochure summarizes the observations, projections, and challenges that climate change poses for water resources management in California, and highlights climate change content developed for the California Water Plan Update 2013.

California Coastkeeper v. County of Sonoma

Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma | June 21st, 2021

California Code of Regulations: Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Basin Boundary Regulations

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | October 7th, 2015

These regulations specify the information a local agency is required to provide when requesting that the Department revise the boundaries of a basin or subbasin, includin

These regulations specify the information a local agency is required to provide when requesting that the Department revise the boundaries of a basin or subbasin, including the establishment of new subbasins, and the methodology and criteria used by the Department to evaluate a modification to existing basin or subbasin boundaries.

California Code of Regulations: Title 23. Waters Division 2. Department of Water Resources Chapter 1.5. Groundwater Management Subchapter 2. Groundwater Sustainability Plans

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | May 17th, 2016

ARTICLE 1. Introductory Provisions § 350. Authority and Purpose These regulations specify the components of groundwater sustainability plans, alternatives

ARTICLE 1. Introductory Provisions § 350. Authority and Purpose These regulations specify the components of groundwater sustainability plans, alternatives to groundwater sustainability plans, and coordination agreements prepared pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (Part 2.74 of Division 6 of the Water Code, beginning with Section 10720), and the methods and criteria used by the Department to evaluate those plans, alternatives, and coordination agreements, and information required by the Department to facilitate that evaluation. Note: Authority cited: Section 10733.2, Water Code. Reference: Sections 10733.2 and 10733.4, Water Code.

California Department of Fish and Game Biennial Report 1870-1873

California Fish and Game Commission | April 1st, 1933

California Department of Water Plan 2023: Navigating Climate Challenges with Equity and Resilience

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | September 20th, 2023

The California Water Plan (Water Plan), updated every five years, is the State’s strategic plan for sustainably and equitably managing, developing, and stewarding water

The California Water Plan (Water Plan), updated every five years, is the State’s strategic plan for sustainably and equitably managing, developing, and stewarding water resources. Required by Water Code Section 10005, the plan presents the status and trends of California’s water-dependent natural resources; water supplies; and agricultural, urban, and environmental water demands for a range of plausible future scenarios.

California Department of Water Resources Baseline Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 1990

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | October 12th, 2012

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) provides water management and planning services for the State of California. DWR is located within the California Natur

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) provides water management and planning services for the State of California. DWR is located within the California Natural Resources Agency. DWR’s operations include ownership, operation, and maintenance of the State Water Project (SWP), operations and maintenance of flood protection facilities throughout the Central Valley, administration of several grant programs which dispense state funds to local and regional water authorities, and regulatory authority over dam safety throughout California. This baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory has been developed to supplement information provided in DWR’s Climate Action Plan Phase I: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan (GGERP) (http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/CAP.cfm). The GGERP documents DWR’s historical, current, and projected future GHG emissions, establishes and articulates GHG emissions reduction goals for 2020 and 2050, and describes the GHG emissions reduction measures that DWR will implement to achieve those goals. In the GGERP, GHG emissions are broken up into four categories: Operation, Construction, Maintenance, and Business Activities. Emissions are broken up in this way because they relate to key distinctions in the way activities are managed within DWR and the ways in which GHG emissions reduction measures can be implemented within DWR’s existing organizational structure. This inventory is organized to comply with the GHG Protocol? Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard developed by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Therefore, this inventory accounts for GHG emissions from DWR activities under the categories of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The information in this inventory is consistent with the information provided in the GGERP, uses the same base data, and only differs in the ways in which the data are categorized and summed.

California Desalination Planning Handbook

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | March 4th, 2008

In September 2002, AB 2717 was signed into law, designating the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to establish the California Desalination Task Force (Task Force) to �

In September 2002, AB 2717 was signed into law, designating the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to establish the California Desalination Task Force (Task Force) to “make recommendations related to potential opportunities for the use of seawater and brackish water desalination.” The Task Force, through DWR, was to report to the legislature on potential opportunities for the use of seawater and brackish water desalination in California, impediments to the use of desalination technology; and what role, if any, the State should play in furthering the use of desalination technology. This Handbook builds on the report from the Task Force, which includes a list of key findings and major recommendations, submitted to the State Legislature in early 2004. (Chapter 9, #1 contains a link to the Task Force findings and recommendations.) The Task Force was comprised of a broad array of stakeholders who worked to develop consensus on the many recommendations developed. While consensus was not achieved on all points, the findings and recommendations highlighted were broadly supported by Task Force members. No claims of consensus are made for this Handbook. But every effort was made to build as closely as possible on the Task Force recommendations and to accurately describe both the opportunities and concerns associated with desalination. Furthermore, the Handbook is intended to outline a process to assist in: 1) determining the appropriate conditions, 2) addressing identified concerns, and 3) building public trust for desalination projects.

California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2023-054-00

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | November 4th, 2024

California Environmental Flows Framework

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | March 31st, 2021

Multiple local, regional, and State agencies share responsibility for managing environmental flows, defined as the water required to protect the ecological health of Cali

Multiple local, regional, and State agencies share responsibility for managing environmental flows, defined as the water required to protect the ecological health of California streams while balancing human uses and other water management objectives. The process of developing environmental flow recommendations is complex, often involving multi-component technical studies and lengthy public discussions that can take years to complete. Although many environmental flow assessment tools exist, managers are often constrained to using either time-intensive, site-specific studies or a limited set of rapid desktop and regional approaches that have not been tailored to California. Furthermore, environmental flow assessments have not always been consistently designed and implemented in a way that allows data to be aggregated and shared, making it difficult to accelerate learning and improve the effectiveness of environmental flows in supporting the ecological health of California’s rivers and streams. Water managers need a consistent statewide approach that can help transform complex environmental data into scientifically defensible, easy-to-understand environmental flow recommendations that support a broad range of ecosystem functions1 and preserve the multitude of benefits provided by healthy rivers and streams. Having a consistent statewide approach would also improve statewide data compatibility and promote coordinated regional flow assessments that would benefit multiple agency programs working to improve the scale and pacing at which environmental flow protections can be extended to rivers and streams across the state.