California Water Plan

The California Water Plan is the State's strategic plan for sustainably managing and developing water resources for current and future generations. Required by Water Code Section 10005(a), it 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.

 The plan:

• Is updated every five years
• Provides a way for various groups to collaborate on findings and recommendations and make informed decisions regarding California’s water future
  • Elected officials
  • Government agencies
  • Tribes
  • Water and resource managers
  • Businesses
  • Academia
  • General public
• Can't mandate actions or authorize spending for specific actions
• Doesn't make project- or site-specific recommendations nor include environmental review or documentation as would be required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• Requires policy- and law-makers to take definitive steps to authorize the specific actions proposed in the plan and appropriate funding needed for their implementation

Water Plan Update 2023

The public review draft of Update 2023 has been released by DWR. You can find more information on the Update 2023 page. 

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The goal for each plan update is to:

• Receive broad input and support from Californians
• Meet California Water Code requirements
• Guide State investments
• Advance Integrated Regional Water Management and regional Sustainability
  

You can contribute to updates.

• Visit our Participation page to learn about the various ways to take part.
• Subscribe to California Water Plan eNews, our weekly electronic newsletter, for the latest information on the Water Plan.
• Read public comments.
• Submit your own comments.