California Water Plan Update 2023
The planning process for Update 2023 includes robust communities of interest engagement to develop a trusted body of knowledge, increase alignment and efficiency among State agencies, build support for its recommendations, and inform implementation and investments.
The California Water Plan (CWP), updated every five years, is the State’s strategic plan for sustainably and equitably managing and developing water resources for current and future generations. Update 2023 promotes climate resilience across regions and water sectors with a statewide vision, clear goals, watershed planning framework and toolkit, and progress-tracking dashboard of indicators. It also includes updated resource management strategies, regional planning and performance tracking tools, water balances, future scenarios, and other technical and policy-related activities related to water resilience and sustainability.
California Water Plan Update 2023 Public Review Draft
DWR released the Public Review Draft of California Water Plan Update 2023 on September 20, 2023, beginning a 30-day comment period. Comments received by October 19, 2023, on public review draft will inform the final plan. The draft includes a Reviewer's Guide with helpful information and ways to comment.
To assist the Water Plan Team with processing your comments, we encourage using an online comment submission form, which is organized by the sections of Update 2023: General/Overall, Executive Summary, Chapters 1 - 8, and References.
Comments may also be submitted via email at cwpcom@water.ca.gov or via postal mail at: Attn: Francisco Guzman; California Water Plan Update 2023; California Department of Water Resources; 715 P Street, 6th Floor; Sacramento CA, 95814.
DWR held the Water Plan Plenary Meeting on October 3-4, 2023, to provide an overview of the plan and to allow participants to provide comments. The Plenary Meeting is free of charge for in-person and virtual participation. Thank you to all who joined us.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Water Plan Team.
Versión en español
El resumen ejecutivo del borrador de revisión pública de la Actualización del plan hidrológico de California de 2023 (Actualización de 2023) está disponible en español. Los comentarios recibidos hasta del 19 de octubre de 2023 sobre el borrador de revisión pública se publicarán en el sitio web del Plan hidrológico y informarán el plan final. El plan final se traducirá en su totalidad. Una guía del revisor esta disponible con información de como puede mandar sus comentarios.
Para ayudar al equipo del Plan hidrológico a procesar sus comentarios, le recomendamos que utilice el formulario electronico de presentación de comentarios, que está organizado por secciones de la Actualización de 2023: general, resumen ejecutivo, capítulos 1 a 8 y referencias.
También puede enviar sus comentarios por correo electrónico a cwpcom@water.ca.gov o por correo postal: Attn: Francisco Guzman; California Water Plan Update 2023; California Department of Water Resources; 715 P Street, 6th Floor; Sacramento CA, 95814.
Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre el uso de este formulario de presentación de comentarios, póngase en contacto con nosotros a cwpcom@water.ca.gov.
Intended Outcomes of Update 2023
Update 2023:
- Promotes Climate Change Adaptation
- Supports California's Regions
- Strengthens Water Equity
Update 2023 provides a venue for aligning State agencies tasked with implementing California's Water Resilience Portfolio (WRP). A cornerstone of Update 2023, the WRP, is the Administration’s roadmap for California water management considering climate change, more extreme droughts and floods, rising temperatures, declining fish populations, groundwater overdraft, and other challenges. Update 2023 advances a statewide vision, watershed resilience planning framework with strategies and toolkit, and indicators and metrics to track progress, sustainability, and resilience.
Update 2023 has been informed by a diverse group of communities of interest and place. Engagement venues have included:
- Core State Agency Team
- Policy Advisory Committee
- Tribal Advisory Committee
- Public Meetings
- Topic and/or place-based workshops
Key Elements Shaping the Process & Context of Update 2023
Additional information about Update 2023 can be found in the Update 2023 Brochure.
California Water Plan Update 2023 draws from and builds on reference documents related to water resources to enhance the content and produce a better plan with each succeeding update. They provide the methodology, assumptions, data, estimates, and other information used in the development of this update.
- Addressing Complex Problems Together: A Network Study — A reflection on forming a network to implement integrated water management using Flood-MAR. This study provides an overview of how forming a network can address complex issues by identifying a shared purpose and bringing together organizations and individuals to work towards a shared outcome.
- From Climate Traces to Climate Insights: Future Scenarios Analysis for the California Central Valley — This report provides an in-depth overview of the climate vulnerability assessments used to quantify potential vulnerability at the regional and statewide scales and identify areas for more in-depth analysis. The analysis could be used to make better investment decisions on climate adaptation strategy projects at regional or local scales.
- Appendix A - Updates to Central Valley Planning Area WEAP Model for California Water Plan Update 2023
- Appendix B - System Response Surfaces and CDFs for all PAs and Points of Hydrologic Interest
- Water Supply and Balance to Water Budget: Merced Basin Pilot Study — This pilot study explores how the water supply and balance data can transitioned to a comprehensive water budget, consistent with the Water Budget Handbook’s standardized accounting templates. The Merced basin study provides a detailed methodology for mapping water supply and balance data to the water accounting templates.
- WEAP Model Application to Decision-Scaling Using Paleo Climate: A Pilot Study of the Merced River Planning Area — This pilot study tests if and how the Central Valley Planning Area Water Evaluation and Planning Model (WEAP-CVPA) can be applied using the decision-scaling approach. Decision-scaling is an emerging cutting edge, risk-based, “bottom-up” approach for conducting climate vulnerability assessments.
Draft Assumptions and Estimates Report
The Draft Assumptions and Estimates Report (A&E Report) describes data and data sources; improvements to analytical tools, methods, and approaches; and the supporting documents and companion State plans being used to prepare Update 2023. The Draft A&E Report’s release on October 18 will be followed by a 30-day comment period. DWR is interested in receiving comments about the information presented in the Draft A&E Report. DWR also welcomes suggestions about improving the usefulness of the report.
A webinar was held on October 18, 2022, to provide an overview of the report. A recording is available online.
Comments on the Draft A&E Report should be submitted to DWR by November 18, 2022. Comments can be emailed to cwpcom@water.ca.gov or mailed to Strategic Water Planning Branch, 715 P Street, 6th Floor, Mailbox 15, P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0001.
The following documents provide additional context and information on the development of Update 2023.
California Water Plan Update 2023 - Brochure
The Update 2023 brochure provides an overview of what the Water Plan is, its relation to the California Water Resilience Portfolio, and the intended outcomes of Update 2023. A Spanish translation is also available.
Building California's Climate Resilient Future - Fact Sheet
How the California Water Plan, Water Resilience Portfolio, and California Water Supply Strategy work together to build a climate resilient future for California.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Contact Us
If you have any questions or comments regarding Update 2023, you can contact us at cwpcom@water.ca.gov.
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