The California Water Plan Update 2023 emphasizes the need for watershed-based solutions, climate resilience, and equity through collaboration with local partners to address climate extremes. To support these strategies, the Watershed Resilience Pilot Program will provide financial and technical assistance to enhance regional resilience, building on past planning efforts.

Key aspects of this approach are:

• Managing water from headwaters to outflow at a watershed scale. 
• Prioritizing equity and inclusiveness.
• Analyzing climate risks and adaptations at the watershed level.
• Collaborating across water, flood, groundwater, quality, forest/fire, ecosystem, and land use sectors.
• Developing metrics to track outcomes regionally and statewide.

This approach aligns with the Newsom Administration’s policies, including the California’s Water Supply Strategy (2022) and Water Resilience Portfolio (2020), which focus on climate urgency, regional resilience, and equity.

Program Funding

The Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022 provided funding for DWR to establish and implement a watershed resilience pilot program. In 2024, DWR launched the pilot program, funding five planning projects to apply the watershed resilience approach in diverse regional settings. These pilot projects will lay the groundwork for future regional planning and funding opportunities.  The pilot program has currently awarded all available funding.

2024 Watershed Resilience Pilot Program Funding Recipients:

• Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency
• Regional Water Authority
• Sonoma County Water Agency
• Stockton East Water District
• The Ventura County Resource Conservation

Pilot Program

Funding recipients are developing comprehensive Watershed Resilience Plans to address climate risks and support long-term water sustainability. This effort includes:

• Incorporate equity and inclusiveness into the decision-making process.
• Assessing current water conditions and identifying gaps in existing climate vulnerability studies.
• Carrying out quantitative evaluation of climate risks, such as water supply, groundwater, drought, flood management, wildfire, ecosystems, and water quality.
• Developing adaptation strategies to improve integrated water management, such as groundwater recharge, reservoir reoperation, floodplain management, infrastructure improvements, and ecosystem-based solutions.

Each pilot project focuses on specific regional challenges. For example, the Regional Water Authority is evaluating how reduced snowpack in mountain ranges will impact river flows and water availability, while Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is addressing the risks of sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. Several pilots are currently bringing on Tribes to serve as partners and subject matter experts in the development of their watershed resilience plans.

Findings from these pilot projects will help shape future watershed resilience funding and guide efforts to strengthen water resilience across California.