California Water Plan

Coming Soon: A New Era for the California Water Plan

In 2022, Governor Newsom released California’s Water Supply Strategy, outlining how the state must adapt to a hotter, drier future. As temperatures rise, more precipitation will be absorbed by dry soils, consumed by plants, or evaporate — meaning less water reaches streams, rivers, and reservoirs, placing new strain on the state’s water supply.

In October 2025, the Governor and Legislature gave the Department of Water Resources (DWR) an important opportunity to address this challenge: Senate Bill 72 (SB 72).

SB 72 directs DWR to modernize the California Water Plan by building a data-driven playbook for the state’s water future. It requires DWR to:

• Quantify statewide and watershed-level water-supply gaps
• Identify effective water management actions with economic analyses
• Set measurable statewide and watershed-level targets, including an interim statewide goal of 9 million acre-feet by 2040.

Together, these elements create a consistent, data-driven foundation for statewide water resilience.

Starting in early 2026, DWR will set the foundation for broader public participation processes for aligning the goals of SB 72 with the Water Plan Update 2028.

This page will be regularly updated as those processes are solidified.

Learn more: SB 72 Frequently Asked Questions

More About the 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

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.