DWR is now recruiting for the 2026-27 Apprenticeship Program. Now in its 55th year, the program has produced 709 graduates, approximately 85% of whom have remained with the department, including 10 Field Division Managers.
DWR Updates
Vernal pools don’t immediately catch the eye’s attention. They're stealthy and scattered across rolling grasslands – hidden beneath layers of vegetation. Appearing seasonally during the cooler months, vernal pools are temporary shallow wetlands that hold water in winter and spring until they dry in the summer heat. A keen eye for these isolated gem ...

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has long been recognized for its ability to store carbon, so experts from DWR and partner agencies are exploring the practice of culturally informed burning to accelerate the sequestration process in the region.

Each summer, dozens of dedicated teachers take time from their summer break and gather in Butte, Solano, and Sacramento counties to participate in Water Institutes for Educators.


Lake Oroville Community Update - April 10, 2026

The Department of Water Resources found no measurable snow April 1 at a place in the Sierra Nevada mountains where more than two feet of snow stood in late February.

California’s climate is defined by extremes, and water year 2025 put that reality on full display. One month delivered warm, dry conditions that can typically stress water supplies; the next brought a surge of winter storms, only for January to swing dry again. These whiplash shifts aren’t outliers
