Senate Bill 72 Bolsters California Water Plan and Advances Long-Term Water Supply Goals

In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom released California’s Water Supply Strategy, outlining necessary actions for the state to adapt to a hotter, drier future where the changing climate leaves less water to meet California’s needs.  

Since then, California water managers have been looking at ways to address the fact that the warming climate means that when storms do come, a greater share of that rain and snow will be absorbed by dry soils, consumed by thirsty plants, or evaporate into the air. As a result, the state will see less water going into our streams, rivers, and reservoirs, creating a new strain on our water supply, especially during the dry summer months.  

In October, Governor Newsom and the legislature gave the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) an important opportunity to tackle this problem.

Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 72, which gives DWR the green light to build a data-driven playbook to guide and secure California’s water future. It sets a target of identifying 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply by 2040 to offset the anticipated loss from warmer ambient temperatures in the future.

DWR is grateful for this new partnership with the legislature and administration to find solutions to this looming threat to California’s water supply. SB 72 will allow DWR’s scientists, engineers, and water managers the opportunity to dig into the data, look at opportunities and challenges, and come up with a path forward to meet the water supply target.

While SB 72 does not provide new funding, DWR has evaluated the costs of implementing the measures outlined in the legislation and will work closely with the Department of Finance to identify and explore potential funding options for developing long-term water supply targets. SB 72 includes opportunities for more expansive engagement with water agencies when developing the Water Plan. DWR looks forward to embarking on a more robust engagement process once the funding component is worked out.

As DWR develops an implementation plan for SB 72, the Department will continue to advance California’s resilience through the established California Water Plan Update 2028 public workshops and advisory processes. These venues will provide opportunities to discuss SB 72 implementation and assess priorities, ensuring that DWR continues to use transparent, collaborative pathways to move California forward in building a more resilient water future.