DWR Updates

Environmental Scientists Ryan Sekikawa and Breanna Fernandez test water quality at the California Department of Water Resources Bryte Chemical Laboratory in West Sacramento, California. Photo taken February 29, 2024.

Science isn’t just part of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) work — it drives it. From forecasting storms to managing reservoirs and protecting ecosystems, DWR relies on rigorous science and strong partnerships to guide decisions and prepare for an increasingly uncertain water future. Science is the critical foundation for all that ...

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Snow blankets the meadow where DWR prepares to conduct the third media snow survey of the 2026 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada. Photo taken February 27, 2026.

Early season heat is rapidly wiping out California’s giant, frozen reservoir – the Sierra Nevada snowpack. Snow is melting fast, even at the highest elevations. In the last 12 days alone, the statewide snowpack has begun melting, on average, 1 percent per day, according to data taken from a network of snow pillows -- sensors that weigh overlying sn ...

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