Published Date:
5 Things to Know About California Water
California water management has gained a lot of attention in recent days as misinformation has swirled about statewide water operations and wildfires in Los Angeles. Here are 5 key facts about our state’s water infrastructure and management to build a clear understanding of what’s happening—and not happening—in California water.
1. Water supplies are plentiful across the state this winter, including in Southern California.
Water reservoirs across the state enjoy above-average water supply for this time of year after wet winters over the last two years. Recent storms are expanding this water supply even more. You can always find accurate, up-to-date information on major reservoir supplies here.
2. Urban firefighting uses local water supplies. There’s no connection between moving water in Northern California and fighting fires in Los Angeles.
Planes and helicopters that use water to fight wildfires get their water from local lakes, reservoirs and other sources. These water sources were plentiful around Los Angeles, with many nearby reservoirs at or above average for this time of year.
For urban fires, fire engines used to fight fire get their water supplies from trucks called water tenders, as well as fire hydrants usually managed by local public works departments if battling a fire within a community. Currently, investigations are underway to determine how these local sources impacted fire fighting. But it is very clear that moving water supplies from Northern California several hundred miles away played no role in the unprecedented response to the LA firestorm and record-breaking Santa Ana winds.
3. Extreme weather is intensifying, and California water agencies are working to adapt.
The LA region experienced the driest start to a winter in its history, which, combined with hurricane-force wind conditions, drove the LA firestorms. California has also experienced unprecendeted drought conditions and flooding in recent years. This growing weather whiplash requires our water and natural resource agencies to adapt their infrastructure and management through actions such as diversifying water supplies and expanding water recycling.
4. Building our water resilience requires that we modernize our infrastructure and management.
Worsening droughts and extreme weather whiplash requires that we diversify our water supplies. Most Californians rely on state and federal “backbone” infrastructure (reservoirs and canals) for at least some of their water, so we’re working to adapt this infrastructure and increase our resilience to intensifying weather whiplash.
5. Healthy river flows are critical to our health and economic prosperity.
Fish and wildlife depend on healthy rivers, and so do people. Adequate flows through our rivers protects drinking water quality and support economic sectors like fishing and recreation, not to mention our economy as a whole. Flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta is also needed to repel salinity that would foul water supplies for over 27 million Californians and millions of acres of farmland.
California’s world-renowned biodiversity relies on healthy water-dependent habitats. Environmental improvements are needed for rivers and the Bay-Delta to reverse long-term declines in native fish populations. Efforts are underway to increase river flows and expand habitat in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, their tributaries, and the Bay-Delta.
For more unbiased, accurate information, visit and track these websites:
-California water, explained ~ MAVEN'S NOTEBOOK | California Water News Central
-Department Of Water Resources
-Home Page | California State Water Resources Control Board
-California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | CAL FIRE
-California Natural Resources Agency
