Merced River Watershed study demonstrates Flood-MAR benefits
A first-of-its-kind study on the Merced River Watershed has examined the effectiveness of flood-managed aquifer recharge (Flood-MAR) to reduce flood risk, improve water supply, and enhance ecosystems. The study was done in partnership between DWR and the Merced Irrigation District in which multiple Flood-MAR strategies were shown to provide some level of resilience under a range of climate change scenarios. DWR is conducting similar studies for the other tributaries of the San Joaquin River to support the design and implementation of local pilot projects. The study report and technical appendices are available under the "Merced River Watershed Flood-MAR Reconnaissance Study" accordion tab on DWR's Flood-MAR webpage.
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EWRI meeting will include Merced River Watershed study presentation
There will be a presentation on the Merced River Watershed Flood-MAR study during the May 15 meeting of the Sacramento chapter of the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI). Leading the presentation will be Ajay Goyal, the manager of DWR’s Statewide Infrastructure Investigations Branch. He will cover a range of topics, including flood risk reduction, groundwater sustainability, ecosystem enhancement, and water supply reliability for frontline communities..
Study looks at California's winter stream of atmospheric rivers
A new study on atmospheric rivers is looking at why back-to-back events that drop massive amounts of rain and snow happen more frequently on the west coast. The research published in Communications Earth & Environment looked at the nine atmospheric rivers that hit California in winter 2022–2023 to advance the understanding of the storm clusters so that flood-risk reduction and other actions can be taken before bad weather hits. Models developed by the study suggest that atmospheric clusters will be more frequent as warming level increases.
Evaluating ecosystem goods and services in American River Watershed
The El Dorado Water Agency is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 16, to discuss a recent report on the value of ecosystem goods and services in the upper American River watershed. Working Landscapes: The Natural Capital of the Upper American River Watershed was published in February. It found the upper American River watershed provides more than $14 billion in benefits every year based on values for several categories including agriculture, wetlands, and forests.
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Public meeting tonight in Merced for the San Joaquin Valley RCIS
A public meeting will be held this evening, April 24, in Merced, to discuss the San Joaquin Valley Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS). An RCIS provides science-driven, landscape-scale planning tools to guide conservation investment in a region. The meeting will provide an overview of the San Joaquin Valley RCIS and provide an opportunity for public questions and input. An option for online attendance is available.
Informational meeting on urban annual assessment reports
Urban water suppliers must submit their annual water supply and demand assessments to DWR by July 1. On Tuesday, April 30, DWR’s Water Use Efficiency Branch will host an informational meeting on this year’s deadline. Suppliers will receive information on reporting requirements, reporting tables, and the submittal process for the reports. The assessment reports are used to increase drought resilience and to improve communication of water-shortage response actions.
 The Splash is a weekly feature spotlighting topics from
California Water Plan Update 2024.
“Backbone” infrastructure includes the natural systems and built systems that carry water to multiple watersheds and regions throughout the California. But it’s often overlooked that natural and built infrastructure are interconnected. This can lead to natural systems not receiving needed investment.
California Water Plan Update 2023 advocates for resilience, the capacity of a resource, natural system, or constructed system to adapt to and recover from changed conditions after a disturbance, in both natural and built backbone infrastructure. Most of California’s built backbone infrastructure was designed based on historical climate conditions and must be modernized. Because California’s 10 hydrologic regions have their own water management tools, water related assets, and challenges, a different approach is needed for each region.
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