Join DWR’s California Water Plan Team for a workshop webinar that will share and discuss water balance data — data foundational to building the state’s water resilience. Creating and enhancing water resilience requires an understanding of how and where water is used in the state, as well as the source of the supplies. This continues the annual releases of water year information, in direct response to requests from many water managers. The webinar will take place on Thursday, May 8, 1:30–3:45 p.m. More information is available on DWR’s California Water Plan Water Use and Supply Balances Webinar webpage. Registration is required.

Increasing groundwater recharge capacity within the Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utility District (District) to boost its use of surface water for replenishing groundwater will be the focus of the today’s Lunch-MAR presentation. The District’s water supply has faced challenges because of reduced Central Valley Project reliability and changing delivery schedules. Today’s presentation will cover the District’s progress, including completed recharge sites and plans to convert vineyard land into spreading basins. The hour-long webinar begins at 12:30 p.m.

DWR announced last week an increase to the State Water Project (SWP) allocation forecast for 2025 as a result of melting snowpack flowing into California’s watersheds and filling reservoirs. The allocation has increased to 50 percent of requested water supplies, up from 40 percent in March. California’s snowpack peaked on April 4 at 100 percent for the season. Lake Oroville, SWP’s largest reservoir, is 120 percent of average as of April 29 and 95 percent full and is expected to reach capacity this spring, which would mark the third straight year the reservoir has filled. San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, a critical storage space for Southern California water, is 101 percent of average as of April 29 and 83 percent full. Each year, DWR provides allocation forecasts based on available water storage, projected water supply, and water demands. Learn more about how the SWP allocation process works at DWR’s SWP allocation webpage.

The third webinar of Sustainable Conservation’s Climate Resilience in Action series turns its focus to flooding. Building on earlier discussions about California’s latest devastating wildfires, the importance of forest health, and the need for ecosystem restoration, “Restoring Rivers for Flood Protection” will explore how natural floodplains and restored rivers can reduce the state’s increasing flood risk while providing critical habitat, safeguarding water supplies, and protecting communities. Experts from River Partners and American Rivers will discuss how collaborative, nature-based approaches are redefining flood protection in California. This webinar will take place on Thursday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to noon. Registration is required.

The California State Water Resources Control Board will host a two-part webinar on Wednesday and Thursday, May 14 and 15, 10–11:30 a.m. each day. The intended audience is those who completed and submitted the Urban Water Use Objective (UWUO-25) reporting form that was due on January 1. Planned topics for part 1, May 14, are inputs related to objective calculations, including alternative data and variances. Planned topics for part 2, May 15, are commercial, industrial, and institutional performance measures. Your feedback during these sessions is intended to help State Water Board staff make user-experience improvements for the next reporting cycle. These sessions will not be recorded. Registration is required for each day. Registration for Day 1 (Thursday, May 14). Registration for Day 2 (Friday, May 15).

Celebrating Earth Week last month, DWR rolled out a new program focused on lawn removal at businesses and institutions rather than residential sites. DWR’s Turf Replacement Pilot Program provides direct assistance to replace ornamental turf with drought-tolerant and water-efficient landscaping in California’s frontline communities. This program works with local communities on multiple turf and landscape replacement projects that will save water and help combat future droughts and climate change. DWR plans to target up to five communities and a number of special project sites throughout the state for this pilot program, focusing on underrepresented and Tribal communities. More information is available from the DWR news release about this program.