The California Water Commission (CWC) will hold a public meeting at the California Natural Resources Agency building in Sacramento on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 a.m. On the agenda, among other discussion items, is the California Water Plan Update 2028 (Update 2028) and Senate Bill (SB) 72. DWR’s Deputy Director of Statewide Water Resources Planning and Enterprise Management will provide an update on the advisory committee for Update 2028. The public is invited to observe the meeting and provide public comments in-person at the meeting or remotely via Zoom. Registration is not required to provide public comments. The meeting will also be webcast live on the CWC’s website. More meeting information and the full agenda are available online.

Amended groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs), including a coordination agreement, submitted to DWR for the Kern Subbasin (Subbasin) are now posted on the SGMA Portal and open for a 75-day public comment period. The Kern Subbasin was returned to DWR jurisdiction by the State Water Resources Control Board on Dec. 8, 2025. The Kern Subbasin GSPs will be reviewed by DWR and public comments will be considered as part of the review. A SGMA Portal account is not necessary to review the documents or to submit comments. More information is provided in the DWR bulletin released on Feb. 4.

The California Geographic Information Association will host a 90‑minute forum focusing on modernizing California's surface water mapping. “3D Hydrography Forum for California” will bring together leaders from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), DWR, California State Universities–Chico and Northridge, and the Santa Cruz Mountain Stewardship Network to discuss their collaboration to modernize California’s portion of the national surface water mapping network. The USGS will also talk about their new 3D Hydrography Program, which serves as a national initiative to create a modern, high-resolution hydrography dataset that supports water resource management, flood risk analysis, ecological studies, and emergency response. Registration is required for this online event, which takes place on Thursday, Feb. 12, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The Tribal Stewardship Policy and Toolkit webinar, “Opportunities with the Ocean Protection Council for Tribal Stewardship,” will be offerred on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 3 to 4 p.m. Attendees will learn about the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and how their work supports Tribal stewardship of the coast and ocean. Speakers from Tribes and OPC will highlight Tribally-led research, monitoring, and restoration efforts, efforts to advance co-management and collaborative stewardship, and funding opportunities. Registration is required for this online event. More information about the Tribal Stewardship Policy and Toolkit is available online.

The Western Regional Partnership (WRP) monthly newsletter offers many resources, funding opportunities, policy changes, updates in key personnel, and activities relevant to the WRP Region. Among the 200+ links to articles in the recent January issue are stories on the biggest U.S. solar-storage project to date, California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment,  14 graphics depicting drought in the U.S in 2025, and State governors meeting to discuss Colorado River water rights. Visit the WRP website to learn more about the partnership and to download their most-recent newsletter.