California Begins a New Era of Water Planning

The California Water Plan is the state's long-range strategic roadmap for managing water resources. Updated every five years, it helps guide decisions by state, regional, and local water managers. Development is now underway for California Water Plan (CWP) 2028, the first under a new planning approach established by Senate Bill 72 (Chapter 210, Statutes of 2025).

Initial public engagement efforts and early technical work are laying the foundation for a more actionable CWP that will help guide water decisions for years to come. During the first meetings of the CWP Advisory Committee, Tribal Advisory Committee, State Agency Team, and Technical Working Group, participants shared their insights and concerns. DWR will use this information to develop the most significant modernization of the CWP in decades. Early feedback is helping refine technical priorities, shape future engagement, and focus the conversations that will guide implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 72.

Early Input Highlights Needs

At the inaugural Advisory Committee meeting held in May 2026, committee members emphasized the need for transparent technical analysis, stronger coordination across agencies, and clear public communication. They identified groundwater recharge, new water storage, conservation, and recycling as some of the most promising strategies for improving California's long-term water resilience. Members also requested additional discussion of the Water Evaluation Adaptation Planning-Future Scenarios (WEAP-FS) modeling framework and offered recommendations for designing regional forums that encourage meaningful local participation.

A Roadmap for Modernizing Water Planning

CWP 2028 will establish the foundation, while CWP 2033 will expand watershed-scale planning statewide and evaluate regional portfolios of projects and strategies. Input gathered at these meetings will inform a structured implementation roadmap spanning both updates.

During 2026, DWR is gathering statewide data, expanding watershed-scale models, and revising planning assumptions. This work will provide a stronger scientific foundation for evaluating future water supply challenges and identifying strategies to improve California's long-term water reliability.

Opportunities to Participate

Engagement will continue throughout development of CWP 2028 and CWP 2033. Californians can participate through Advisory Committee meetings, regional forums, California Water Commission briefings, and topic-specific workshops. Future opportunities for members of the public to engage in the planning efforts will be shared under Public Involvement at CaliforniaWaterPlan.com.

Regional forums beginning later this year will bring together local agencies, water managers, Tribes, and interested parties, including members of the public, to discuss watershed conditions, review planning assumptions, identify regional plans and projects, and help develop strategies that reflect local priorities while supporting statewide planning.

Looking Ahead

As planning, technical work, and public engagement continue, each phase will build on the last. DWR will continue sharing progress and incorporating input to help create a CWP grounded in sound science, informed by Californians, and focused on implementation. The next public meeting of the Advisory Committee will be held August 25 and 26, 2026, in Alhambra.

Learn More

California Water Plan Home Page

California Water Plan Roadmap Fact Sheet

Advisory Committee Meeting Materials