California releases guide for state water policy

The State of California released a final version of its Water Resilience Portfolio, a guide to aid the state in developing future water policies.

This roadmap will guide state efforts to meet the water needs of the state’s communities, economy, and environment as the climate changes. The document outlines 142 state actions aimed at building a climate-resilient water system and fostering healthy waterways.

The portfolio addresses recent laws regarding safe and affordable drinking water, groundwater sustainability, and water-use efficiency. It also offers guidance on the long-term functionality of the State Water Project and other conveyance infrastructure.

Specific recommended actions include:

· Updating regulations to expand water recycling

· Accelerating permitting of new smart water storage

· Expanding seasonal floodplains for fish and flood benefits

· Improving conditions at the Salton Sea

· Removing dams from the Klamath River

· Better leveraging of information and data to improve water management

With a recent downturn in the state’s budget, the pace of progress on actions in the portfolio will depend upon the resources available, state officials said.

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