Governor Gavin Newsom has announced what he describes as California’s “most ambitious” water strategy to date, aiming to secure enough water supply to serve 18 million homes by the year 2040. This initiative is designed to tackle the challenges posed by “climate-driven extremes.”

The proposed strategy is centered around Senate Bill 72, which sets a goal of securing 9 million acre-feet of water by 2040. It also emphasizes the importance of improved data collection and strategic planning to manage the state’s water resources more effectively.

Senator Anna Caballero, the author of the bill, stated, “California’s water system is under significant pressure due to prolonged droughts, more intense storms, and increasing demands from both our communities and agricultural sectors.”

The target of 9 million acre-feet is comparable to twice the capacity of Shasta Reservoir, which holds up to 4.55 million acre-feet of water for urban and agricultural use. According to a statement from Newsom’s office, this amount represents the potential water loss as climate change affects snowpack levels and exacerbates drought conditions.

The comprehensive plan aims to modernize California’s extensive water infrastructure and safeguard against droughts and severe storms. Key strategies include conservation initiatives, stormwater collection, water recycling, and other innovative approaches.

To ensure a well-rounded implementation, the Department of Water Resources is forming an advisory group to collect input from various regions across the state.

“California’s hydrology is changing. We’re living that now,” said Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “Extreme wet swings to intensely dry within the same season.”

The committee will hold its first meeting in April and have representation from “urban and agricultural water suppliers, tribal, labor, environmental justice and environmental interests, local government, business and other interested parties,” according to Newsom’s office.