Abstract

Water is central to nearly everything we value in California. Healthy communities, economies, farms, ecosystems and cultural traditions depend on steady supplies of safe and affordable water.

Those values are increasingly at risk as California confronts more extreme droughts and floods, rising temperatures, depleted groundwater basins, aging infrastructure and other challenges magnified byclimate change. For some of California’s most vulnerable populations, the risks are particularly acute.

Recognizing the need for action, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order in April 2019 directing state agencies to develop recommendations to meet these challenges and enable water security for all Californians. The Governor emphasized the need to harness the best of science, engineering, and innovation to prepare for what’s ahead and support long-term water resilience and ecosystem health.

To that end, state agencies have developed this draft water resilience portfolio to improve California’s capacity to prepare for disruptions, withstand and recover from climate-related shocks, and adapt into the future. Building on state and local initiatives already underway and months of public input, the draft portfolio helps empower local and regional entities to meet their unique challenges, while delivering on the state’s responsibility to provide tools and leadership, advance projects of statewide scale and importance, and help address challenges that are beyond the scope of any region.