- California launched the California Water Plan 2028 on February 25, 2026.
- The plan sets a statewide target of 9 million acre-feet of new water supply by 2040.
- State officials say climate swings between drought and floods are driving the effort.
- A statewide advisory committee will help shape the plan beginning in April 2026.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 — California officials announced a sweeping new effort to reshape how the state plans for its water future.
On February 25, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom formally launched the California Water Plan 2028
, which state leaders described as the most ambitious statewide water planning effort in California history. The plan is intended to respond to long-term water reliability concerns as climate change produces increasingly unpredictable weather patterns across the state.
“California’s hydrology is changing,” said Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources. “Extreme wet swings to intensely dry within the same season. The work of crafting the next California Water Plan will help us plan smarter to deal with the way climate change is testing our water systems.”
According to the governor’s office, the initiative is designed to ensure reliable water supplies for farms, cities, and ecosystems as California experiences both prolonged drought and powerful storm events.
A First-Ever Statewide Water Supply Target.
A key feature of the new planning effort is a measurable statewide water supply goal.
Under Senate Bill 72, authored by California Senator Anna Caballero and enacted in 2025, California must now work toward producing 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply by 2040.
State officials say the target reflects the amount of water California could lose as climate change reduces mountain snowpack and intensifies drought conditions.
The 9 million acre-foot target is roughly equal to the storage capacity of two Shasta Reservoirs or enough water to serve about 18 million homes.
Senator Caballero said the legislation requires a more disciplined approach to water planning.
“For the first time, we are setting a clear statewide target of 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply and establishing measurable benchmarks that hold us accountable,” Caballero said.
New Planning Framework Under Senate Bill 72.
For decades, the California Water Plan has been updated every five years by the Department of Water Resources. Historically, the document served mainly as a broad policy guide for water management.
According to a legal analysis published February 27, 2026 by Ashley S. Walker, Senior Policy Advisor, and Willis Hon, Partner, both at Nossaman LLP, Senate Bill 72 significantly changes the role of the water plan.
Walker and Hon explained that the legislation converts the plan from a general policy document into a more structured planning framework with quantitative goals and accountability measures. The law establishes the 9 million acre-foot target to help offset water supply losses expected from declining snowpack and longer drought periods.
They noted that the target will guide future state investments and regulatory decisions in four major areas: increasing water supply, improving conservation, expanding groundwater recharge, and building or improving water storage systems.
Three Major Areas of Work.
The Department of Water Resources said development of the 2028 plan will focus on three major areas.
First, the state will gather detailed statewide data on water supply and water use. This includes building new datasets at the watershed level and using updated technologies and planning models to better understand how water moves through California’s complex system.
Second, officials will develop regional water supply targets aligned with the state’s 2022 Water Supply Strategy and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. These targets are expected to influence groundwater management and long-term planning by local agencies.
Third, the plan will outline specific actions to address water shortages. These strategies may include conservation programs, groundwater recharge projects, expanded storage, and nature-based solutions designed to help close the gap between supply and demand.
Advisory Committee and Public Involvement.
The Department of Water Resources will also convene a statewide advisory committee to help guide development of the plan.
The committee will include representatives from urban water agencies, agricultural interests, tribal governments, environmental groups, labor organizations, local governments, and business groups.
Its first meeting is scheduled for April 2026.
The California Water Commission will also play a formal advisory role and will receive regular public briefings as the plan develops.
Fern Steiner, Chair of the California Water Commission, said the process is intended to reflect regional needs across the state.
“The Commission looks forward to continuing its work with the Department of Water Resources and interested parties across the state to support a plan that reflects diverse regional needs and advances sustainable water solutions for all Californians,” Steiner said.
Long-Term Water Reliability.
State officials say the California Water Plan 2028 will serve as a central roadmap for water policy as climate pressures increase across the West.
The plan will also guide future updates to the state water plan scheduled for 2033.
Joel Metzger, Deputy Director for Statewide Water Resources Planning at the Department of Water Resources, said the effort is intended to combine measurable goals with real-world implementation.
“The new California Water Plan is where vision meets accountability,” Metzger said. “We’ll set measurable targets, improve our data, and align planning efforts in ways that deliver real results on the ground.”
California DWR’s California Water Plan website: https://www.californiawaterplan.com/
