California Department of Water Resources – New Water Year Amid Preparations for Continued Drought
Running from October 1st to September 30th, California’s official water year, the 12-month timeframe is used by water managers to compile and compare hydrologic records.
According to Sierra Sun Times, the current drought from 2020 to 2022 is now the driest three-year period on record, breaking the old record set by the previous drought from 2013 to 2015. This extended, extreme drought is having an impact on all Californians, especially the State’s most vulnerable communities. California is aggressively addressing the urgent need for financial and technical support for water resilience projects across California. To date, DWR has provided over $480 million in grant funding through its Small Community and Urban and Multi-benefit Drought Relief programs. This summer, the Legislature approved hundreds of millions in additional funding and programs to support these communities.