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Public Affairs Office
1416 9th Street, Room 204
Sacramento CA 95814
Phone: (916) 653-6192
Fax: (916) 653-4684
1416 9th Street, Room 204
Sacramento CA 95814
Phone: (916) 653-6192
Fax: (916) 653-4684
NOTE: This information
may have been superseded by later news releases. These items are listed
here for archive purposes, only.
| Siberian Freshwater Prawn The talk "Introduction of the Siberian prawn, Exopalaemon modestus, to the San Francisco Estuary: Ten Years later" was delivered by Tiffany Brown, (Environmental Scientist in the DWR "Bay-Delta Monitoring and Analysis" Unit) at the 2012 IEP Workshop at the Lake Natoma Inn on Friday, April 20 to update information on monitoring of the establishment and rapid expansion of this invasive shrimp throughout the SF Estuary. This invasive shrimp is now the most common caridean shrimp in the upper Estuary. (05/16/2012) |
| DWR Celebrates 50 years of Moving Water through the State Water Project On May 10, 1962, top water leaders joined then-Governor Pat Brown as he lifted a plank to start the flow of water into the State Water Project’s South Bay Aqueduct. A half-century later, with Pat Brown’s son Governor Jerry Brown serving in office, we celebrate 50 years of moving California’s water through the State Water Project. (05/15/2012)  News Release...
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| Webcast: Winter 2011-12 Water Conditions Wrap-up The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold a webcast on Wednesday, May 9 to review this winter’s weather conditions and water supply implications. The one-hour workshop will begin at 10 a.m. To view the webcast, go to: http://cawater.rmxpres.com/webcast/data/dwr05092012/main.htm With the winter rainy season over, it is clear that California is experiencing dry conditions. The Colorado River Basin, an important source of imported supplies for Southern California, is also dry. Impacts of the dry water year will be minimized for most water users who have access to water supplied from reservoirs and groundwater basins, thanks to good carry-over storage from a wet 2011. Impacts of a single dry year are most pronounced for those who rely on unmanaged water supplies (such as dryland grazing or non-irrigated agriculture), and small water systems using unreliable fractured rock groundwater sources. (05/07/2012) News Advisory...
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| California Water Conservation Efforts Get Top National Ranking California’s laws and policies promoting water use efficiency have received national recognition. The State received top marks from the non-profit Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) in a new draft report ranking all 50 states on policies such as water conservation requirements, conservation planning and program implementation, funding sources for water efficiency and conservation programs, and other informational resources. California ranked first, along with Texas, on the report’s scorecard. Both states got a grade of “A-.” “The Department of Water Resources is proud to have played a leading role in promoting water use efficiency, in particular through the development and implementation of the 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan,” said Department of Water Resources (DWR) Director Mark Cowin. “It’s gratifying to know that our efforts may provide a framework for other states to follow.” (05/04/2012) News Release...
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| California Water Plan Update 2013 Draft Assumptions and Estimates Report The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released a draft of the Assumptions and Estimates (A&E) Report for the California Water Plan Update 2013. This report, which consists of a brochure and companion web page, describes significant data, methods, and references that DWR plans to use to prepare the update. Several key technical components of Update 2013 are described in the brochure with web links to the assumptions and estimates that are being used to develop them. (05/02/2012) News Release...
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| Final Snow Survey of 2012 Shows Low Water Content Manual and electronic readings today show that California's drier than usual mountain snowpack is steadily melting with warming spring weather. Statewide, snowpack water content is only 40 percent of normal for the date, and was only 55 percent of normal the first of April, the time of year when it is historically at its peak. "The fact that we just had a dry winter right after an unusually wet season last year shows that we must be prepared for all types of weather," said DWR Director Mark Cowin. "Reservoir storage will mitigate the impact of dry conditions on water supply this summer, but we have to plan for the possibility of a consecutive dry year in 2013, both by practicing conservation, continuing to develop alternative local water supplies, and working toward improved water storage and conveyance." (05/01/2012) News Release...
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| Final Snow Survey of 2012 Set for May 1 The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct this year's fifth and final snow survey on May 1. One focus of media attention will be the manual survey scheduled for 11 a.m. off Highway 50 near Echo Summit about 90 miles east of Sacramento. Manual surveys up and down the state will be combined with electronic readings from remote sensors to indicate the rate at which the mountain snowpack is melting into the state's streams, reservoirs and aquifers. The snowpack normally provides about a third of the water for California's homes, industry and agriculture. April 2 measurements showed that water content in the winter snowpack -- often called California's frozen reservoir -- was only 55 percent of normal at the time of year when it historically is at its peak. Today, it is 46 percent of normal. (04/26/2012) News Release...
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| May is Water Awareness Month in California The Department of Water Resources (DWR) urges Californians to observe “Water Awareness Month” in May. “Water is a vital necessity for California’s people, wildlife, ecosystems and economy,” stated DWR Director Mark Cowin. Water Awareness Month originated as a joint effort of DWR and the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) during California’s 1987-1992 drought to educate the public about water use efficiency and conservation. (04/25/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Final Grant Awards for the Urban Streams Restoration Program The Department of Water Resources, Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP) has released the list of final grant awards from the 2008 solicitation. Twelve grant awards have been approved for a total of $8,840,335 from Propositions 84 and 40. The final grant awards can be found at the USRP Website: http://www.water.ca.gov/urbanstreams/ The USRP provides grants to local community projects that reduce flooding and erosion and associated property damages; restore, enhance, or protect the natural ecological values of streams, and promote community involvement, education, and stewardship. Additional information regarding the USRP, including the guidelines and enabling legislation (California Water Code Section 7048), are available on the website noted above. (04/19/2012) Announcement...
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| DWR Increases State Water Project Allocation to 60 Percent The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today estimated it will be able to deliver 60 percent of requested State Water Project (SWP) water this year. This is up from the 50 percent delivery estimate -- or allocation -- announced on February 22. Originally, DWR projected in November that it would be able to supply 60 percent of the slightly more than 4 million acre-feet of SWP water requested, but a dry December, January and February dropped that figure to 50 percent. Today's increase is due to an unusually wet March and higher-than-average reservoir storage carried over from last winter. (04/16/2012) News Release...
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| Gov. Brown Appoints Mark Cowin Director of Water Resources Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today appointed Mark Cowin as director of the Department of Water Resources (DWR). “With over three decades of experience at the Department of Water Resources, Mark Cowin has the track record to lead this truly vital part of our infrastructure,” said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird. “Tens of millions of Californians rely on water from DWR and the State Water Project for use in their homes, on their farms, and other businesses – Cowin understands the importance of keeping the system running at peak efficiency.” Cowin has been acting director and director of DWR since February of 2010. Mr. Cowin has extensive experience with California water resources management and has worked at DWR for over 30 years. (04/13/2012) News Release...
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| California Water Plan Update 2009 Highlights in Spanish The California Water Plan Update 2009 Highlights was recently translated to Spanish and is now available at the link below. To obtain a copy of the plan in Spanish, contact DWR News. (04/06/2012) CWP Update 2009 Highlights (Spanish)...
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| DWR's Fourth Snow Survey of 2012 Shows Dry Conditions Department of Water Resources (DWR) hydrologists today announced that water content in California's mountain snowpack is only 55 percent of the April 1 full season average. (04/02/2012) Newsrelease...
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| 7th Biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference 2012 Save the date for the 7th Biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference 2012. OCTOBER 16-18, 2012 at Sacramento Convention Center 1400 J Street, Sacramento, California. (03/21/2012) Click here to read more......
Call for Abstracts by June 8, 2012...
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| Flood Board Schedules Public Meetings on Draft Flood Protection Plan The Central Valley Flood Protection Board is holding public meetings in Sacramento this month and next on a draft, valley-wide flood protection plan. The meetings -- scheduled for March 22-23 and April 5-11 -- are steps in the Board's review of the flood plan submitted to it on December 30 by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Under the Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008, the Board is scheduled to adopt the plan by July 1. (03/16/2012) News Release...
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| Comments Sought on Draft EIR for the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced a 45-day public comment period on the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (DPEIR) for the Public Draft 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP). Released on March 6, the DPEIR describes potential program-level environmental effects and mitigation measures related to components of the CVFPP. Comments on the DPEIR must be received no later than 5 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time), Friday, April 20, 2012. (03/08/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Climate Action Plan Released for Public Comment DWR, in an effort to reduce its impact on the environment and lead by example, is developing a Department-wide Climate Action Plan/Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan which will guide project development and decision making with respect to energy use and GHG emissions. The Plan and its associated CEQA documents are now available for public comment. (03/05/2012) Climate Action Plan...
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| Updated Oroville Recreation Website Goes Live! Check out the latest in fishing, boating and more for the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. The area has extensive recreational facilities and planning is under way for additional enhancements. The new web pages feature in-depth information about events and opportunities including an interactive map of Lake Oroville with user-friendly access to recreation information. (02/29/2012) News Release...
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| DWR's Third Snow Survey of 2012 Shows Continuing Dry Conditions Department of Water Resources snow surveyors today confirmed that California's mountain snowpack holds far less water than normal for this time of year. Manual and electronic readings show that statewide, snowpack water content is only 30 percent of historic readings for the date. That is a mere 26 percent of the average April 1 measurement, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before it begins to melt with rising spring temperatures. (02/28/2012) News Release...
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| Third 2012 Snow Survey Scheduled for February 28 The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct this winter’s third snow survey on February 28. It is expected that manual measurements of snowpack water content will corroborate the low electronic readings from remote sensors up and down the state’s mountain ranges. (02/23/2012) News Release...
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| Central Valley Flood Protection Board Meeting Friday-Focus on Central Valley Flood Protection Plan The Central Valley Flood Protection Board’s meeting in Sacramento tomorrow (February 24) will focus on the draft Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. The plan is a systemic approach to improving flood management throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. (02/23/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Reduces State Water Project Allocation The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today reduced its estimate of the amount of water the State Water Project will deliver this year. DWR dropped its projected delivery total, or allocation, from 60 percent to 50 percent of the requested amount of slightly more than 4 million acre-feet. (02/22/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Announces Climate Change Technical Advisory Group The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced the panelists who will serve on its Climate Change Technical Advisory Group (CCTAG). These experts will work with DWR on incorporating climate change into water resources planning and management, with a particular focus on climate adaptation and extreme events. (02/13/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Draft Urban Streams 2008 Funding Recommendations Available for Public Review The Department of Water Resources, Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP) has released the list of draft funding recommendations from the 2008 solicitation. The list is available for public review, with the public comment period closing at 5 p.m. on February 25. The draft funding recommendations may be found at :http://www.water.ca.gov/urbanstreams/. (02/10/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Releases Draft Guidelines & Proposal Solicitation Package for Local Groundwater Grant Program The Department of Water Resources has scheduled a meeting for comments on draft guidelines and a proposal solicitation package prepared for local groundwater assistance funding. The meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 23 in the Coastal Hearing Room of the California EPA Building at 1001 I Street, Sacramento. A webcast of the meeting will be available at http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/. During the webcast, questions or comments may be emailed to DWR_IRWM@water.ca.gov. (02/10/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Continues Assistance to Fremont Residents After Pipeline Incident The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today completed most cleanup work after Friday night’s unintentional release of water from a pipeline in Fremont. The pipeline is part of the State Water Project aqueduct system. The water release, which occurred at approximately 11 p.m. Friday, February 3, flooded the backyards and garages of several homes. DWR responded to the incident shortly after midnight, shut down the pipeline, and assessed the impact. Cleanup work began later in the morning. DWR pumped water and mud from beneath homes, backyards and garages. There apparently was no damage to the interior of homes. Sidewalks and streets also were cleaned. DWR staff will remain available to further assist affected residents. (02/07/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Continues Wabana Street Cleanup, Resident Assistance in Fremont The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today continues its cleanup and assistance to residents on Wabana Street in Fremont. DWR’s efforts follow the unintentional release of water from a pipeline Friday night. The pipeline is part of the State Water Project aqueduct system. The release was stopped after two hours. There were no injuries. Several residents temporarily displaced from their homes, returned yesterday morning. The cause of the release remains under investigation. (02/05/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Statement on Water Release from State Water Project Pipeline in Fremont The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today is assisting residents on Wabana Street in Fremont impacted by water unintentionally released from a pipeline last night. The pipeline is part of the State Water Project aqueduct system. The release was stopped after two hours. There were no injuries and any residents temporarily displaced have returned to their homes. The cause of the release is under investigation. (02/04/2012) News Release...
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| Additional CVFPP Technical Attachments Available The Central Valley Flood Planning Office posted today several technical attachments of the Public Draft 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. Organized into five volumes, 24 of 30 technical attachments to the CVFPP are now available. The CVFPO anticipates it will release the remaining technical attachments by mid-February. To view the technical attachments, visit the "Publications" page or click HERE. Guidelines for submitting comments to the Public Draft 2012 CVFPP and its technical attachments are available on the Central Valley Flood Protection Board’s web site or click HERE. (02/03/2012) |
| DWR Issues Draft State Water Project Reliability Report The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has issued its Draft State Water Project (SWP) Delivery Reliability Report for 2011. This report updates estimates of SWP delivery reliability. It incorporates restrictions on SWP and federal Central Valley Project Delta operations in accordance with biological opinions issued by federal agencies. The public comment period closes on March 12, 2012. The report may be accessed at this site: (02/03/2012) Report Site...
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| Second 2012 Snow Survey Shows Continuing Dry Conditions Snow surveyors today confirmed that water content in California's mountain snowpack is far below normal for this time of year. Manual and electronic readings record the snowpack's statewide water content at only 37 percent of normal for the date. That is just 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack normally is at its peak before the spring melt. "So far, we just haven't received a decent number of winter storms," said DWR Director Mark Cowin. "We have good reservoir storage thanks to wet conditions last year, but we also need more rain and snow this winter." (02/01/2012) News Release...
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| Second 2012 Snow Survey Scheduled for February 1 The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct this winter's second snow survey on February 1. One focus of attention will be the manual survey scheduled for 11 a.m. off Highway 50 near Echo Summit This and other manual surveys up and down the state as well as electronic readings from remote sensors will determine the water content in the snowpack. Electronic readings today indicate that water content in the statewide snowpack is just 38 percent of normal. That is 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before the spring melt. Still, this is an improvement over results of this winter's January 3 survey, which recorded snowpack water content at 19 percent of normal for that date, and only 7 percent of the average April 1 reading. (01/30/2012) News Release...
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| DWR Seeks More Green Energy for State Water Project The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is continuing to increase the amount of green energy in the State Water Project (SWP) power portfolio. DWR has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase up to 180,000 MWh of energy a year from qualified renewable energy sources. This was announced by Veronica Hicks, Chief of the DWR's State Water Project Power and Risk Office. This is anticipated to be the first in a series of requests to further supplement with renewable energy the SWP energy portfolio, half of which already, on average, consists of clean hydropower. "The purchase of renewable energy will assist DWR in meeting its goal of reducing its greenhouse gas footprint to 50 percent below its 1990 emissions," stated Mark Cowin, DWR Director. "This step also helps achieve the Governor's goal of increasing the use of renewable energy in California." (01/30/2012) News Release...
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| Flood Board Outlines Process, Timeline for Review, Adoption of New Flood Protection Plan The Central Valley Flood Protection Board today began a five-month process of reviewing the draft Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, with adoption scheduled for June 2012. Officials of the Department of Water Resources made a detailed presentation of the sweeping plan to improve Central Valley flood safety at the Board’s morning meeting in Sacramento. (01/27/2012) News Release...
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| DWR to Present Public Draft 2012 CVFPP At CVFPB Public Meeting The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Central Valley Flood Planning Office will present the Public Draft 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) and related supporting documents during the January 27, 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Board (Board) meeting. During this meeting, the Board will announce its adoption schedule, the process for document review, and protocols for receiving public and agency comments. To view details of the public meeting, visit the Board’s website at the below link. (01/26/2012) Public Draft 2012 CVFPP and December FCSSR...
Central Valley Flood Protection Board Website...
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| Central Valley Flood Protection Board Celebrates First Century of Service California's Central Valley Flood Protection Board is celebrating its frist century of flood protection. On Friday, January 27, a centennial ceremony is scheduled at the California State History Museum, 1020 O Street, Sacramento, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Flood experts from various agencies will speak at this historic event and share their perspectives about the accomplishments and challenges of flood management in the Central Valley. (01/25/2012) News Release...
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| Workshop: Climate Change, Extreme Weather, and Central Valley Floods The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold a climate change workshop in West Sacramento on February 14. The focus will be on the state of the science regarding potential climate change impacts on Central Valley floods, and examples of ongoing programs to reduce flood risk. The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Department of Water Resources office, 3500 Industrial Boulevard. This workshop is being held as a complementary event to Governor Brown's December 15 conference on extreme climate risks and California's future, which focused on the threats of extreme weather events to the state's economy, business sectors, public health, and natural resources. For background on the Governor's conference, see: http://gov.ca.gov/ecrcf.php. (01/13/2012) News Release...
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| Workshop: Climate Change, Extreme Weather, and Southern California Floods The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold a climate change workshop in Alhambra on January 31. The focus will be on potential climate change impacts on Southern California floods, and examples of ongoing programs to reduce flood risk. The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Headquarters, 900 S. Fremont Avenue. (01/05/2012) News Release...
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| First Snow Survey of 2012 Shows Dry Conditions Snow surveyors today reported that California’s mountain snowpack is among the driest for the date on record. Manual and electronic readings today record the snowpack’s statewide water content at 19 percent of the January 3 average. That is only 7 percent of the average April 1 measurement, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before the spring melt. (01/03/2012) Press Release...
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