California’s water resilience strategy shows major progress after winter storms: state out of drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor

Snowpack is near to above seasonal averages in many regions, and groundwater conditions continue to benefit from multiple years of precipitation. Several state and national indicators, including the U.S. Drought Monitor, show eased drought conditions across California — a reflection of both favorable weather and sustained investments in smarter, more resilient water management.

Managing for climate extremes 

While statewide indicators show improvement, some areas remain drier than average, underscoring the need for continued conservation and forward-looking water management. Recovery from multi-year droughts can be a multi-year process, and increasing climate instability means that periods of intense precipitation can quickly give way to renewed dry periods.

Tools like California Water Watch provide a detailed, real-time picture of precipitation, snowpack, and reservoir storage, helping water managers make informed, day-to-day decisions based on local and regional conditions.

As the 2026 water year begins with above-average conditions to date, state agencies continue to capture stormwater when possible, protect communities from flooding, and store water for dry periods ahead — strengthening California’s ability to manage extremes and ensuring the state is better prepared for whatever comes next.

Building water storage for a more resilient California

Along the Sacramento River Basin, the Big Notch fish passage project is now in action to both modernize and improve California’s water system while also protecting juvenile endangered winter-run Chinook salmon. The Big Notch is a key State Water Project infrastructure investment, improving conditions for migratory fish while supporting the water supply depended upon by tens of millions of Californians. It’s part of the State Water Project’s ongoing efforts to balance water supply and environmental protection.   

In August, California committed an additional $219 million to the Sites Reservoir project. Sites Reservoir is a key component of Governor Newsom’s water strategy—capturing water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and storing it for use during drier seasons. These efforts will hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, which is enough to supply over 4.5 million homes for a year. The project will help California maintain a resilient water supply in the face of climate change, weather extremes, and water scarcity. 

In addition to surface water storage, the Newsom administration is working to improve California’s underground water storage through groundwater recharge efforts. Over the course of 2024, the state received average precipitation, helping sustain recharge efforts after the exceptionally wet 2023. These last three years (2023, 2024, and 2025) have seen continued increases in groundwater storage. Water Year 2024 increased by 2.2 million acre-feet reported across 98 basins — a direct result of state and local actions to capture and store more water underground.

These investments ensure that when water does arrive, we can store it, use it wisely, and build long-term resilience for the entire state.