Department of Water Resources: water supply forecasting.

Senator Hurtado's water supply forecasting legislation directs the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to modernize its forecasting methods to account for climate change impacts while establishing new transparency requirements for water management decisions.

The bill requires DWR to implement a new water supply forecasting model by January 2027 that incorporates climate change effects. DWR must establish and publish specific criteria for determining when the updated model demonstrates adequate predictive capability for each watershed. The department must also formalize its procedures for documenting operational plans and explaining the rationale behind reservoir water releases.

Beginning in 2027, DWR would conduct five annual public meetings across California - in San Francisco, Redding, Tulare, and two Southern California locations - to present its operational decisions and outcomes from the previous water year. The department must provide at least 60 days notice before each meeting and compile the presented information into reports for the Legislature and public. These reports, along with annual updates on the forecasting model's implementation, would be required through January 2032.

The measure builds upon DWR's existing responsibilities to forecast seasonal water supply and maintain the California Water Plan. While introducing new modeling and documentation requirements, the bill does not allocate additional funding, indicating DWR would need to implement the changes within current resources.