California water officials are preparing for another year of extreme weather in 2025.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently released a report highlighting the major factors expected to affect California’s climate before the new water year.
Amidst a year of dangerous heat and wildfires, officials warn the public that the future of California's water is likely to be similarly extreme.
In its outlook, DWR says state officials need to plan for more intense fluctuations in California’s water supply. This means very dry summers with hot temperatures similar to what the state saw this year, as well as single-event storms in the winter that may cause flash flooding due to very dry soils.
Compared to previous years, the agency says California’s water supply is in good standing moving into the fall.
Officials report Lake Oroville — the State Water Project’s largest reservoir — is currently fuller than average for this time of year. However, La Niña conditions will likely leave the reservoir and others across the state drier than normal with minimal rain predicted this winter.
Officials say the report should be a wake-up call for California leaders, saying more infrastructure needs to be developed that can better weather future extreme events.
