To understand how water managers may protect California against flooding and groundwater overdraft in a warming climate, DWR linked several distinct pieces of software that simulated upper watershed snowpack and runoff, routed river flows, managed reservoir pools, optimized recharge operations, and modeled the resulting groundwater movement to determine the ultimate fate of recharged water.
The Watershed Studies are a novel approach to modeling climate change impacts at the watershed scale, from precipitation trends in the upper watershed to groundwater behavior beneath the Valley floor.
A Groundwater Recharge Guide for Vineyards Sustainable Conservation and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) have released A Groundwater Recharge Guide for Vineyards to help winegrape growers evaluate, plan, and implement on-farm groundwater recharge to contribute to regional groundwater sustainability. As California’s wine regions face growing groundwater pumping regulations under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the guide equips growers with…
The watershed studies released this winter offer regional-scale information on hydrology, infrastructure, and recharge potential so local partners can better coordinate diversions, improve public safety, and enhance long-term water supply reliability.
On November 5-6, 2025, over 120 water professionals, researchers, farmers, and agency representatives gathered for the Flood-MAR Network’s biennial forum. The energy in the room told a story years in the making: flood-managed aquifer recharge (Flood-MAR) is gaining widespread adoption across California. Mike Antos (Stantec) opened the forum with a quote from Charles F. Brannan,…
What if we could make OFR even better? What if we could enhance water infiltration, reduce nutrient leaching, and improve soil health all at the same time? That’s exactly what we’re exploring through this Specialty Crop Block Grant Program project combining cover cropping with on-farm recharge in California pistachio orchards.
The Merced study represents a shift toward integrated, climate-smart water management in California. It’s about connecting local projects with regional strategies, blending green infrastructure with grey infrastructure, and preparing for a future where flexibility and foresight are essential.
Photo: Kelly M. Grow / California Department of Water Resources On September 4th, we had the distinct privilege of kicking off our 2024 fall webinar series, “Recharging California,” with a conversation between Sustainable Conservation CEO Ashley Boren and Climate Scientist Dr. Daniel Swain. Daniel holds joint appointments as a research scientist within UCLA’s Institute of…
Practical strategies for how to manage and broaden recharge benefits for communities, ecosystems, agriculture, and flood risk reduction.
For 2024 Groundwater Awareness Week, Sustainable Conservation is highlighting the avenues through which we strive to scale recharge efforts throughout the state.
For 2024 Groundwater Awareness Week, Sustainable Conservation is highlighting the avenues through which we strive to scale recharge efforts throughout the state.
For 2024 Groundwater Awareness Week, Sustainable Conservation is highlighting the avenues through which we strive to scale recharge efforts throughout the state.