A Risk Assessment of California’s Key Source Watershed Infrastructure – Pacific Forest Trust

In 2016, California enacted AB 2480, which defined source watersheds — the forests, meadows, and streams that supply water to its reservoirs — as an integral part of the state’s water system infrastructure. The law acknowledges that source watershed restoration and conservation are an essential complement to built water system infrastructure repair and maintenance, and necessary for a more reliable water supply. This report presents the first comprehensive assessment of conditions and restoration needs for the five source watersheds that deliver water to the Shasta and Oroville reservoirs, the state’s two largest reservoirs and the core of the state’s water supply. Together, these reservoirs provide drinking water for over 28 million Californians and agricultural water for millions of acres of farmland. The report can be viewed here.