As this year is looking more and more like another water short year for California, it is important to remember the many important uses for water in our state. The chart below, which is generated with information contained in the California Water Plan, shows the many and varied environmental water uses, as well as the proportion of water used by the urban and agricultural sectors in the state. As decisions are made in response to the drought, meeting these multiple uses needs to be part of the process.
In the Sacramento Valley, environmental water uses garner an even larger share of available water supplies in the region (see below). Efforts to ensure that basic needs are met in even the driest years is an important part of ensuring sustainability in the region.
