Press release from the California Water Data Consortium:
The California Water Data Consortium released Strengthening California’s Climate Bond Outcomes with Water Data Infrastructure, a new report on data and information systems-focused strategies and approaches to maximize Proposition 4’s success. The report reflects insights from over 100 water leaders convened last June—representing state agencies, local water managers, nonprofits, academic institutions, and more.
While California has dedicated $3.8 billion from Proposition 4 for water resilience, many agencies and communities lack the data infrastructure, governance systems, and coordination mechanisms to help implement investments as effectively as possible and learn from outcomes.
Key Findings
The report outlines five interconnected themes for: identifying and investing in enabling conditions; funding data and information systems as essential infrastructure; designing systems that adapt to changing conditions; collaborating to multiply impact; and enabling innovation that serves communities. These recommendations extend beyond Proposition 4 to guide all of California’s water and ecological resilience investments—a particularly important moment as the state marks the 10th anniversary of the Open and Transparent Water Data Act (AB 1755, Dodd).
Real-world examples illustrate what works. In the Kaweah Subbasin, transparent data governance helped recruit landowners for a succesful pilot water market initiative. In Napa Valley, coordinated regional monitoring across agencies strengthened adaptive management. And in the Russian River, pooled resources for shared monitoring reduced costs while improving shared decision making.
The report also identifies a structural imbalance: Proposition 4 and similar bonds fund physical infrastructure effectively, but rarely fund the coordination, governance, and facilitation that enable those projects to succeed. State and local officials confirmed this challenge—state agencies often lack the capacity to publish data on time, while local agencies face conflicting and duplicative reporting requirements.
“These recommendations extend beyond Proposition 4 to guide all of California’s water and ecological resilience investments,” notes Consortium CEO & President Robyn Grimm. “The next phase is implementation, and it will require sustained commitment from state agencies, local partners, and funders.”
What’s Next
The Consortium will host a virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, May 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., to bring the report to life, provide additional resources, and discuss implementation strategies with a panel of state and local water leaders. Registration is free.
Speakers include:
- Aaron Fukuda, Tulare Irrigation District
- Greg Gearheart, State Water Resources Control Board
- Paul Gosselin, Department of Water Resources
- Lacey McBride, Merced County
- Jim Peifer, Regional Water Authority
Access the Report
Visit the report landing page at cawaterdata.org/prop4report.
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For more information: Alyssa Senturk, Senior Communications and Outreach Manager, asenturk@cawaterdata.org, 619-354-0083
The California Water Data Consortium is California’s trusted, neutral convener for water and ecological data collaboration. Since our founding in 2019 to advance the Open and Transparent Water Data Act, we’ve brought together state agencies, water managers, researchers, and community organizations to break down data silos and build the open infrastructure California’s water future depends on. Learn more at cawaterdata.org.
