The Governor has terminated the drought state of emergency in 19 coastal and desert counties that are collectively home to 70% of the state’s population: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Ventura counties. A copy of the proclamation terminating the drought state of emergency in these counties can be found here. 

The state of emergency remains in effect in California’s remaining 39 counties, where significant impacts from the multi-year drought – including depleted groundwater supplies, domestic well failures and harm to native fish – persist in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, the Tulare Lake basin, the Scott, Shasta and Klamath River watersheds, and the Clear Lake watershed.

The executive order rolling back several provisions of prior drought- and flood-related executive orders further narrows the drought state of emergency in the 39 counties where it remains in effect, while also rescinding orders related to flooding following the 2023 winter storms in 53 counties. The executive order rescinds provisions that are no longer necessary to respond to those emergencies without disrupting state agencies’ legal authority and funding to continue expedited work to improve access to clean drinking water and ongoing drought resilience planning work. A copy of the executive order can be found here. 

As California approaches the beginning of a new water year, the state remains ready to respond to changing water conditions, including the potential return of dry conditions. With estimates that hotter, drier conditions could reduce California’s water supply by up to 10% by the year 2040, the state is implementing an all-of-the-above approach to safeguard and boost water supplies as outlined in the California Water Plan, Water Supply Strategy and Water Resilience Portfolio. Leveraging historic state and federal funding, California is:

• Advancing clear, ambitious targets to build drought and flood resilience, including increasing annual groundwater recharge capacity by 500,000 acre-feet
• Fast-tracking groundwater recharge efforts by streamlining permits
• Maximizing stormwater capture through new projects
• Supporting reservoir repair and expansion to boost water storage above and below ground
• Modernizing water conveyance infrastructure across the state, including the Delta Conveyance Project