North Monterey County Drought Contingency Plan and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Salinas/Carmel Rivers Basins Studies

The development and sharing of comprehensive resource management information between these two studies provides local stakeholders an opportunity to jointly investigate, consider and make informed decisions around the region’s future water supply.

These two water resource planning programs – the WaterSMART Basin Studies (Basin Studies) and the Water SMART Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) – are providing a platform for local agencies to collaborate with Federal resources and expertise.  These studies compliment one another, and each develops and analyzes complex data, that in turn, supports informed planning and project decisions for water supply adaption strategies under uncertain, future climate conditions.

The common goal of these studies is to meet the needs of reliable, affordable water, and address the impacts of climate change. To do this, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is investing in a comprehensive approach to developing climate resiliency through WaterSMART programs.

Drought Contingency Plan completed in Spring 2019 and Basin Study is Underway

The DCP is a comprehensive document, developed with the input of numerous public and private stakeholders in northern Monterey County, that identifies multiple drought mitigation projects and initiatives, and provides a framework to address issues of future drought. Click here for Final DCP.

Findings from the DCP will be incorporated into the larger Salinas and Carmel Rivers Basins Study which utilizes computer modeling to provide detailed analysis of climate change and socio-economic scenarios impacts on existing and future water supplies through the year 2100.