Earlier this week, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order intended to allow officials to hold more water in reservoirs. The order updates an earlier one issued last March.

Specifically, the order maintains the prior California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) suspension for projects that prioritize efficient uses of water, which has been utilized by groundwater recharge projects, among others, in the past year.

New in the latest order is a suspension of CEQA for any actions the State Water Resources Control Board takes in order to conserve water upstream for cold-water storage, protect carry-over storage, provide opportunities for expanding water supplies north and south of the Delta, and improve habitat and water quality. The order also directs state agencies to provide additional recommendations to address current and future drought conditions.