Water for Our Future: Building reliability in a changing climate

This winter didn't follow the script. Northern California saw strong storms early in the season. Reservoirs filled, and soils became saturated. But much of that precipitation fell as rain instead of snow, especially at higher elevations. Snow arrived later, but it didn't last. A record hot March accelerated snowmelt weeks ahead of schedule. By April 1, California's snowpack – often called the state's "frozen reservoir" – had dropped to just 18 percent of average, one of the lowest measurements on record. This year reflects the conditions water experts have been preparing for: shorter wet seasons, more rain than snow and runoff arriving earlier and faster. New regional analysis of the American, Bear and Cosumnes watersheds points to the same pattern – greater swings between wet and dry, rising temperatures and increasing pressure on the systems that store and deliver water. For communities like ours in Placer County, these shifts matter. Snowpack has long acted as a natural storage system, releasing water gradually through spring and summer. When that system changes, so must the way water is managed. Reliable water service doesn't happen by chance. It is built – through planning, investment and coordination across agencies. That is the foundation of Water for Our Future, a joint outreach effort by the Placer County Water Agency, City of Roseville and City of Lincoln. Together, we are sharing our long-term collaborative approach to strengthening water reliability for the communities we serve. One example is the Ophir Water Treatment Plant, a project led by the Placer County Water Agency in partnership with the City of Lincoln. Designed to produce up to 10 million gallons of water per day in its initial phase, the facility will expand overall system capacity and provide an additional location for water treatment. That added flexibility means water service can continue even when parts of the system are offline or conditions change unexpectedly. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the ability to scale the facility over time as the region grows. At the same time, the City of Roseville is expanding its Aquifer Storage and Recovery program, adding new groundwater wells that allow water to be stored underground during wet periods and used when conditions turn dry. This approach reduces reliance on surface water during drought and maintains consistent service for homes and businesses. These investments are part of a broader regional strategy. Across Placer County and the Sacramento region, water providers are working together to manage water in both wet and dry years – capturing it when available, storing it for later use and delivering it where it is needed. This includes expanding groundwater storage through the Sacramento Regional Water Bank, strengthening connections between systems through projects like RiverArc, investing in upgrading and replacing aging infrastructure and working with customers to use water efficiently through rebates, education and water-wise practices. Each of these efforts plays a role. Together, they create a system that is more flexible, more resilient and better prepared for what lies ahead. The conditions seen this year are a reminder that water management in California is changing. They also show why long-term planning and regional collaboration matter. Across Placer County, that work is already underway – building a water system designed to capture, store and deliver water when it is available, and make it last when it is not. Learn more about how this work is shaping Placer County's water future at PlacerWaterFuture.com.