Gov. Jerry Brown today said water policy will be a top priority during his next term as governor, and added that he predicts Californians will embrace conservation and innovative water policy in the same way they have become national leaders in renewable energy.

“It’s something that I’m going to put front and center…,” Brown said of water policy during his next term. “This is long-standing. It takes perseverance and broad collaboration.”

The State Water Resources Control Board will sponsor a series of workshops throughout the state in coming weeks to present an overview of the draft Safe Drinking Water Plan for California. Members of the public are invited to comment on the document by noon on Dec. 15.

A quorum of State Board members may be present at the workshop and may provide input, pose questions, or provide direction to staff, but will not take action.

According to the California Department of Public Health, West Nile virus infections are at an all-time high statewide and the drought may be at least partly to blame.

This year, 562 human cases of West Nile have been reported, which is more than twice as many as a year ago, and 17 people have died. More than one-third of the state’s infected bird population has been found in Santa Clara County. According to the Santa Clara County Vector Control one in 20 mosquitos in the area is infected with West Nile.

The California Department of Water Resources will sponsor several workshops throughout the state Nov. 6  that are intended to provide tools and resources to Integrated Regional Water Management stakeholders.

The workshops will have a particular focus on the needs of tribes, disadvantaged communities and local agencies, but all IRWM stakeholders are welcome. The workshop will be held simultaneously from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Redding, Stockton, Clovis, and Los Angeles. A webcast session, as well as on-site interactive sessions at each location, also will be held.

Flood Preparedness Week, from Oct. 20-25, is geared towards helping the public “be aware and be prepared” for flood risks.

Despite the fact that California is experiencing a record-breaking drought the possibility of flooding remains a big concern. According to the Department of Water Resources (DWR), since 2012 the state has experienced at least $52.3 million dollars in flood damage and four-flood related fatalities.

California’s record-breaking drought likely will persist in many parts of the state this winter and could intensify in some areas, according to a newly released winter forecast by the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.

According to the three-month forecast released Oct. 16, drought is expected to improve in California’s southern and northwestern regions, but improvement is not expected until December or January. The remainder of the state is expected to remain unseasonably dry.

San Diego County Water Authority on Oct. 15 kicked off a ‘Water-Saving Superstar” promotion with U-T San Diego that asks county residents to create an online video that provides tips for water savings and reflects the theme “saving every day, every way.”

The California Water Foundation and the Environmental Coalition for Clean Water and Wildlife Protection have both launched new websites featuring information on Proposition 1 this week.