The State Water Resources Control Board voted late Tuesday to adopt an emergency conservation regulation that extends mandatory urban conservation through October.

Board members said they would revisit the regulation in the spring when more complete information is available about the water year.

State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus acknowledged the regulation is “a blunt instrument,” but said it should be viewed as an interim step until the water supply outlook becomes more clear in April.

Top state agency officials and various stakeholders provided lawmakers with an update today on the status of projects and programs that are now – or soon will be –  funded by Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion water bond approved by voters in 2014.

The status update was provided during a joint informational and oversight hearing of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Resources and Transportation.

Snowpack water content in mountains throughout California is hovering well above historical averages – thanks to El Niño winter storms – but officials caution that the encouraging water readings do not indicate the state has pulled out of drought and continued water conservation is needed.

The California Water Commission is soliciting concept papers that summarize potential water storage projects and their benefits in an effort to gather information on projects that may qualify for Water Storage Investment Program public benefit funding under Proposition 1.

Concept papers will be accepted electronically until 5:00 p.m. March 31 atcwc@water.ca.gov.

ACWA is seeking interested candidates to fill two vacancies on its Region 2 Board for the 2016-’17 term. Members of the Region 2 Board determine the direction and focus of region issues and activities, support the fulfillment of ACWA’s goals and play an integral role in the leadership of the association as a whole.

The California Water Commission Friday opened the 45-day comment period for its proposed Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) regulations for the quantification and management of the public benefit of water storage projects. Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. on March 14.

California’s drought response strategy must reflect the water supply tools available in 2016, ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn writes in the latest entry in the Voices on Water blog.

As the State Water Resources Control Board prepares to act next week on an emergency conservation regulation proposed to extend through October, Quinn calls on the agency to recognize the array of water supply tools and strategies available to water managers today thanks to wise local investments over the past 25 years.

The California Department of Water Resources has released its final Agricultural Water Use Efficiency 2015-’16 Grants guidelines and proposal solicitation package, making  $30 million in Proposition 1 funding available for a wide range of agricultural water use efficiency projects. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 30.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday announced $182 million in new funding for local drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects and projects that help reduce water pollution. The funding will be available through the California Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.