Water Quality and Supply Issues Monthly Update - April 2026
Spring is in full bloom across California.
Warm greetings to our members and partners working across the construction industry. As the season shifts, our focus is always on one of California’s most critical resources: water.
At CICWQ, we continue to track the policies, conditions, and opportunities that shape water quality and supply across the state. This month brings important updates that impact how we plan, build, and manage water responsibly.
Here’s what you need to know this month:
💧 California Snowpack and Runoff Conditions – April 2026
With snowpack levels near zero as of April 1, conservation will play a critical role in managing California’s water supply this year.
🏛️ 2026 Legislative Alert: Oppose and Stop AB 2322 (Papan)
A new stormwater-related bill has emerged in Sacramento, raising concerns for the construction industry and requiring close attention as the session progresses.
🎓 Upcoming Education Opportunities for Stormwater Professionals
Two major conferences later this year will provide valuable training, insights, and networking opportunities for professionals managing construction-site stormwater.
👇 Explore each update below to stay informed, prepared, and engaged on the issues shaping California’s water future.
APRIL NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
1️⃣ California Snowpack and Runoff Conditions – April 2026
Unfortunately, according to our water supply experts, our snowpack is in rough shape, with no snow recorded at Phillips Station on April 1st. The manual survey conducted by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) actually measured zero inches of snow depth. Statewide, the snowpack levels are near all-time lows. A record-setting and abnormally hot and dry March across California’s mountain regions melted most of the accumulated snow over the winter. The April 1st snow survey is the fourth and last measurement of the 2025-2026 snowfall season. Water managers consider the April measurement peak snowpack for the season, which marks the transition from winter snowpack to spring snowmelt in the state’s rivers and reservoirs.
2️⃣ 2026 California Legislative Session Bill Alert: Oppose and Stop AB 2322 (Papan)
Efforts to further regulate stormwater runoff leaving public and private properties in California will just not stop. For many months, we’ve alerted our readers to proposed legislation, AB 1313 (Papan), that would have imposed sweeping new, costly stormwater runoff and treatment controls on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties across California. Fortunately, AB 1313 died earlier in 2026, as it did not obtain enough votes to move out of the Assembly.
However, a spin-off, so-called “spot bill” AB 2322, was just introduced by Assembly member Papan. AB 2322 is a stripped-down version of AB 1313 and proposes to create a single, uniform, statewide definition of commercial, industrial, and institutional sites, adding an additional, costly layer of permitting beyond existing municipal separate storm sewer system permits and industrial and construction general permits. California Coastkeeper, the bill’s primary supporter, continues to push for a new permit regime. Our industry must take every possible action to prevent AB 2322 (Papan) from advancing.
Note on the AB 2322 Fact Sheet: It contains an inconsistency—a reference to AB 1931 (Insurance). This occurred because AB 2322 is a recently amended spot bill that was heard in the ESTM Committee.
3️⃣ Educational for Construction Site Stormwater Professionals: Tri-State Seminar and CASQA Annual Conference
Continuing education is one of the fundamental keys to success in maintaining job site stormwater compliance. At CICWQ, we are proud to support two upcoming educational opportunities organized by public works, member-based associations working across California, Arizona, and Nevada.
First up is the Tri-State Seminar produced by the California Water Environment Association, AZ Water, and the Nevada Water Environment Association. Tri-State is always held the first week of August in Las Vegas and features three days of in-depth classes, workshops, and training opportunities.
Next is the California Stormwater Quality Association’s Annual Conference, held this year on October 26-28 in Sacramento. The CASQA annual conference blends in-depth training workshops with focused individual and issue-based panel presentations on an array of stormwater management topics. The annual conference always includes robust coverage of construction site stormwater topics, often focusing on compliance issues with the California Construction General Permit.
