As part of efforts to address the state’s drought, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold its first ever Winter Outlook Workshop Nov. 21 in San Diego. The workshop will bring together nationally known scientists to provide state water managers with the most accurate prediction possible for water year 2009 which runs from Oct. 1, 2008, through Sept. 30 next year.

California is potentially facing yet another dry year. The past two water years have been critically dry, and storage in the state’s reservoirs is at a 14-year low. Court-ordered restrictions on water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta have further contributed to the lack of water in some parts of the state. Many local communities have placed mandatory or voluntary restrictions on water use. An accurate long-range forecast for 2009 precipitation is a critical tool for water managers throughout the state.

The workshop will be held at the San Diego Westin Hotel in San Diego.

It is free, but attendance is limited to 75. Please email anorris@water.ca.gov to RSVP. For those who can’t attend, the workshop will be webcast live at http://cawater.rmxpres.com/webcast/data/winoutlook2009112108/msh.htm.