• Water: A California Story
  • Water: A California Story
  • Water: A California Story
  • Water: A California Story

All life depends on it, including ours...

For centuries, the seasonal waters of the San Diego River supported native Kumeyaay communities. People continued to settle near the river and the region’s population swelled with new arrivals. Local rivers and aquifers supplied all of their water until the early 1940s.

And today?

In San Diego, we import 80–90% of our water from the Colorado River and northern California. An estimated 19% of California’s energy use relates to water collection, transportation, and treatment. 
Using water = using energy = CO 2 emissions = climate change


Water: A California Story
features photos, maps, video, and hands-on activities, natural history specimens, live animals, and more. Tips and resources for water conservation on a local and regional level are also shared.

  • Explore the water issues facing southern California.

  • Learn about local issues on land (adaptations to water scarcity) and in the ocean (urban run-off, ocean pollution, and over fishing)

  • Examine the infrastructure of the regional water system, explore sources crucial to San Diego’s water infrastructure.

  • Look at the effects of a changing climate on our region’s water supply and discover how to help protect water for future generations.