The Department of Water Resources yesterday filed a petition with the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the timeframe to maximize its existing water rights. This is an important component of meeting the State’s climate change preparedness goals and the potential to develop additional storage of water and would help support virtually every major water initiative underway. These include California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future, the Department’s Climate Adaptation Plan, the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, the state’s water quality control plan, and all efforts for water reliability in and through the Delta.