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Highlights from September 2026

September was National Preparedness Month, a timely reminder that readiness happens long before an emergency arrives. As California strengthens preparations for the coming El Niño season, the Orange County Water District (OCWD) is doing what it does every year: preparing our groundwater recharge system to capture as much water as possible when rain comes.

OCWD operates 30 recharge facilities with a combined storage capacity of about 25,000 acre-feet, or more than 8.1 billion gallons of water. Throughout the year, our staff clean and maintain these facilities, remove accumulated sediment and ensure our infrastructure and systems are ready to receive and recharge water from a variety of sources, including storm flows. Our preparation also includes working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to capture additional stormwater behind Prado Dam when conditions permit. That water is then released downstream and recharged into the Orange County Groundwater Basin.

Wet years come and go, which is why preparation during dry years matters. At OCWD, the goal is to remain recharge ready year-round so that every storm provides the greatest possible benefit to our local drinking water supply.

That same preparedness mindset extends beyond groundwater recharge. OCWD is also exploring whether available sand from our facilities could provide beneficial reuse in supporting local efforts to address coastal erosion, while continuing to research new ideas and innovative approaches that make the most of local resources and strengthen Orange County’s water supply.

OCWD’s Children’s Water Education Festival is celebrating three decades of water education! This year's Festival will take place April 14 and 15, 2027 at Oak Canyon Park.

Since its inception, the Festival has provided more than 163,000 Orange County students with hands-on opportunities to learn about water, the environment and science. As we celebrate 30 years of inspiring Orange County’s young learners, we invite organizations and community members to help make this milestone Festival one to remember.

Get Involved!

Present

Calling all water, science, and environment-based organizations! Showcase your organization’s mission by leading an interactive activity that sparks curiosity. Join us as we educate over 5,000 third, fourth, and fifth grade students through hands-on presentations.

Sponsor

Help support the 30th anniversary of one of Orange County’s largest water education events. Sponsor contributions help provide students with opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to in the classroom. Sponsorship levels will soon be available to meet your organization’s needs. Donations are tax-deductible and may be made online or by mail.

Volunteer

Be part of this milestone celebration! Volunteers help guide students, support presenters and activities, and keep the Festival running smoothly. Join us in creating a memorable educational experience for Orange County students as we celebrate 30 years of water education.

At OCWD, we understand the value of water. We measure it, monitor it, protect it and manage it because every drop matters. What if we thought about information the same way? Like many water utilities, OCWD is a data-rich organization, generating information every day across laboratory and water quality systems, groundwater monitoring, GIS, operations, asset management, finance and many other areas. The opportunity is not simply to collect more data. It is to connect the information we already have and turn it into better decisions.

Under the leadership of OCWD’s Information Services Department, the District is advancing Data Watershed®, a strategic information management framework that applies familiar principles of water management to information management. Think of OCWD's systems as headwaters, each producing important streams of information. By connecting those streams while maintaining appropriate stewardship, governance and security, trusted information can become more useful for reporting, analytics, modeling and decision support.

That foundation is increasingly important as artificial intelligence (AI) expands what organizations can do with information. AI readiness starts with data readiness. AI can help identify patterns, improve forecasting and support decisions, but trusted data, quality and context must come first. At OCWD, not only does every drop of water matter - every drop of data matters, too.

OCWD recently welcomed members of the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) for a tour of District facilities and a discussion about water reuse, groundwater recharge and groundwater management.

GWPC brings together state agencies with groundwater-focused programs, along with federal agencies and industry representatives, to share experiences and lessons learned from across the country.

During the visit, participants received a firsthand look at OCWD’s approach to water reuse and groundwater recharge. The tour concluded with a Q&A session with OCWD’s Mehul Patel, Adam Hutchinson and Julio Polanco, including discussion about how states can establish new reclaimed water programs. The exchange highlighted the value of sharing lessons OCWD has gained through decades of operating large-scale water reuse and managed aquifer recharge programs.

OCWD recently welcomed Matthew Bearden as its new Natural Resources Director. In this role, he oversees the District’s environmental programs and a team of environmental specialists who conduct biological monitoring throughout the Santa Ana River watershed and Prado Basin.

Matthew brings nearly two decades of experience in water quality, biological monitoring and natural resource management. His previous work includes roles with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the states of Florida and Oregon. His experience also includes research involving endangered species and their habitats, hydropower licensing, and collaboration with communities and regulatory agencies on water and environmental programs.

At OCWD, Matthew will work closely with regional partners and regulatory agencies to support natural resource protection throughout the Santa Ana River Watershed, including efforts involving endangered and threatened species such as the least Bell’s vireo and Santa Ana sucker.

A reliable water supply depends not only on infrastructure and technology, but also on the people who plan, operate, maintain and improve those systems. At OCWD, workforce development is an ongoing effort that includes recruitment, career exposure, professional development and opportunities for employees to grow within the organization.

OCWD supports career pathways in a variety of fields, including engineering, water quality, operations, maintenance, hydrogeology, environmental science, finance, information technology, planning, communications and more. The District also provides internships and works with educational and community partners to introduce students and emerging professionals to careers in the water industry.

For current employees, professional development, training and leadership opportunities help strengthen skills and prepare staff for future roles. Together, these efforts support long-term workforce needs while helping ensure that knowledge and expertise continue to grow across the organization.

Visit the District’s Careers webpage to explore current job and internship opportunities, learn about employee benefits and hear from staff about what it is like to work at OCWD.

Learn about OCWD's role in providing a safe, reliable, local water supply by attending an event, webinar or tour. Individuals and groups are invited to tour the award-winning GWRS and other District facilities.

Through our active speakers bureau program, you may request for our staff to come speak to organizations and schools, as well as conferences and events.