In the coming days and weeks, some of the implications of climate change and the need to improve California’s aging water delivery system will become more evident to all parts of the state, none too soon. Old lines in California’s unending water wars could start to shift, as Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration makes clear that the holders of senior water rights, which date to the turn of the last century and before, are not immune to the demands of the environment and the realities of diminishing supplies of what they claim as their water.

As the Western United States struggles with chronic water shortages and a changing climate, scientists are warning that if vast underground stores of fresh water that California and other states rely on are not carefully conserved, they too may soon run dry. Heeding this warning, California passed new laws in late 2014 that for the first time require the state to account for its groundwater resources and measure how much water is being used.

Water, energy and climate in California are closely linked. Nearly 20 percent of the state’s electricity currently goes to the water sector, and climate change is already impacting the availability and timing of water resources. Reducing the energy costs of water production, including through conserving electricity and increasing water efficiency, will become increasingly important as California faces the reality of climate change and prolonged drought. Meet 12 people who are among the top experts that Water Deeply’s editors, reporters and contributors look to when it comes to this crucial issue.

Coming off the heels of a historically hot summer, California citizens may be in for a bit of a reprieve for this year’s winter, and if meteorologists are correct in their predictions, perhaps a positive impact on the drought as well.The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), a subsect of the National Weather Service, has released a monthly forecast which predicts that La Niña is no longer likely to occur. According to Reuters, last month the CPC stated that La Niña conditions were favored to occur with a 55-60 percent chance of developing during the upcoming fall and winter.