It’s been said that California is confronting a 21^st century water crisis armed with 20^th century infrastructure and 19^th century laws. That’s indisputably true.

California’s water rights system was created in the latter half of the 1800s. It has changed surprisingly little since then. In a state that prides itself on environmental innovation, it’s alarming that California’s calcified water rights system is out of sync with current needs.