Representatives from water agencies across the Sierra Nevada region gathered in Sacramento on May 20 for the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association’s (MCWRA) 2026 Legislative Advocacy Day, bringing the voice of California’s headwaters communities directly to state policymakers. The Nevada Irrigation District (NID), a member agency of MCWRA, participated in the event alongside other regional water leaders.

The event brought together elected officials, general managers, board members and regional water leaders to discuss the unique challenges facing rural and mountain communities responsible for protecting much of California’s water supply.

Throughout the day, participants met with legislators, legislative staff and administration representatives to highlight key issues affecting Sierra communities and local water agencies, including water affordability, aging infrastructure, wildfire resilience and the need for practical regulatory approaches tailored to rural regions.

A central focus of the discussions was the reality that Sierra Nevada headwaters communities provide more than 60% of California’s developed water supply while operating under conditions that differ significantly from larger urban systems. Many mountain agencies serve vast geographic areas with relatively small customer bases, creating unique financial and operational challenges.

Leaders also emphasized the growing impacts of wildfire on watersheds, water quality and long-term infrastructure reliability, while advocating for policies and investments that strengthen resilience across the region.

MCWRA officials said the event provided an important opportunity to ensure state decision-makers hear directly from the communities and agencies responsible for managing and protecting California’s headwaters.

By working together, participating agencies reinforced a shared message: protecting the Sierra Nevada headwaters is essential to California’s water future.