High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), is part of the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California`s management and regulation of water usage. The department was created in 1956 by Governor Goodwin Knight following severe flooding across Northern California in 1955, combining the Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer`s Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board. It has its headquarters in Sacramento.