Data Explorer for Learning, Visualization, and Export (DELVE) for CA DWR

California’s Open and Transparent Water Data Act (Assembly Bill [AB] 1755), passed in 2016, requires the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in consultation with other state agencies, to create, operate, and maintain a statewide integrated water data platform, and to develop protocols for data sharing, documentation, quality control, public access, and promotion of open-source platforms and decision support tools related to water data.

Why does this project matter?

To achieve compliance with AB 1755, DWR needed to design and deploy a database system, and they also needed to design and implement process workflows related to data management, quality control, and documentation. The solution we delivered, known as Data Explorer for Learning, Visualization, and Export (DELVE), provides the foundation for a standardized statewide platform with access for the public and integrations for regional water districts and other stakeholders.

What is ESA doing to help?

The ESA Technology Services group developed the DELVE system to store and facilitate access to valuable environmental data collected by DWR, while allowing for the visualization of that data in an intuitive interface. DELVE will serve as the long-term repository for existing and future data sets, including fisheries, biotelemetry, hydrodynamic, water quality, and other sources.

DELVE facilitates data sharing through API integrations with the CNRA Open Data Portal, enabling DWR to operate and maintain a statewide integrated water data platform. The solution additionally establishes data standards for common structures—including acoustic telemetry, acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and water quality time series data—and equips DWR with automated QA/QC tools, including configurable visualizations of structured data.