Report Adapting California’s Water Management to Climate Change By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund Nov 17, 2008 Among the potential impacts of climate change, accelerated sea level rise and a reduced Sierra snowpack are the most certain. Both will pose significant challenges for water supply and flood management. Water utilities have already begun to plan for these changes, but flood control agencies are lagging behind and face greater regulatory constraints. State leadership is needed to resolve some threats, including the risk of catastrophic failure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This report was prepared as part of the Preparing California for a Changing Climate project.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Future By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Sonja Petek, Jui Shrestha Dec 5, 2012 Some findings of the current survey: Californians show signs of optimism about the state’s future. Strong majorities support spending reforms; smaller majorities support lowering the vote thresholds to pass state and local taxes. Californians favor a "split roll” property tax but express record-high opposition to taxing services or increasing the vehicle license fee. Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [PDF] California State Legislature [PDF] Time Trends of Job Approval Ratings: Governor Brown [XLS] California State Legislature [XLS] Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California [PDF] Economic Outlook for California [PDF] Time Trends for the Mood of Californians: General Direction of Things in California [XLS] Economic Outlook for California [XLS] This survey was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, The David and Susan Coulter Family Foundation, and the Walter S. Johnson Foundation.
Report The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic, Yufang Jin, Scott Stephens ... Apr 24, 2020 California’s headwater forests have become more vulnerable to drought and wildfire—risks that are increasing with climate change. Increased forest management on a large scale can improve the region’s resilience to these risks, and bring widely shared benefits in air quality, water quality and supply, rural economies, and carbon sequestration. This report assesses the benefits and beneficiaries of improved forest management. This information is key to crafting the financial tools, policies, and other governance solutions needed for long-term stewardship of the state’s headwater forests.
At Issue, Report Paying for Infrastructure: California’s Choices By Ellen Hanak Jan 22, 2009 PPIC's At Issue series focuses on issues important for California now and in the future. Financing infrastructure has traditionally been difficult for the state, and current economic woes are likely to make it even more challenging. In this At Issue, PPIC research director Ellen Hanak analyzes the impediments to infrastructure financing and describes funding reforms such as loosening the supermajority rules for local infrastructure funding, financing investment through user fees, and expanding public-private partnerships. She outlines how these reforms could improve the state’s ability to build for the future.
Report Managing California’s Water: From Conflict to Reconciliation By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Richard Howitt ... Feb 24, 2011 California has struggled to manage its water effectively for more than 30 years. Today, the state needs to consider a set of wide-ranging reforms—for the benefit of the economy and the environment.Executive Summary Full Report [PDF, 9.06 MB] To view individual chapters, click on the links below. Introduction Floods, Droughts, and Lawsuits: A Brief History of California Water Policy California Water Today Drivers of Change Urgent and Fundamental Challenges Reconciling Ecosystems: Reversing Declines in Native Species Orchestrating the Management of Water Scarcity, Quality, and Flooding Managing Water as a Public Commodity Effective and Adaptive Governance Pathways to Reform A Way Forward Technical Appendix: Managing California’s Water: Insights from Interviews with Water Policy Experts Interactive Map: California’s Water Quality Problems Map Image: California’s Variable Climate This research was supported with funding from S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Pisces Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, and Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority.
Report Making the Most of Water for the Environment: A Functional Flows Approach for California’s Rivers By Ted Grantham, Jeffrey Mount, Sarah Yarnell, Eric D. Stein Aug 24, 2020 Water and land management activities have substantially altered river flows across the state, degrading ecosystems and decimating populations of native species. Restoring seasonal components of river flow is key to sustaining the biological, chemical, and physical processes necessary for ecosystem health.
Report Groundwater and Urban Growth in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Henry McCann, David Mitchell ... Sep 15, 2021 As the San Joaquin Valley addresses groundwater overdraft under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), its urban utilities face unique challenges. Learn how to ensure a smooth transition for the region’s residents.
Occasional Paper, Report California’s Water Market, By the Numbers By Ellen Hanak Oct 1, 2002 Prepared for presentation to the Department of Water Resources, October 2002.
