blog post California’s Changing Headwaters By Lori Pottinger Nov 29, 2016 Much of the state’s water supply originates in forested headwaters. An expert interview on how a warming climate and extreme wildfires are changing these ecosystems.
blog post Acting Locally to Address Sea Level Rise By Brett Sanders Nov 2, 2016 Climate change is bringing rising seas and more extreme storms. A new program helps coastal communities plan for a greater risk of coastal erosion and flooding.
blog post A Weatherman Explains California’s Volatile Climate By Lori Pottinger Jun 10, 2016 What are the links between drought, La Niña, and climate change? An expert interview with the climate scientist who founded the California Weather Blog.
blog post California Depends on Rivers—in the Air By Lori Pottinger Dec 8, 2015 Climate change could bring bigger rains and longer droughts to the state. We talked to Mike Dettinger about "atmospheric rivers” and what they mean for California’s water system.
Report What If California’s Drought Continues? By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Aug 19, 2015 California is in the fourth year of a severe, hot drought—the kind that is increasingly likely as the climate warms. Although no sector has been untouched, impacts so far have varied greatly, reflecting different levels of drought preparedness. Urban areas are in the best shape, thanks to sustained investments in diversified water portfolios and conservation. Farmers are more vulnerable, but they are also adapting. The greatest vulnerabilities are in some low-income rural communities where wells are running dry and in California’s wetlands, rivers, and forests, where the state’s iconic biodiversity is under extreme threat. Two to three more years of drought will increase challenges in all areas and require continued—and likely increasingly difficult—adaptations. Emergency programs will need to be significantly expanded to get drinking water to rural residents and to prevent major losses of waterbirds and extinctions of numerous native fish species, including most salmon runs. California also needs to start a longer-term effort to build drought resilience in the most vulnerable areas.
blog post Reminder: Droughts Often End with Floods By Jeffrey Mount, Carolyn Kousky, Nicholas Pinter Jun 9, 2015 Planning for floods is best done when the ground is dry.
Report Policy Priorities for Managing Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Mar 16, 2015 State, federal, and local water managers have worked diligently to reduce the economic, social, and environmental harm from the current drought. But as the drought continues, the challenges will grow more acute. California can learn from experiences to date—and from Australia’s response to its Millennium Drought—to better prepare both for the year ahead and for future droughts. State leaders should address weaknesses in four areas of drought preparation and response, by: 1) improving water use information, 2) setting clear goals and priorities for public health and the environment, 3) promoting water conservation and more resilient water supplies, and 4) strengthening environmental management.
blog post Drought Watch: Is This the End of Our Dry Spell? By Jeffrey Mount Dec 12, 2014 Beneath every headline about the intensity of the storm this week will be the question: Is the drought over?
blog post Drought Watch: What If 2015 Is Dry? By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount Nov 3, 2014 Another warm winter is likely. So what, if anything, should California do differently next year?
blog post Drought Watch: How Much Do Recent Rains Matter? By Jeffrey Mount Feb 14, 2014 This is part of a continuing series on the impact of the drought.While impressive in the intensity and amount of precipitation, this storm did little to alter the state’s drought picture.
