blog post The Yolo Bypass: It’s a Floodplain! It’s Farmland! It’s an Ecosystem! By Lori Pottinger Jul 29, 2019 The Sacramento River needs room to spread in wet years. The Yolo Bypass allows it to safely flood while also providing habitat. Scientist Ted Sommer explains this unique landscape.
blog post Commentary: Delta Interests Should Seize the Opportunity to Cease Water Fights By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Feb 21, 2019 The governor has proposed a single tunnel rather than two for the Sacramento‒San Joaquin Delta—and approach that could help reduce conflict over this important water body.
blog post Connecting the Drops in Watershed Management By Lori Pottinger Feb 12, 2019 The Yuba Water Agency manages its watershed for hydropower, water supply, flood control, and ecosystem health. We talked to the agency’s manager, Curt Aikens, about lessons learned from this integrated approach.
blog post Commentary: Peace in California’s Water Wars is Within Grasp By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Dec 19, 2018 A new proposal for managing the Sacramento‒San Joaquin Delta and its watershed would increase flows for native fish and make major investments in habitat.
blog post Working with California Tribes on Upper Watershed Restoration By Lori Pottinger Nov 20, 2018 A new program taps into tribal understanding of natural resources to ensure indigenous voices are being heard and to provide a more expansive approach to how state and tribal programs can align in the management of rivers, fisheries, and forests.
Report California’s Water: Managing Droughts By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Nov 12, 2018 California is prone to multi-year droughts. Diverse, coordinated approaches are needed to stretch our water supply, ensure safe drinking water for at-risk communities, and protect the natural environment during dry periods. This brief describes the major effects of drought, and outlines adaptation strategies to manage them.
Report California’s Water: Water for the Environment By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Nov 12, 2018 River and wetland ecosystems in California—and the many birds, fish, and other species they support—are in serious decline. Major investments and novel approaches are needed to improve the health of our natural environment. This brief explains how water is used for environmental purposes and describes priority approaches that could improve its management.
blog post A Water Budget for the Environment By Jeffrey Mount Nov 5, 2018 California’s freshwater ecosystems are in decline and becoming increasingly vulnerable to drought. Allocating water budgets for the environment would help.
blog post Tackling Safe Drinking Water in the San Joaquin Valley By Lori Pottinger Oct 22, 2018 Unsafe drinking water is an ongoing problem in a number of disadvantaged rural communities. We talked to Maria Herrera about how to address it.
blog post Remaking Flood Management to Support Salmon By Lori Pottinger Jul 18, 2018 California’s aquatic ecosystems and the species that depend on them are in trouble. Restoring floodplains can make a big difference.