Report Advancing Ecosystem Restoration with Smarter Permitting By Letitia Grenier, Stephanie Panlasigui, Crissy Pickett, Gokce Sencan Aug 16, 2021 California’s ecosystems are vital to the state’s economy and wellbeing, yet they’re in dire health. Large-scale restoration is needed, and implementing smarter permitting can help.
blog post In Memoriam: Dave Cogdill By Mark Baldassare, Ellen Hanak Jul 26, 2017 A tribute to Dave Cogdill--a valued friend and trusted advisor to PPIC and a respected member of the PPIC Water Policy Center’s advisory council.
blog post Commentary: A Grand Compromise for the Delta By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray Dec 5, 2016 A proposal to reduce conflict and meet the co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem health in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
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 New Strategy, New Challenges for the Delta By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray May 8, 2015 Governor Brown’s new approach to managing the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta brings new challenges.
blog post Caring About Delta Levees During a Drought By Jeffrey Mount Mar 26, 2015 When the sun is shining and our rivers are low, we tend to forget about the levees. This video—a simulation of what would happen if a severe earthquake hit the western Delta—is a reminder.
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: Saving the Fish By Jeffrey Mount Feb 26, 2014 This is part of a continuing series on the impact of the drought. In a recent California WaterBlog post, Peter Moyle of the University of California, Davis—a frequent collaborator on PPIC projects—highlights an issue not much discussed in the context of this drought: we ignore fish and wildlife at our peril.
