blog post Commentary: Newsom’s Water Strategy Needs to Go a Step Further By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount Sep 8, 2022 Dams are essential to managing California’s water supply, but their construction and operation has harmed freshwater ecosystems. We propose a novel approach to water management that treats the environment as a priority rather than a constraint on reservoir operations—and that may help to manage growing threats to the health of our rivers and estuaries.
Report Storing Water for the Environment By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala ... Aug 22, 2022 Large reservoirs are essential for managing water in California’s highly variable climate—but over the years, the construction and operation of these reservoirs have had significant environmental costs. Our new research outlines how reservoir operations could be changed to improve the health of the state’s fragile freshwater ecosystems.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Storing Water for the Environment By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala ... Aug 22, 2022 To protect and restore California’s freshwater ecosystems and respond to the changing climate, California’s water managers must change how they operate reservoirs. Our policy brief offers recommendations for how to do this in a way that makes the most efficient use of scarce water for the environment while minimizing impacts on other water uses.
blog post Californians Want the Government to Do More about Drought, Wildfires, and Climate Change By Deja Thomas, Caitlin Peterson Aug 8, 2022 Californians voiced continued concern over water supply, wildfire, and climate issues in this year’s survey on the environment. And while actions are underway, many think that the state could do more to combat these issues swiftly.
blog post Video: Californians and the Environment By Stephanie Barton Aug 4, 2022 Researchers Deja Thomas and Rachel Lawler discuss key findings from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines Californians’ views on drought, wildfires, climate change, and a range of other environmental issues.
event Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment Jul 28, 2022 In the July survey, PPIC examines Californians’ concerns about environmental issues, including drought, wildfires, and the condition of our beaches. The survey also tracks opinions on state efforts to address climate change along with support for policies to expand oil production and develop renewable energy sources. PPIC survey analyst Deja Thomas will present key findings and discuss takeaways with survey analyst Rachel Lawler.
blog post Anxious California Voters Will Weigh In on Climate Policy this Fall By Mark Baldassare Jul 27, 2022 Amid widespread public concern about the effects of climate change, a November ballot measure would provide funding for programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the tax on personal income over $2 million.
press release Nearly Seven in Ten Say the Water Supply Is a Big Problem in Their Part of the State Jul 27, 2022
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jul 27, 2022 Key findings include: Three in ten Californians name water supply and drought as the state’s top environmental issue; nearly seven in ten say the water supply is a big problem in their part of the state. More than half of Californians say higher gas prices have caused financial hardship, and more than four in ten are upset about the current rate of inflation. Most Californians oppose offshore drilling, and an overwhelming majority want to prioritize alternative energy over oil, coal, and natural gas. But views are divided along party lines. Democrats are much more likely than independents and Republicans to support key state climate change policies.
event Farmland in Transition: The San Joaquin Valley Jul 26, 2022 As the San Joaquin Valley works to bring its groundwater basins into balance, hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production. How do we manage all this newly fallowed land? Our latest research examines whether water-limited agriculture might help ease the transition—and what other management practices could mitigate dust and air quality concerns in the valley.