Report Exploring the Potential for Water-Limited Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley By Caitlin Peterson, Cameron Pittelkow, Mark Lundy Jul 20, 2022 As irrigated farmland comes out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, valley residents will face increased pests, weeds, and dust—as well as a loss of employment and economic activity. Water-limited cropping is one alternative to fallowing that can improve soil health and air quality, create habitat, and keep land in production.
blog post The Challenges of Using Less Water in the Southern San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Jun 13, 2022 As the San Joaquin Valley grapples with the twin challenges of groundwater overdraft and land subsidence, we spoke with two experts about how programs like multi-benefit farmland repurposing are helping the region adapt.
blog post Commentary: Four Strategies for Managing California’s Crucial Watershed By Ellen Hanak, Greg Gartrell May 23, 2022 California is not doing a good job of tracking changes to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and its watershed. In our recent commentary, we argue that’s making it even tougher to manage the water that is available for the benefit of the state’s communities, economy, and environment.
Fact Sheet The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta By Jeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak, Greg Gartrell May 18, 2022 The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is California’s largest estuary and a vital hub in the state’s water supply system. Three interlinked issues currently face the Delta: an increasingly unreliable water supply, a decline in ecosystem health, and a fragile system of levees. Learn more about this key watershed in our new fact sheet.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Tracking Where Water Goes in a Changing Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta By Greg Gartrell, Jeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak May 16, 2022 The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta supplies water to roughly 30 million Californians, over 6 million acres of farmland, and countless ecosystems. But the watershed’s climate is changing: recent decades have seen record warmth, higher evaporation, and declining snowpack. We track where the water is going—and how to adapt.
data set PPIC Delta Water Accounting May 16, 2022 These spreadsheets contain all data, sources, and methods used to calculate water use in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, including estimates of outflow needed to meet regulations; ecological, export, and municipal and industrial uses; and watershed-level water sources and upstream depletions.
blog post A Life Written in Water: Susan Tatayon Reflects on Her 40-year Career By Sarah Bardeen May 2, 2022 As the former chair of the Delta Stewardship Council, Susan Tatayon has a unique perspective on the state’s water woes. We asked her to reflect on all she has learned in her four-decade career in California water.
blog post Video: Farming in a State of Extremes By Sarah Bardeen Apr 26, 2022 Last week, we brought together a panel of experts to discuss how the drought is affecting California’s farming regions—and what steps could be taken to soften the economic blow and improve the state’s resilience.
event Farming in a State of Extremes Apr 21, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. But the ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities. Join us for a panel discussion about the drought’s impacts on farming regions—and how the state and other actors can best respond to looming challenges.
