blog post America’s Public Lands: A Bipartisan Political Success Story By Sarah Bardeen May 16, 2022 In an era marred by bitter partisanship, law professor John Leshy says that our public lands are one of the country’s greatest bipartisan achievements—and a shining political success story that’s worth emulating. Read our interview with him!
blog post Commentary: New Approach Needed to Protect Health of California’s Rivers By Ted Grantham, Jeffrey Mount Sep 14, 2020 In the face of the changing climate, biodiversity loss, and continuing conflict over water, California urgently needs to rethink how it manages water for the environment. Restoring seasonal flows to rivers can help.
blog post Central Coast a Microcosm of State Water Challenges By Lori Pottinger Aug 11, 2015 Water challenges around the state are in many ways place-specific, but the Central Coast offers some lessons for addressing dwindling water supply in times of drought. An interview with Richard Frank.
Report Solar Energy and Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Annabelle Rosser, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Oct 25, 2022 Hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production in the San Joaquin Valley in coming decades. At the same time, the state needs to ramp up renewable energy generation to meet climate goals. Could solar development on fallowed land help the valley’s residents? Our new report examines the challenges and opportunities.
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.
Report Managing California’s Water: From Conflict to Reconciliation By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Richard Howitt ... Feb 24, 2011 California has struggled to manage its water effectively for more than 30 years. Today, the state needs to consider a set of wide-ranging reforms—for the benefit of the economy and the environment.Executive Summary Full Report [PDF, 9.06 MB] To view individual chapters, click on the links below. Introduction Floods, Droughts, and Lawsuits: A Brief History of California Water Policy California Water Today Drivers of Change Urgent and Fundamental Challenges Reconciling Ecosystems: Reversing Declines in Native Species Orchestrating the Management of Water Scarcity, Quality, and Flooding Managing Water as a Public Commodity Effective and Adaptive Governance Pathways to Reform A Way Forward Technical Appendix: Managing California’s Water: Insights from Interviews with Water Policy Experts Interactive Map: California’s Water Quality Problems Map Image: California’s Variable Climate This research was supported with funding from S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Pisces Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, and Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority.
