blog post From Litigation to Collaboration on the San Joaquin River By Molly Peterson, Sarah Bardeen Jul 18, 2023 The San Joaquin Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, and much of its success comes from the waters of the San Joaquin River. Today, the challenge is how to undo some of the damage done to the river’s ecosystems—and how to reconnect the river to its many communities.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jul 12, 2023 Key findings of the survey include: Most Californians think it is very important that the state take steps now to respond to climate change, though views vary across party lines. An overwhelming majority say that extreme weather events are a problem in their part of the state. A majority believe the use of electric vehicles helps address climate change; half have seriously considered getting one, and nearly one in ten have already done so.
blog post Defining Community Is Slippery on the Eel River By Cameron Nielsen, Sarah Bardeen Jul 10, 2023 On paper, California’s Eel River is a prime candidate for restoration. So why is it so hard to get done? The answer lies partly in the dam’s history—but in large part, the challenge lies in the complexities of who exactly constitutes the river’s community. Finding a solution has implications not just for the state but for the nation.
blog post Saving Steelhead—and Stitching a Community Back Together By Francisco Martínezcuello, Sarah Bardeen Jun 28, 2023 Near the small town of San Juan Capistrano in Southern California, a small creek is about to undergo a major transformation. The creek is known as Trabuco—and it just might hold the key to the survival of California’s endangered Southern steelhead.
Report District Spending of One-Time Funds for Educational Recovery By Julien Lafortune, Laura Hill, Niu Gao, Joseph Herrera ... Jun 28, 2023 To address COVID-19 disruptions to education, federal and state programs directed billions in stimulus aid to K–12 schools. These programs allocated greater funding to lower-income and high-need districts—and California districts applied their early funds to health, safety, and technology. More recently, spending has prioritized learning recovery.
blog post Restoring Rivers, Restoring Community By Sarah Bardeen, Gokce Sencan Jun 5, 2023 At the PPIC Water Policy Center, we’ve studied ecosystem restoration issues such as the importance of restoring more natural flow patterns, improving permitting, and storing water for the environment. This year, we brought in three CalTrout Ecosystem Fellows to look at another major challenge in river restoration: community engagement. This is the first of four posts on the topic!
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jun 5, 2023 Californians name economic conditions, homelessness, and housing as the most important issues facing the state today. A majority of Californians favor changing state environmental regulations as a way to increase housing affordability.
blog post Safeguarding the Future of California’s Freshwater Ecosystems By Sarah Bardeen May 22, 2023 Climate change is transforming California’s ecosystems, threatening vital habitat for many native species. Some species may be lost, which is why former Department of Water Resources lead scientist Ted Sommer and environmental law expert Jennifer Harder are joining forces as our 2023–24 PPIC CalTrout ecosystem fellows. We recently asked them to tell us more about their new project, which could help protect wildlife as the climate changes.
event Making the Most of a Wet Year Apr 27, 2023 California just saw one of the driest and warmest three-year periods on record end in an epic wet season. As we head into spring, when snow melts and demand skyrockets, it’s a good time to take stock. Is the drought over? Did we sock away some water for the next dry period? Where are we most vulnerable to flooding? And what might we do better? Join us for a panel discussion with three experts who can speak to all these issues—and more.
blog post The Toll of the San Joaquin Valley Floods: “It’s Not Pretty” By Sarah Bardeen Apr 26, 2023 Lois Henry is the engine behind the small but mighty two-person journalistic operation that is SJV Water, an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. We asked her about the flooding she’s seen so far this year—and what might happen as the weather heats up.
