blog post Making End-of-Life Decisions on Aging Dams By Lori Pottinger Nov 9, 2020 Many of California’s large dams are outliving their functions and even becoming hazardous. We talked to Andrew Rypel of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences about how to address this aging dam population.
blog post Improving Water Resilience for Cities and Farms with Water Partnerships By Alvar Escriva-Bou Nov 2, 2020 The San Joaquin Valley and urban Southern California are worlds apart, yet each face growing water challenges. Water partnerships that take advantage of shared water infrastructure can help both regions have a more secure water future.
Report Water Partnerships between Cities and Farms in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan, Ellen Hanak, Robert Wilkinson Oct 28, 2020 The San Joaquin Valley and urban Southern California are worlds apart, but each faces growing water challenges. Both regions’ water futures could be more secure if they take advantage of shared water infrastructure to jointly develop and manage some water supplies.
Report Making the Most of Water for the Environment: A Functional Flows Approach for California’s Rivers By Ted Grantham, Jeffrey Mount, Sarah Yarnell, Eric D. Stein Aug 24, 2020 Water and land management activities have substantially altered river flows across the state, degrading ecosystems and decimating populations of native species. Restoring seasonal components of river flow is key to sustaining the biological, chemical, and physical processes necessary for ecosystem health.
blog post California’s 21st Century Megadrought By Jeffrey Mount, Michael Dettinger Jun 23, 2020 California is in the midst of a decades-long drought, which mimics what climate change is expected to bring. Water management should adapt accordingly.
blog post Sinking Lands, Damaged Infrastructure: Will Better Groundwater Management End Subsidence? By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Jelena Jezdimirovic, Ellen Hanak May 14, 2020 Excess groundwater pumping can cause land to sink and damage infrastructure. Groundwater plans are supposed to reduce this risk—but do they go far enough?
blog post Video: The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Lori Pottinger May 4, 2020 California’s headwater forests are increasingly vulnerable to major wildfires and droughts that threaten the many benefits they provide. An expert panel discussed how improved management can reduce risks of major wildfires and bring other benefits.
Report The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Henry McCann, Van Butsic, Yufang Jin, Scott Stephens ... Apr 24, 2020 California’s headwater forests have become more vulnerable to drought and wildfire—risks that are increasing with climate change. Increased forest management on a large scale can improve the region’s resilience to these risks, and bring widely shared benefits in air quality, water quality and supply, rural economies, and carbon sequestration. This report assesses the benefits and beneficiaries of improved forest management. This information is key to crafting the financial tools, policies, and other governance solutions needed for long-term stewardship of the state’s headwater forests.
blog post A Changing Water Landscape By Ellen Hanak Jan 13, 2020 A look back at the PPIC Water Policy Center’s work in 2019.
blog post Reducing Flood Risk in the Central Valley By Lori Pottinger Nov 19, 2019 The Central Valley has some of the highest risk of flooding in the state—and that risk is growing as the climate changes. We talked to Tim Ramirez of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board about what’s being done to manage this risk, now and into the future.