Report Paying for Water in California By Ellen Hanak, Dean Misczynski, Jay Lund, Brian Gray ... Mar 12, 2014 California faces serious funding gaps in five key areas of water management—including safe drinking water in small, disadvantaged communities; flood protection; management of stormwater and other polluted runoff; aquatic ecosystem management; and integrated water management. These gaps amount to $2 billion to $3 billion a year. But bold efforts by state and local leaders can pave the way to sustainable solutions for California’s critical water resources. This research is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the California Water Foundation, an initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund. Technical Appendices Appendix A. The Legal Framework External Resource: Hastings Law Journal, Vol. 65: p 1603, Paying for Water: The Legal Framework Appendix B. Estimates of Water Sector Expenditures, Revenues, and Needs Appendix C. State General Obligation Bond Spending on Water Appendix D. Using the Water Fee Model to Assess Funding Alternatives Appendix E. Local Ballot Measures to Fund the Water System Data Sets Data Set: State General Obligation Bond Spending on Water Data Set: Local Water-Funding Ballot Measure
blog post High and Rising: Flood Risk in California Grows By Jeffrey Mount, Daniel Swain Jul 20, 2020 As the climate warms, California storms are getting more intense—adding to the state’s already high flood risk. Developing a better understanding of current and future flood vulnerability is essential to managing this risk.
event Stewarding California’s Wet Years Nov 14, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet conditions of the 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future? We speak with three panels of experts to find out.
blog post Testimony: Upgrading California’s Water Grid to Meet 21st Century Needs By Ellen Hanak Apr 2, 2019 Ellen Hanak, director of the PPIC Water Policy Center, describes how modernizing California’s water grid will help the state prepare for a changing climate, and ways the federal government can help.
blog post Drought Watch: What’s in Proposition 1? By Ellen Hanak, Caitrin Chappelle Oct 24, 2014 What kind of water projects will be funded if Proposition 1 passes? The bond focuses mainly on water supply, with the majority designated as matching funds for storage projects.
blog post Five Things You Need to Know About Water By Ellen Hanak Apr 6, 2015 Five immutable facts about California water guide the work of the PPIC Water Policy Center.
blog post Commentary: 3 Lessons for California’s Water Funding Challenges in Today’s Recession By Ellen Hanak, Jelena Jezdimirovic Oct 1, 2020 California’s water managers have been busy keeping water systems safe and operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. But addressing the fiscal consequences of the economic recession is just beginning.
blog post What’s Worse Than a Flood? A Debris Flow By Sarah Bardeen Mar 18, 2024 Move over, floods—there’s a new natural disaster in town: debris flows. We know that debris flows can be even more destructive than floods, but what are they and why do they happen? We speak with expert Jimmy Guilinger to learn more.
