blog post The Challenges of Changing Land Use in the San Joaquin Valley By Lori Pottinger Mar 12, 2019 Implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act could require fallowing farmland on a large scale. We talked to Soapy Mulholland of Sequoia Riverlands Trust about this impending challenge.
Fact Sheet Droughts in California By Jeffrey Mount, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan Apr 13, 2021 California is highly prone to droughts, and climate change makes them worse. This fact sheet describes key challenges to managing dry times.
event Policy Priorities for California’s Water Oct 18, 2016 About the ProgramAlthough 2016 was somewhat wetter than the previous four years, a fifth year of drought keeps water at the top of the state's policy agenda. This conference looks at what's on tap in key areas, including strengthening urban drought resilience, managing groundwater in rural areas, addressing declining ecosystem health, and ensuring safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities. Join PPIC Water Policy Center researchers and a diverse group of federal, state, and local experts for a thought-provoking discussion about policy priorities for the coming water year. This event made possible with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
blog post Commentary: How California Can Expand Solar Development and Support San Joaquin Valley Farmers By Andrew Ayres, Darcy Wheeles Nov 7, 2022 Can the San Joaquin Valley address its groundwater deficit while helping the state achieve its long-term clean energy goals—and invest in struggling communities at the same time? Our most recent CalMatters commentary argues that solar development, done right, could offer multiple benefits to a valley in transition.
blog post Reducing Drought Risks in Rural Communities By Alvar Escriva-Bou Jan 10, 2019 California’s rural communities are disproportionately exposed to drinking water shortages during drought. Improved planning efforts can help.
blog post Commentary: Ensuring Water Supplies for the San Joaquin Valley’s Cities Requires Cooperation By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak Oct 4, 2021 The San Joaquin Valley’s urban areas are staring down a potential water shortage, but creative partnerships and good planning could help them avoid it. Read our commentary on the issue for the Fresno Bee.
blog post SGMA Could Bolster Habitat Restoration in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson, Abigail Hart Feb 22, 2022 As growers prepare to bring land out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, we’re exploring a variety of ways to manage that newly-fallowed farmland. This week, we look at a promising potential use: transforming formerly irrigated land into habitat.
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.
Report California’s Water: Water for Farms By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Daniel Sumner ... Nov 12, 2018 California is the nation’s largest farm state and a global market leader. Farms have steadily improved productivity per unit of water used, but the latest drought has exposed agriculture’s growing vulnerability to water shortages. This brief describes a number of opportunities to strengthen agricultural water management for the long term.
