blog post Were December’s Coastal Floods a Harbinger of Things to Come? By Sarah Bardeen Feb 6, 2024 California was surprised by heavy coastal flooding back in December, with communities from Ventura northwards experiencing flooding in low-lying shoreline areas. Is this a harbinger of things to come as sea levels rise?
blog post Making Sense of the Floods in San Diego By Sarah Bardeen Jan 30, 2024 The sudden deluge in San Diego last week has left some of that city’s communities reeling. But what actually caused the epic flooding—and could it have been avoided? We ask the experts.
blog post Wildfire Smoke Is a Threat to Children’s Health By Shalini Mustala Dec 6, 2023 The average number of days per year with heavy smoke in California's air has been rising, especially in the Central Valley, Sacramento region, and far north. This poses a particular health risk for children, who are more likely to be exposed to wildfire smoke and more susceptible to its effects.
blog post Video: Stewarding California’s Wet Years By Sarah Bardeen Nov 20, 2023 Wet weather brought relief to our parched state last winter. And while full reservoirs are great, is there room to improve California’s wet year management? At our fall conference last week, three panels of experts gave a resounding yes—and then offered insights on how to improve. Read our recap!
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.
Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 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 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
blog post Seasonal Weather Predictions Are Elusive in California By Sarah Bardeen Oct 16, 2023 California urgently needs to improve its precipitation forecasting: this could help the state better manage its water supply and prepare for disasters, among other things. But that’s not as easy as it sounds, says Dr. Xianan Jiang, a UCLA researcher. We asked him to tell us more.
blog post The Weird Weather of 2023: Better Get Used to It By Jeffrey Mount, Gokce Sencan, Michael Dettinger Sep 27, 2023 Water Year 2023 comes to an end on September 30. For most weather-watchers, this was an unusual year, with very wet conditions following several very dry years—but are the frequency and intensity of these variations increasing as the planet’s temperature rises? And if so, what might be the implications for water management? We take a look.
Report Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Sep 18, 2023 How can the San Joaquin Valley adapt to a future with less water? We’ve been researching this issue for the past seven years, and our new report presents highlights from we’ve learned, including a robust list of policy suggestions to help the valley weather—and make the most of—the coming changes.
blog post Tropical Storm Hilary Wallops Southern California By Jeffrey Mount Aug 23, 2023 Tropical Storm Hilary hammered Southern California on Sunday, after making a destructive run over Baja California. The damage was real, but thankfully there was no loss of life. But there are a few things we do know—or can surmise—about why this rare event occurred, and the dangers such events will pose to California now and in the future.
