blog post Video: Seizing the Drought By Sarah Bardeen Nov 22, 2021 Californians know that climate change is here—and we’re feeling its effects nowhere more than in our water system. Last week, during our fall conference, we convened three days of expert panels. Scientists, policymakers, growers, water managers, and restoration advocates laid out a compelling vision of how to prepare our water system for the changes that are already underway.
blog post Governor’s Budget Seeks to Build Water Resilience By Ellen Hanak, Gokce Sencan Jan 21, 2020 A look at the water and climate priorities laid out in two new documents: the state’s draft Water Resilience Portfolio and the governor’s proposed budget.
blog post Paying for Water’s “Fiscal Orphans” By Lori Pottinger Jul 9, 2018 Bonds don’t currently cover ongoing expenses for the projects they fund. We talked to Dean Misczynski about his proposal to change that.
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 Governor’s Budget Banks on Voters Passing Water Bond By Caitrin Chappelle, Henry McCann Feb 7, 2018 To pay for most of the water initiatives in his proposed budget, the governor is banking on voters approving a $4 billion parks and water bond.
blog post Testimony: Paying for California’s Water Needs By Ellen Hanak Nov 17, 2015 At a Senate committee hearing on California’s underfunded water needs, Ellen Hanak and other panelists described the challenges of paying for a water system that works for all.
Report What If California’s Drought Continues? By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Aug 19, 2015 California is in the fourth year of a severe, hot drought—the kind that is increasingly likely as the climate warms. Although no sector has been untouched, impacts so far have varied greatly, reflecting different levels of drought preparedness. Urban areas are in the best shape, thanks to sustained investments in diversified water portfolios and conservation. Farmers are more vulnerable, but they are also adapting. The greatest vulnerabilities are in some low-income rural communities where wells are running dry and in California’s wetlands, rivers, and forests, where the state’s iconic biodiversity is under extreme threat. Two to three more years of drought will increase challenges in all areas and require continued—and likely increasingly difficult—adaptations. Emergency programs will need to be significantly expanded to get drinking water to rural residents and to prevent major losses of waterbirds and extinctions of numerous native fish species, including most salmon runs. California also needs to start a longer-term effort to build drought resilience in the most vulnerable areas.
blog post Local Measures Address Water, Fire in the Midterm Elections By Gokce Sencan, Caitrin Chappelle Nov 26, 2018 The midterms saw 33 local measures go to the voters that addressed issues ranging from flood protection to fire resilience.
Fact Sheet Water Use in California’s Communities By Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson, Annabelle Rosser Apr 19, 2023 Even as California’s population has grown by millions, its per-capita water use has declined. Communities are finding ways to boost resilience in the face of climate change.
blog post The EPA’s Martha Guzman Discusses New Environmental Justice Initiatives By Sarah Bardeen May 15, 2023 Martha Guzman is leading the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to protect public health and the environment for Region 9, which includes California. We spoke with Ms. Guzman to learn more about the EPA’s latest environmental justice initiatives—and found her to be a fountain of both information and enthusiasm about the new opportunities.
