blog post Farms That Grow Groundwater By Lori Pottinger Apr 18, 2016 An expert interview on why California’s farms are key to rebuilding the state’s depleted groundwater reserves.
blog post Video: PPIC Survey Examines Election Landscape By Linda Strean Dec 7, 2015 Climate change/energy, political landscape, fiscal/governance reform, health & human services, K-12 education, economy, population, water
blog post Improving Water Allocation During Droughts By Lori Pottinger Dec 1, 2015 The drought has been a stress test for California’s water system. We talked to Brian Gray about how to improve our water rights system to better prepare for future droughts.
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 The Challenges of Getting More Crop per Drop By Lori Pottinger Jul 28, 2015 The continuing drought is having a big ripple effect in California agriculture. Irrigation expert David Zoldoske talks about trends in farm water management.
blog post Drought Bills: Small Changes, High Impact By Caitrin Chappelle, Henry McCann Jun 30, 2015 New policy changes will improve the way we respond to droughts.
blog post Climate Change and California’s Future By Mark Baldassare Mar 25, 2015 In 2006, California responded to climate change with a law that committed the state to reverse the trend of rising greenhouse gas emissions. Today, California has reached another pivotal moment.
Report Policy Priorities for Managing Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Mar 16, 2015 State, federal, and local water managers have worked diligently to reduce the economic, social, and environmental harm from the current drought. But as the drought continues, the challenges will grow more acute. California can learn from experiences to date—and from Australia’s response to its Millennium Drought—to better prepare both for the year ahead and for future droughts. State leaders should address weaknesses in four areas of drought preparation and response, by: 1) improving water use information, 2) setting clear goals and priorities for public health and the environment, 3) promoting water conservation and more resilient water supplies, and 4) strengthening environmental management.
blog post Drought Watch: Managing—and Learning from—Scarcity By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Jan 6, 2015 Recognizing the need to learn from drought while it is ongoing, PPIC will hold a half-day conference on January 12 in Sacramento.
