blog post Climate-Challenged California Must Learn to Thrive with Less Water By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Nov 16, 2022 Managing water in our increasingly volatile climate is becoming more challenging: even if we do everything right, water supplies are likely to decline. The grand challenge for 21st-century water management in California is learning to thrive with less.
blog post Video: Solar Development in the San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Nov 9, 2022 Last week, we gathered a panel of experts to debate the potential benefits and challenges of solar development in the San Joaquin Valley. Watch the event video to learn more about our new research—and to see a lively discussion about how solar might deliver lasting benefits to the region and the state.
Report Solar Energy and Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Annabelle Rosser, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Oct 25, 2022 Hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production in the San Joaquin Valley in coming decades. At the same time, the state needs to ramp up renewable energy generation to meet climate goals. Could solar development on fallowed land help the valley’s residents? Our new report examines the challenges and opportunities.
blog post The Environmental Benefits of the Water Storage Investment Program By Gokce Sencan, Jeffrey Mount Sep 26, 2022 The Water Storage Investment Program is the first attempt use public funds to incentivize new water storage for the environment. While the program has faced some challenges, it could prove to be a useful model for future efforts—with some improvements.
blog post Water for Wildlife Refuges: 30 Years of the CVPIA By Sarah Bardeen Sep 20, 2022 The Central Valley Project Improvement Act turns 30 this year. We asked three experts to explain what the CVPIA is—and why it’s so vitally important for migratory birds.
blog post A New Tool Could Help Protect 30% of the State’s Waters by 2030 By Sarah Bardeen Sep 12, 2022 California has set an ambitious goal of protecting 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030. We spoke with CalTrout’s legal and policy director Redgie Collins about a promising but underutilized tool that could help protect water bodies throughout the state: The Outstanding Natural Resource Waters designation.
blog post Commentary: Newsom’s Water Strategy Needs to Go a Step Further By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount Sep 8, 2022 Dams are essential to managing California’s water supply, but their construction and operation has harmed freshwater ecosystems. We propose a novel approach to water management that treats the environment as a priority rather than a constraint on reservoir operations—and that may help to manage growing threats to the health of our rivers and estuaries.
Report Storing Water for the Environment By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala ... Aug 22, 2022 Large reservoirs are essential for managing water in California’s highly variable climate—but over the years, the construction and operation of these reservoirs have had significant environmental costs. Our new research outlines how reservoir operations could be changed to improve the health of the state’s fragile freshwater ecosystems.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Storing Water for the Environment By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala ... Aug 22, 2022 To protect and restore California’s freshwater ecosystems and respond to the changing climate, California’s water managers must change how they operate reservoirs. Our policy brief offers recommendations for how to do this in a way that makes the most efficient use of scarce water for the environment while minimizing impacts on other water uses.
blog post Commentary: Drought Requires New Strategies for Managing Cropland By Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson Aug 9, 2022 With careful planning, research and development, and incentive programs, the San Joaquin Valley can avoid the worst consequences of land fallowing — and perhaps even create environmental and economic benefits.
