blog post Water in 2021: Looking Back on a Year of Extremes By Ellen Hanak Jan 3, 2022 In California, 2021 was the year that climate change hit home. We look back at this year of extremes—and examine how our nonpartisan data and analysis informed conversations about how to address the tough water issues facing the state.
event Seizing the Drought: Water Priorities for Our Changing Climate Nov 15, 2021 The PPIC Water Policy Center will convene a diverse group of experts to discuss how to tackle the highly disruptive effects of climate change on our water system. It’s clear that we must step up our game to cope with the increasingly severe, warm droughts that are coming our way. This year’s conference will identify immediate actions we can take to boost the state’s resilience.
blog post Last Week’s Storm: the Good, the Bad, and the Inconclusive By Jeffrey Mount Nov 1, 2021 The storm of October 24th broke one-day precipitation records throughout Northern California, but did this unusually intense atmospheric river lead to significant changes in our drought picture? PPIC Water Policy Center senior fellow Jeffrey Mount explains what the storm did—and didn’t—do for the state.
blog post Video: Managing Water in a Changing Climate By Sarah Bardeen, Ashlyn Perri Oct 18, 2021 Climate change is stressing California’s water system, but strategic investments and improved water management practices could help us adapt.
blog post Creating Collaborative Recharge Partnerships in the San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Oct 11, 2021 Bringing the San Joaquin Valley’s groundwater basins into balance by the early 2040s is going to be challenging, but two neighboring groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) in Madera County are collaborating to move the process forward. Learn about their successes—and how things could be improved.
Report Improving California’s Water Market By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray, Gokce Sencan ... Sep 14, 2021 Water trading and banking will prove important tools to help California bring its groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). A broad range of policy changes could help improve and expand California’s water market while protecting communities from harm.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Improving California’s Water Market By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray, Gokce Sencan ... Sep 14, 2021 This policy brief distills key takeaways from our report on water trading and banking in California, and how they will help the state bring its groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). A broad range of policy changes could improve and expand California’s water market while protecting communities from harm.
Fact Sheet California’s Water Market By Ellen Hanak, Gokce Sencan, Andrew Ayres Aug 30, 2021 Water marketing is an important tool for managing drought and water scarcity in California. Reforms could help strengthen the market.
blog post Video: Advancing Ecosystem Restoration with Smarter Permitting By Sarah Bardeen Aug 23, 2021 Many of California’s ecosystems are in dire need of help, but complex permitting processes are hindering restoration efforts. Letitia Grenier, our 2020 PPIC CalTrout Ecosystem Fellow, convened a panel of experts to discuss how to reform permitting and scale up restoration in California.
event Advancing Ecosystem Restoration with Smarter Permitting Aug 18, 2021 California’s ecosystems are vital to the state’s water supply, agriculture, wildlife, and economy. Yet many of these ecosystems are in dire health, and climate change and accelerating biodiversity loss threaten to to further disrupt them. Large-scale ecosystem restoration is urgently needed; embracing smarter permitting can help.