blog post SGMA Could Bolster Habitat Restoration in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson, Abigail Hart Feb 22, 2022 As growers prepare to bring land out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, we’re exploring a variety of ways to manage that newly-fallowed farmland. This week, we look at a promising potential use: transforming formerly irrigated land into habitat.
blog post Testimony: Implementing SGMA at Ground Zero—Challenges and Opportunities for the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Feb 15, 2022 PPIC Water Policy Center director Ellen Hanak testified before an informational hearing on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in Sacramento today (February 15, 2022). Read her prepared remarks.
blog post Is SGMA Compatible with Farmland Preservation? By Annabelle Rosser Aug 15, 2022 The implementation of SGMA will prompt land use transitions throughout the San Joaquin Valley, raising questions about how the state's chief agricultural preservation policy - the Williamson Act - will come into play. Many alternate uses are likely to be compatible with the program, while others - namely solar – are more complex.
blog post How Might Small Farms Fare Under SGMA? By Spencer Cole, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Sep 13, 2023 Change is coming to the heavily agricultural San Joaquin Valley, as irrigation water declines due to climate change, new environmental regulations, and SGMA. But how will these changes affect farms of different sizes in the valley? We finally have answers.
blog post New Opportunities for Trading Surface Water in the Sacramento Valley under SGMA By Alex Ehrens, Joy Collins, Andrew Ayres Sep 14, 2021 Successful groundwater stewardship under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) demands good information—not only about groundwater conditions, but also about surface water availability. We produced a new dataset of how access to this vital resource varies across irrigated farmland in the Sacramento Valley and the Delta, so it’s now possible to assess surface water conditions across the entire Central Valley.
blog post What’s the Plan to End Groundwater Overdraft in the San Joaquin Valley? By Jelena Jezdimirovic, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Apr 6, 2020 The COVID-19 hasn’t stopped state-mandated work on managing groundwater for long-term sustainability. This post examines how new groundwater plans propose to end overdraft.
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 Groundwater Sustainability Moves from Planning to Implementation By Lori Pottinger Aug 10, 2020 The completion of groundwater sustainability plans for the state’s most over-pumped basins was a major step toward bringing basins into long-term balance. What are next steps and possible pitfalls in the process?
Report Groundwater and Urban Growth in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Henry McCann, David Mitchell ... Sep 15, 2021 As the San Joaquin Valley addresses groundwater overdraft under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), its urban utilities face unique challenges. Learn how to ensure a smooth transition for the region’s residents.
