blog post Water Trading Can Help California’s Struggling Freshwater Ecosystems By Ellen Hanak, Gokce Sencan Apr 4, 2022 California’s freshwater ecosystems are struggling—but water trading has helped in the past, and that could continue. We provide fresh data on the current state of environmental water transfers and highlight ways to improve them.
blog post Commentary: California Must Stop Relying on the Endangered Species Act to Manage the Environment By Jeffrey Mount Dec 5, 2019 California’s freshwater ecosystems are under pressure and aquatic biodiversity is in decline. The state needs a new approach to protect the many beneficial uses these ecosystems provide.
blog post Water Policy Priorities for a Changing California By Ellen Hanak Sep 24, 2019 How can the state prepare its water systems for climate change? The Newsom administration asked the PPIC Water Policy Center to submit formal comments to inform a water resilience portfolio.
blog post Understanding the New Federal Water Law By Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Caitrin Chappelle Jan 17, 2017 A new law alters federal water policy in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. The likely effects on both future water supply and environmental stewardship are largely unknown.
blog post California’s Fish Emergency By Lori Pottinger Oct 10, 2016 An expert interview with fisheries expert Peter Moyle about what can be done to bring native species back from the brink.
blog post Water Marketing That Helps Nature By Ellen Hanak, Jelena Jezdimirovic Sep 13, 2016 Unleashing the potential of water trading could improve conditions California’s struggling rivers and wetlands.
blog post Troubled Waters for California Farmers By Lori Pottinger May 17, 2016 The effect of water uncertainties on farming—an expert interview with Dave Puglia of Western Growers.
blog post A Pragmatic Reason to Protect Freshwater Fish By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle Dec 15, 2015 When species make the endangered species list, we’ve not only failed them, we’ve made it harder to manage water during drought.
blog post Extinction Risk for Native Fish if Drought Persists By Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle Sep 10, 2015 If the drought continues another few years, 18 of California’s native freshwater fishes are at imminent risk of extinction.
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.
