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 A Large California Water Utility Prepares for Climate Change By Sarah Bardeen Jun 27, 2022 How is one of the state’s major water utilities dealing with climate change? We talked to Ken Jenkins, Cal Water’s chief water resource sustainability officer, about his efforts to improve water supply resilience in the face of worsening droughts and other climate-related challenges.
blog post Video: Managing Wastewater in a Changing Climate By Lori Pottinger Apr 24, 2019 California’s wastewater sector is at a turning point as climate change increases the risks of water scarcity. PPIC researchers and a panel of experts explore how the sector can adapt to a more volatile future.
blog post Anticipating and Addressing the Impacts of the Drought By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount May 4, 2021 With the latest drought off to a strong start, what lessons can we learn from the last major dry period—and what actions can we take to manage it?
blog post Video: Building Urban Drought Resilience By Lori Pottinger Jun 19, 2017 California’s urban areas used a variety of tools to get through the latest drought. A panel of urban water experts explored successful strategies, and lessons learned to help prepare for future droughts.
