blog post New Progress in California Water Rights Reform By Sarah Bardeen Dec 5, 2023 Many have argued that California’s water rights laws are sorely in need of modernization. Is recent legislation taking a step in that direction? We spoke with two legal experts to find out.
blog post Measuring Groundwater Overdraft in the Sacramento Valley By Spencer Cole, Kyle Greenspan, Andrew Ayres Nov 7, 2023 As the Sacramento Valley works to bring its groundwater basins into balance, we review the valley’s groundwater sustainability plans to understand how they’re estimating overdraft in their basins—and to see just how much overpumping they found.
Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
blog post Video: Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Sep 26, 2023 For the past seven years, the PPIC Water Policy Center has been researching how the San Joaquin Valley can adapt to a future with less water. On September 20, we held a special half-day event that drew together an array of growers, water managers, agency staff, and others to discuss how to best manage the changes ahead. Read our writeup—and watch the videos!
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 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 Renewing California’s Groundwater: Ready, Set, Recharge! By Caitlin Peterson, Sarah Bardeen Jun 21, 2023 California’s wet winter has been a boon for the parched state, and farmers and water managers have been scrambling to funnel some of that abundance into the ground. But how is recharge going—and what could be improved? We get on-the-ground insights from Daniel Mountjoy of Sustainable Conservation and Aaron Fukuda of the Tulare Irrigation District.
event Making the Most of a Wet Year Apr 27, 2023 California just saw one of the driest and warmest three-year periods on record end in an epic wet season. As we head into spring, when snow melts and demand skyrockets, it’s a good time to take stock. Is the drought over? Did we sock away some water for the next dry period? Where are we most vulnerable to flooding? And what might we do better? Join us for a panel discussion with three experts who can speak to all these issues—and more.
Fact Sheet Water Use in California’s Agriculture By Caitlin Peterson, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Spencer Cole Apr 19, 2023 California is an agricultural powerhouse that relies heavily on irrigation. Discover how much water the sector uses and how groundwater laws and climate change are bringing change.
blog post Helping Communities Meet Their Basic Water Needs By Zaira Joaquín Morales Apr 17, 2023 This week, State Water Contractors general manager Jennifer Pierre speaks with us about a proposed pipeline that will both improve water supply reliability in Antelope Valley—and free up water for San Joaquin Valley communities facing water insecurity. “This is the most exciting thing I’m working on,” she says.
