event Farmland in Transition: The San Joaquin Valley Jul 26, 2022 As the San Joaquin Valley works to bring its groundwater basins into balance, hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production. How do we manage all this newly fallowed land? Our latest research examines whether water-limited agriculture might help ease the transition—and what other management practices could mitigate dust and air quality concerns in the valley.
blog post Commentary: San Joaquin Valley’s Next Big Air Pollution Threat—Blowing Dust from Fallowed Farmland By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon Jul 25, 2022 Without careful stewardship, widespread farmland fallowing could create a surge in windblown dust in the San Joaquin Valley. Read our recent op-ed about how the valley can get ahead of this problem.
Report Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon, Joy Collins Jul 20, 2022 Agricultural operations and wind erosion are two of the largest sources of dust in the San Joaquin Valley, and the valley’s air quality may decline with increased farmland fallowing and a warmer, drier climate. This will impact low-income, rural communities first and foremost, but proactive management can help identify high-risk areas and direct funding to cost-effective interventions.
Report Exploring the Potential for Water-Limited Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley By Caitlin Peterson, Cameron Pittelkow, Mark Lundy Jul 20, 2022 As irrigated farmland comes out of production in the San Joaquin Valley, valley residents will face increased pests, weeds, and dust—as well as a loss of employment and economic activity. Water-limited cropping is one alternative to fallowing that can improve soil health and air quality, create habitat, and keep land in production.
blog post Maximizing Benefits of Solar Development in the San Joaquin Valley By Annabelle Rosser, Mitchelle De Leon May 9, 2022 Solar development offers one promising way to soften the economic blow as more irrigated farmland comes out of production in the San Joaquin Valley. We met with a diverse range of stakeholders to discuss how to maximize benefits—and mitigate potential harm.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Drought and California’s Agriculture By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Ellen Hanak, John Abatzoglou Apr 13, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. The ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities, but there are ways to increase resilience in a warming world.
blog post Could Rangeland Return to the Central Valley? By Caitlin Peterson Mar 28, 2022 As Central Valley farmers confront the need to fallow some farmland to comply with SGMA, we interview two experts about a possible alternative to fallowing: converting formerly irrigated farmland into rangeland. It would keep the land economically productive—and might bring other benefits.
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 Dangers Lurk in the San Joaquin Valley’s Dust By Sarah Bardeen Jan 10, 2022 In the San Joaquin Valley, concerns about airborne dust—and its health impacts—are growing. We speak with two experts who say people are right to be concerned.
