Report Water Stress and a Changing San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Richard Howitt, Peter Moyle ... Mar 1, 2017 The San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest agricultural region and an important contributor to the nation’s food supply—is facing growing water stress and a number of related environmental and public health problems. Large parts of the valley have become dependent on unsustainable pumping of groundwater. Tackling these linked issues with cooperative, coordinated approaches is key to success. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the TomKat Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
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 Three Lessons on Water Accounting for California By Henry McCann, Alvar Escriva-Bou Aug 8, 2016 California can learn a thing or two from our neighbors on understanding how much water is available, who has claims to it, and how much is being used.
blog post Video: Improving California’s Water Accounting By Lori Pottinger Jul 29, 2016 The state’s system of water accounting is ineffective at managing some of our biggest water challenges. A panel of experts discusses how to modernize it.
Report Accounting for California’s Water By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Brian Gray, Henry McCann Jul 20, 2016 Understanding California’s balance sheet for water—how much there is, who has claims to it, and what is actually being "spent”—is key to effectively managing the state’s limited water supply in support of a healthy economy and environment. This report compares California’s water accounting systems to those of 11 other western states, Australia, and Spain. It identifies gaps in California’s water information systems, and proposes a dozen ways to bridge them. Read a summary of the report’s policy recommendations. This research was supported with funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Water Foundation, an initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund.
blog post Implementing California’s Groundwater Law By Jelena Jezdimirovic, Stephen Maples Jul 12, 2016 What will it take to successfully manage groundwater in California’s Central Valley? Key takeaways from a joint workshop by UC Water and the PPIC Water Policy Center.
blog post Video: Senator Dianne Feinstein in Conversation By Linda Strean Feb 23, 2016 Underscoring her role in three contentious policy issues, Senator Dianne Feinstein spoke to a Sacramento audience about filling the vacancy on the US Supreme Court, the dispute between Apple and the FBI, and drought relief.
blog post Video: Water and Growth in the West By Ellen Hanak Feb 18, 2016 When water supplies are tight, the question of whether government should limit growth rises to the surface. Ellen Hanak discusses the issue at a conference on water sustainability in the West.
blog post State Water Market Needs Reform By Ellen Hanak, Jelena Jezdimirovic Feb 2, 2016 Water trading is an important tool for managing water scarcity. But as the latest drought has shown, California’s process for approving water trades is flawed. Reforms could help manage future droughts.
blog post Improving Water Allocation During Droughts By Lori Pottinger Dec 1, 2015 The drought has been a stress test for California’s water system. We talked to Brian Gray about how to improve our water rights system to better prepare for future droughts.
