blog post Operating Dams to Better Manage Big Storms Can Build Resiliency to Climate Extremes By Lori Pottinger Mar 8, 2021 California’s reservoirs are operated using outdated assumptions about climate. Advances in weather forecasting can improve how they manage big storms. We talked to Martin Ralph of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography about this approach.
blog post The Promise of a Wet January By Jeffrey Mount Jan 5, 2023 California is in an impressive—and much-needed—wet period. But the current parade of atmospheric rivers also highlights how difficult it is to capture and store water during times of great abundance. Can we do better?
blog post A Look Back at the Year in Water Policy By Ellen Hanak Jan 9, 2018 California’s year of extremes demonstrated the impact of our variable climate on water management. The PPIC Water Policy Center responded.
event Priorities for California’s Water Oct 26, 2017 This past year was a prime example of California’s highly variable climate—and a precursor of the challenges to come. This conference looks at issues that are front and center for managing California’s water supply and natural environment, including legislative priorities for cities, farms, and rural communities; partnerships for healthy ecosystems; and critical decisions for the Colorado River and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
blog post Drought, Water Supply Are Top Environmental Concerns in California By Rachel Lawler, Annabelle Rosser, Gokce Sencan Aug 5, 2021 As the state copes with yet another severe fire season, a new PPIC survey finds that Californians are very concerned about drought and water supply—and they’re increasingly linking these issues to climate change.
blog post California’s Ecosystems in Perpetual Drought By Lori Pottinger Aug 30, 2016 The state’s freshwater species are adapted to a "boom and bust” ecology, but human intervention and drought have taken away the "boom.” An expert interview with river scientist Ted Grantham.
blog post A Reality Check on Groundwater Overdraft in the San Joaquin Valley By Jelena Jezdimirovic, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Mar 11, 2020 A look at new plans for managing groundwater sustainably in the San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest farming region.
blog post Commentary: Newsom’s Water Strategy Needs to Go a Step Further By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount Sep 8, 2022 Dams are essential to managing California’s water supply, but their construction and operation has harmed freshwater ecosystems. We propose a novel approach to water management that treats the environment as a priority rather than a constraint on reservoir operations—and that may help to manage growing threats to the health of our rivers and estuaries.
blog post Reminder: Droughts Often End with Floods By Jeffrey Mount, Carolyn Kousky, Nicholas Pinter Jun 9, 2015 Planning for floods is best done when the ground is dry.
Fact Sheet Droughts in California By Jeffrey Mount, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan Apr 13, 2021 California is highly prone to droughts, and climate change makes them worse. This fact sheet describes key challenges to managing dry times.
