blog post Can We Capture More Water in the Delta? By Sarah Bardeen Jan 17, 2023 A massive amount of water is moving through the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta in the wake of recent storms, and calls have risen from all quarters to capture more of this bounty. We spoke with PPIC Water Policy Center adjunct fellow Greg Gartrell to understand what’s preventing that—and to dispel the myth of “water wasted to the sea.”
press release Deteriorating And Deadlocked… The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Is A California Disaster-In-Waiting Feb 7, 2007
Report Scientist and Stakeholder Views on the Delta Ecosystem By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Apr 28, 2013 There is broad scientific recognition that a wide range of ecosystem stressors are responsible for the declines in native fish populations in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. But science and policymaking have been at odds about the roles of different stressors and the potential of various management actions to improve ecosystem health. In the summer of 2012, PPIC conducted two confidential surveys on the impact of ecosystem stressors: one sought input from scientific experts and the other focused on stakeholders and policymakers. This report analyzes the results and examines the implications of both surveys. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Several companion reports contain related findings: Aquatic Ecosystem Stressors in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Mount et al. 2012) summarizes the science of Delta ecosystem stressors for a policymaking audience. Costs of Ecosystem Management Actions for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Medellín-Azuara et al. 2013) assesses costs of water management actions. Integrated Management of Delta Stressors: Institutional and Legal Options (Gray et al. 2013) lays out proposals for institutional reform of science, management, and regulation. Stress Relief: Prescriptions for a Healthier Delta Ecosystem (Hanak et al. 2013) summarizes the overall research project and the recommendations it generated. Where the Wild Things Aren’t: Making the Delta a Better Place for Native Species (Moyle et al. 2012) outlines a realistic long-term vision for achieving a healthier ecosystem.
Report Integrated Management of Delta Stressors: Institutional and Legal Options By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray Apr 28, 2013 Despite some recent progress, the current institutional landscape for regulation and management of stressors in the in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is highly fragmented. A modest but powerful set of institutional changes can help produce better environmental outcomes while containing management costs—which are likely to exceed several hundred million dollars annually. This report lays out proposals for institutional reform. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Several companion reports contain related findings: Aquatic Ecosystem Stressors in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Mount et al. 2012) summarizes the science of Delta ecosystem stressors for a policymaking audience. Costs of Ecosystem Management Actions for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Medellín-Azuara et al. 2013) assesses costs of water management actions. Scientist and Stakeholder Views on the Delta Ecosystem (Hanak et al. 2013) presents detailed results of the two surveys conducted by the report’s authors. Stress Relief: Prescriptions for a Healthier Delta Ecosystem (Hanak et al. 2013) summarizes the overall research project and the recommendations it generated. Where the Wild Things Aren’t: Making the Delta a Better Place for Native Species (Moyle et al. 2012) outlines a realistic long-term vision for achieving a healthier ecosystem.
Report Water and the Future of the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Brian Gray, Sarge Green ... Feb 20, 2019 California’s largest agricultural region is in a time of great change and growing water stress. New cooperative approaches are needed to bring groundwater basins into balance, provide safe drinking water, and manage water and land to benefit people and nature.
Report Where the Wild Things Aren’t: Making the Delta a Better Place for Native Species By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, William Fleenor, Jeffrey Mount ... Jun 14, 2012 How can California address the Delta’s many problems—and manage its ecosystem more effectively in the future? The authors propose a strategy for realistically achieving co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem protection in this troubled region. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Several companion reports contain related findings: Aquatic Ecosystem Stressors in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Mount et al. 2012) summarizes the science of Delta ecosystem stressors for a policymaking audience. Costs of Ecosystem Management Actions for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Medellín-Azuara et al. 2013) assesses costs of water management actions. Integrated Management of Delta Stressors: Institutional and Legal Options (Gray et al. 2013) lays out proposals for institutional reform of science, management, and regulation. Scientist and Stakeholder Views on the Delta Ecosystem (Hanak et al. 2013) presents detailed results of the two surveys conducted by the report’s authors. Stress Relief: Prescriptions for a Healthier Delta Ecosystem (Hanak et al. 2013) summarizes the overall research project and the recommendations it generated.
blog post Solutions for the Delta By Caitrin Chappelle Nov 22, 2016 Decision makers need actionable science to address the many difficult challenges facing the Delta.
data set PPIC Delta Water Accounting May 16, 2022 These spreadsheets contain all data, sources, and methods used to calculate water use in California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, including estimates of outflow needed to meet regulations; ecological, export, and municipal and industrial uses; and watershed-level water sources and upstream depletions.
blog post Commentary: A Grand Compromise for the Delta By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray Dec 5, 2016 A proposal to reduce conflict and meet the co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem health in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
blog post Managing Tough Trade-offs in the Delta By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Apr 15, 2015 New data illustrate the tough trade-offs California faces in managing water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
