Report Water Partnerships between Cities and Farms in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan, Ellen Hanak, Robert Wilkinson Oct 28, 2020 The San Joaquin Valley and urban Southern California are worlds apart, but each faces growing water challenges. Both regions’ water futures could be more secure if they take advantage of shared water infrastructure to jointly develop and manage some water supplies.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Storing Water for the Environment By Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala ... Aug 22, 2022 To protect and restore California’s freshwater ecosystems and respond to the changing climate, California’s water managers must change how they operate reservoirs. Our policy brief offers recommendations for how to do this in a way that makes the most efficient use of scarce water for the environment while minimizing impacts on other water uses.
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.
blog post The Colorado River’s Hydrology is Changing. Can We Adapt? By Letitia Grenier, Sarah Bardeen Mar 4, 2024 The Colorado River’s hydrology is changing—and the dwindling water supplies are hitting Southern California hard. We sat down with Colorado River Board of California’s chairman JB Hamby and Metropolitan Water District’s Bill Hasencamp to find out what’s next for the river.
blog post Improving Water Resilience for Cities and Farms with Water Partnerships By Alvar Escriva-Bou Nov 2, 2020 The San Joaquin Valley and urban Southern California are worlds apart, yet each face growing water challenges. Water partnerships that take advantage of shared water infrastructure can help both regions have a more secure water future.
Report Policy Priorities for Managing Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Mar 16, 2015 State, federal, and local water managers have worked diligently to reduce the economic, social, and environmental harm from the current drought. But as the drought continues, the challenges will grow more acute. California can learn from experiences to date—and from Australia’s response to its Millennium Drought—to better prepare both for the year ahead and for future droughts. State leaders should address weaknesses in four areas of drought preparation and response, by: 1) improving water use information, 2) setting clear goals and priorities for public health and the environment, 3) promoting water conservation and more resilient water supplies, and 4) strengthening environmental management.
blog post Drought Watch: Priorities for Cities and Farms By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Mar 18, 2015 Cities need to do more to reduce landscape irrigation. For farmers, the options are somewhat different.
blog post Experts Weigh In on Drought Solutions By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund Apr 27, 2015 The Los Angeles Times published nine bite-sized opinion pieces on solutions to help California better manage droughts. Ellen Hanak and Jay Lund focused on strategic investments in water storage and water accounting systems.
blog post Adapting to a Water-Scarce California By Ellen Hanak Jan 9, 2023 With the arrival of a series of atmospheric rivers, drought-weary Californians are now confronting the weather whiplash that’s a hallmark of our state’s climate. But the current deluge won’t erase California’s water challenges. PPIC Water Policy Center director Ellen Hanak reflects on what happened with California’s water in 2022—and explores how to manage the resource in our increasingly volatile climate.
