blog post Can Dryland Farming Help California Agriculture Adapt to Future Water Scarcity? By Lori Pottinger Apr 19, 2021 Future restrictions on groundwater pumping to meet sustainability requirements could result in large areas of farmland coming out of production in the San Joaquin Valley. We talked to agroecologist Caity Peterson about the potential for dryland farming to reduce the need to fallow land.
blog post Governor’s Budget Seeks to Build Water Resilience By Ellen Hanak, Gokce Sencan Jan 21, 2020 A look at the water and climate priorities laid out in two new documents: the state’s draft Water Resilience Portfolio and the governor’s proposed budget.
event A Review of San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plans May 21, 2020 In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, work to manage groundwater for the long term continues as required by California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The PPIC Water Policy Center has reviewed the groundwater plans for 11 critically overdrafted basins in the San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest farming region, where excess pumping is a major challenge.
Report A Path Forward for California’s Freshwater Ecosystems By Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Karrigan Bork, James Cloern ... Dec 4, 2019 California’s freshwater ecosystems are under pressure and its aquatic biodiversity is in decline. The state needs a new approach to protect the many beneficial uses these ecosystems provide. This report describes a way to manage the state’s freshwater ecosystems—called “ecosystem-based management”—that can improve conditions for native biodiversity and human uses, and increase resilience to climate change.
blog post Addressing Water Affordability in Urban California By Caitrin Chappelle Nov 30, 2020 In the midst of the pandemic and recession, the cost of delivering safe drinking water continues to rise across California. We talked to Robert Shaver of the California Urban Water Agencies about this issue.
blog post Sites Reservoir’s Novel Approach to Storing Water for the Environment By Gokce Sencan Mar 20, 2023 The proposed Sites Reservoir would take a novel approach to storing water to benefit freshwater ecosystems when they need it most. We spoke with Jerry Brown, executive director of the Sites Project Authority, to learn more about plans for the reservoir and its ecosystem water budget.
blog post Governor’s Budget Targets Safe Drinking Water, Wildfires, Healthy Soils By Gokce Sencan, Henry McCann Jan 23, 2019 Governor Newsom’s first proposed state budget addresses several critical water and natural resource management challenges.
blog post Commentary: Delta Interests Should Seize the Opportunity to Cease Water Fights By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Feb 21, 2019 The governor has proposed a single tunnel rather than two for the Sacramento‒San Joaquin Delta—and approach that could help reduce conflict over this important water body.
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 The Coming Groundwater Revolution By Lori Pottinger Jan 6, 2016 Pumping extra groundwater has gotten many California farmers through this drought. We talked to groundwater specialist Thomas Harter about managing this key resource for the long term.
