Fact Sheet California’s Water Grid By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Sep 4, 2019 The statewide network of storage and conveyance facilities provides multiple services, which are sometimes in conflict. Climate change brings new challenges.
blog post What It Means to Store Water for the Environment By Sarah Bardeen Jul 26, 2021 In times of drought, California’s ecosystems often suffer. CalTrout Ecosystem Fellow Sarah Null is investigating how to better manage scarce water supplies so that the state can protect vulnerable ecosystems—even as the climate changes.
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 Groundwater Management is Key to Adapting to Climate Change By Jeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak Oct 30, 2018 Sustainable groundwater management is vital to adapting to a warmer future and should be a top policy priority for the next administration.
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.”
Report Allocating California’s Water: Directions for Reform By Brian Gray, Ellen Hanak, Richard Frank, Richard Howitt ... Nov 17, 2015 California’s water allocation system hampers its ability to meet the state’s needs, especially in times of drought. At its heart is an unusually complex array of water rights. This report summarizes challenges and suggests reforms to strengthen the state’s ability to weather droughts and shifting economic demands for water, while maintaining the existing seniority of water rights. Read a summary of the report’s policy recommendations. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
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 California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Hampers Shasta Reservoir Project By Brian Gray, Jeffrey Mount Jan 6, 2020 A proposal to raise Shasta Dam to increase storage capacity is unlikely to go forward, given the protected status of a tributary that the project would inundate.
blog post What Does the Colorado River Drought Plan Mean for California? By Gokce Sencan May 13, 2019 Here’s how a new plan to address chronic water shortages in the Colorado River Basin will affect Southern California water users.
event Replenishing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley Jun 11, 2024 Groundwater recharge has emerged as an important way to replenish the San Joaquin Valley’s dwindling aquifers, particularly under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Last year, we asked dozens of urban and agricultural water managers to tell us how recharge was going—a reboot of our 2017 survey. How much progress has been made, and what’s needed next? Join us for a presentation of our findings and a panel discussion.
