Policy Brief Policy Brief: Improving California’s Water Market By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray, Gokce Sencan ... Sep 14, 2021 This policy brief distills key takeaways from our report on water trading and banking in California, and how they will help the state bring its groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). A broad range of policy changes could improve and expand California’s water market while protecting communities from harm.
Report What If California’s Drought Continues? By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Aug 19, 2015 California is in the fourth year of a severe, hot drought—the kind that is increasingly likely as the climate warms. Although no sector has been untouched, impacts so far have varied greatly, reflecting different levels of drought preparedness. Urban areas are in the best shape, thanks to sustained investments in diversified water portfolios and conservation. Farmers are more vulnerable, but they are also adapting. The greatest vulnerabilities are in some low-income rural communities where wells are running dry and in California’s wetlands, rivers, and forests, where the state’s iconic biodiversity is under extreme threat. Two to three more years of drought will increase challenges in all areas and require continued—and likely increasingly difficult—adaptations. Emergency programs will need to be significantly expanded to get drinking water to rural residents and to prevent major losses of waterbirds and extinctions of numerous native fish species, including most salmon runs. California also needs to start a longer-term effort to build drought resilience in the most vulnerable areas.
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 Water in 2021: Looking Back on a Year of Extremes By Ellen Hanak Jan 3, 2022 In California, 2021 was the year that climate change hit home. We look back at this year of extremes—and examine how our nonpartisan data and analysis informed conversations about how to address the tough water issues facing the state.
Report Accounting for California’s Water By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Brian Gray, Henry McCann Jul 20, 2016 Understanding California’s balance sheet for water—how much there is, who has claims to it, and what is actually being "spent”—is key to effectively managing the state’s limited water supply in support of a healthy economy and environment. This report compares California’s water accounting systems to those of 11 other western states, Australia, and Spain. It identifies gaps in California’s water information systems, and proposes a dozen ways to bridge them. Read a summary of the report’s policy recommendations. This research was supported with funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Water Foundation, an initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund.
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.
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 Water Stress and a Changing San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Richard Howitt, Peter Moyle ... Mar 1, 2017 The San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest agricultural region and an important contributor to the nation’s food supply—is facing growing water stress and a number of related environmental and public health problems. Large parts of the valley have become dependent on unsustainable pumping of groundwater. Tackling these linked issues with cooperative, coordinated approaches is key to success. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the TomKat Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
blog post Anticipating and Addressing the Impacts of the Drought By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount May 4, 2021 With the latest drought off to a strong start, what lessons can we learn from the last major dry period—and what actions can we take to manage it?
Report Who Should Be Allowed to Sell Water in California? Third-Party Issues and the Water Market By Ellen Hanak Jul 2, 2003 Although significant water trading has occurred in California since the drought of the early 1990s, many localities have restricted water transfers because of the perceived harm to other users and the local economy. In Who Should Be Allowed to Sell Water in California? Third-Party Issues and the Water Market, Ellen Hanak examines water transfers in California, local resistance to them, and various approaches to resolving water disputes. Drawing on a new database of water transfers as well as interviews with state, county, and water district officials, the report calls for water management at the local level that balances the interests of other residents and the potential gains from transfers.
