blog post A Winning Approach for Managing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Josué Medellín-Azuara Mar 7, 2019 The transition to groundwater sustainability will be challenging and costly. Some approaches can greatly reduce the costs of bringing basins into balance.
Report Groundwater and Urban Growth in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Henry McCann, David Mitchell ... Sep 15, 2021 As the San Joaquin Valley addresses groundwater overdraft under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), its urban utilities face unique challenges. Learn how to ensure a smooth transition for the region’s residents.
blog post Video: Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Sarah Bardeen Sep 26, 2023 For the past seven years, the PPIC Water Policy Center has been researching how the San Joaquin Valley can adapt to a future with less water. On September 20, we held a special half-day event that drew together an array of growers, water managers, agency staff, and others to discuss how to best manage the changes ahead. Read our writeup—and watch the videos!
event Farmland in Transition: The San Joaquin Valley Jul 26, 2022 As the San Joaquin Valley works to bring its groundwater basins into balance, hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production. How do we manage all this newly fallowed land? Our latest research examines whether water-limited agriculture might help ease the transition—and what other management practices could mitigate dust and air quality concerns in the valley.
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.
blog post New Opportunities for Trading Surface Water in the Sacramento Valley under SGMA By Alex Ehrens, Joy Collins, Andrew Ayres Sep 14, 2021 Successful groundwater stewardship under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) demands good information—not only about groundwater conditions, but also about surface water availability. We produced a new dataset of how access to this vital resource varies across irrigated farmland in the Sacramento Valley and the Delta, so it’s now possible to assess surface water conditions across the entire Central Valley.
blog post The Challenges of Getting More Crop per Drop By Lori Pottinger Jul 28, 2015 The continuing drought is having a big ripple effect in California agriculture. Irrigation expert David Zoldoske talks about trends in farm water management.
blog post Three Water Challenges for Almonds By Ellen Hanak May 31, 2018 Almonds are California’s largest single crop. Here are three water realities that almond growers must grapple with in coming years.
blog post Commentary: How California Can Expand Solar Development and Support San Joaquin Valley Farmers By Andrew Ayres, Darcy Wheeles Nov 7, 2022 Can the San Joaquin Valley address its groundwater deficit while helping the state achieve its long-term clean energy goals—and invest in struggling communities at the same time? Our most recent CalMatters commentary argues that solar development, done right, could offer multiple benefits to a valley in transition.
Report Improving California’s Water Market By Andrew Ayres, Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray, Gokce Sencan ... Sep 14, 2021 Water trading and banking will prove important tools to help California bring its groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). A broad range of policy changes could help improve and expand California’s water market while protecting communities from harm.
