Report Improving K-12 School Facilities in California By Niu Gao, Julien Lafortune Aug 5, 2020 Amid a statewide spike in coronavirus cases, most California schools will start the year remotely. When in-person classes do resume, cleanliness and safety will be paramount. But four in ten students attend schools that do not meet minimum facility standards.
blog post Ruling Muddies Waters on Clean Water Act By Brian Gray Sep 19, 2016 The California Supreme Court recently decided a case that could have profound consequences for the state’s efforts to protect water quality.
blog post The Unintended Consequences of Indoor Water Conservation By Lori Pottinger Nov 29, 2017 Indoor water conservation can reduce the quality and quantity of wastewater, hindering the use of treated wastewater to augment water supply.
blog post The Troubled History—and Uncertain Future—of the Salton Sea By Sarah Bardeen Nov 22, 2022 Southern California’s hundred-year-old Salton Sea is drying up, and that’s creating a host of problems, as both wildlife and air quality in the region suffer. We sat down with an expert—UC Riverside professor and PPIC Water Policy Center adjunct fellow Kurt Schwabe—to discuss the issues facing the sea and explore potential solutions.
blog post The High Cost of Drought for Low-Income Californians By Ellen Hanak Jun 18, 2015 Poor rural communities are being hit hard by the drought. Solutions will be challenging.
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 Why Is It Taking So Long to Restore the Sediment-Choked Elk River? By Lori Pottinger Apr 5, 2021 The Elk River was damaged by landslides from logged land more than 20 years ago, which harmed fisheries and drinking water supplies. Darren Mierau of CalTrout talks about ongoing efforts to restore the river.
blog post The Myth of Water Wasted to the Sea By Lori Pottinger May 17, 2017 Rivers that flow to the sea bring a host of benefits to people and ecosystems. A scientist explains.
blog post Commentary: How Better Wastewater Management Can Help California Adapt to Climate Change By Caitrin Chappelle, Henry McCann May 9, 2019 Climate change is bringing major challenges to wastewater management, which protects public health and the environment. Shifts in policy and planning are needed.
