Report Managing Drought in a Changing Climate: Four Essential Reforms By Jeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Paul Ullrich ... Sep 5, 2018 This report reviews climate pressures that are stressing the state’s water system, and describes reforms to help California prepare for greater extremes and growing water scarcity.
blog post Federal Drought Management: It’s Complicated By Caitrin Chappelle, Jelena Jezdimirovic Mar 15, 2016 More than two dozen federal departments and agencies engage in water management in the West, complicating management of western droughts.
Report Policy Priorities for Managing Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Mar 16, 2015 State, federal, and local water managers have worked diligently to reduce the economic, social, and environmental harm from the current drought. But as the drought continues, the challenges will grow more acute. California can learn from experiences to date—and from Australia’s response to its Millennium Drought—to better prepare both for the year ahead and for future droughts. State leaders should address weaknesses in four areas of drought preparation and response, by: 1) improving water use information, 2) setting clear goals and priorities for public health and the environment, 3) promoting water conservation and more resilient water supplies, and 4) strengthening environmental management.
blog post Video: Reforming Federal Drought Management By Ellen Hanak Feb 9, 2016 As California and much of the American West copes with severe drought, an expert panel discussed how the federal government can help states prepare for drought and a warmer, possibly drier, future.
Report Managing California’s Freshwater Ecosystems: Lessons from the 2012-16 Drought By Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Caitrin Chappelle, Greg Gartrell ... Nov 12, 2017 The 2012–16 drought caused unprecedented stress to California’s ecosystems and pushed many native species to the brink of extinction. It also tested the laws, policies, and institutions charged with protecting the environment.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Drought and Groundwater Sustainability in California’s Farming Regions By Spencer Cole, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara Jun 24, 2024 As the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act approaches its tenth anniversary, it’s clear that California is making progress towards implementation—but the 2020–22 drought shows that much work still lies ahead.
Report Building Drought Resilience in California’s Cities and Suburbs By David Mitchell, Ellen Hanak, Ken Baerenklau, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Jun 12, 2017 California’s urban water suppliers have become increasingly adept at drought management thanks to investments in diverse supplies, cooperative efforts with neighbors, and programs to manage water demand. But in the face of extreme hot and dry conditions, questions arose over preparedness for ongoing drought, and the state took the unprecedented step of ordering mandatory water conservation in 2015. This report looks at evolving state and local roles in managing urban water supply during drought, and lessons to help us better prepare for droughts of the future. This research was supported with funding from California Water Service, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Drought and California’s Agriculture By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Ellen Hanak, John Abatzoglou Apr 13, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. The ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities, but there are ways to increase resilience in a warming world.
Report California’s Water: Managing Droughts By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Nov 12, 2018 California is prone to multi-year droughts. Diverse, coordinated approaches are needed to stretch our water supply, ensure safe drinking water for at-risk communities, and protect the natural environment during dry periods. This brief describes the major effects of drought, and outlines adaptation strategies to manage them.
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.
