Publications – Page 4 – Pacific Institute

Improving Understanding of the Global Hydrologic Cycle: Observation and Analysis of the Climate System: The Global Water Cycle

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As society seeks to meet demands for goods and services for a growing population, it is important to improve understanding of the fundamental science of the hydrological cycle, its links with related global processes, and the role it plays in ecological and societal well-being. Solving challenges related to the hydrologic cycle will require improving our systems for managing, sharing, and analyzing all kinds of water data, and our ability to model and forecast aspects of both the hydrological cycle and the systems we put in place to manage human demands for water. This chapter from the book Climate Science for Serving Society: Research, Modeling and Prediction Priorities provides a short summary of current World Climate Research Program efforts and addresses challenges related to hydrological data, modeling, and multidisciplinary research.

Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability – Issue Brief

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Supplying water to customers is a business. As in any business, water sales revenues need to be accurately forecasted and balanced against current and long-term future water supply and treatment costs. Conservation and efficiency is recognized as a way to effectively reduce long-term costs, and is often the most cost-effective “new water supply” option available. However, planning for water conservation programs must be done carefully to avoid revenue instability issues for the system.

Comprehensive water supply planning is required by law in California as well as in many other states, and is premised on the concept that water suppliers should plan water supply portfolios that guarantee long-term, sustainable delivery of safe, reliable drinking water. This means prioritizing water conservation and efficiency programs in that portfolio. Water service providers can promote conservation and efficiency in a variety of ways; however, here we focus on conservation-oriented water rates.

Resources

PowerPoint Presentations from the Workshops on Water Rates and Finances:

Tools for Success: Forecasting Water Demand

Water Rate Affordability in California

A Public Goods Charge for Water

Conservation Rates: Sensible Pricing for Water in the Cal Am Settlement

Consumption-Based Fixed Revenue

Capital Finance Overview: Dealing with the New Norm

Innovative Agricultural Rate Structure

Modification of Water Rates 2011: City of Napa

Stories from the Field: Practice and Politics of Rate Setting in the Real World

Water Demand Forecast Model: Seattle Public Utilities

In this Series

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics

Pricing Practices in the Electricity Sector to Promote Conservation and Efficiency: Lessons for the Water Sector

Beyond Water Pricing: An Overview of Water Financing in California

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Demand Forecasting

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Affordability

Issue Brief: Water Rates Communication and Education

Assessing Water Affordability: A Pilot Study in Two Regions of California

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A pilot study in California showed that many households, even within affluent communities, routinely spent over the affordability threshold of two percent of their household income on their water bill. The number of water systems with “unaffordable” rates varied by region and measure used, with important implications for policymakers.

This report, from the Pacific Institute in partnership with Community Water Center and Fresno State University, examines both an urban and a rural case: the Sacramento metropolitan area and the Tulare Lake Basin. The report indicates that a more specific discussion of developing affordability programs is critical for California. Additionally, more work is needed to address financing considerations for water systems and their technical, managerial, and financial capacity.

Community Reintegration and Employment in Contra Costa County

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The Safe Return Project – a participatory action research process in Richmond, California involving formerly incarcerated residents in carrying out research and organizing to increase opportunities for community reintegration – released the report Employment and Community Reintegration in Contra Costa County. The publication, produced in collaboration with the Pacific Institute and CCISCO, presents original research, including survey findings that 78% of formerly incarcerated Richmond residents are unemployed, and two out of three have not held a single job since their release.

The research report finds a high level of interest in job training and transitional employment among the formerly incarcerated: while only 30% of respondents said they had participated in a trade or job training program after their release, more than 3 in 4 of those who did not participate were interested in such a program. The financial hardship of unemployment was evident in that more than half of those surveyed stated they had often or sometimes skipped a meal due to difficulties getting food. The majority also reported they had wanted to see a doctor, but did not because of the cost.

On July 30, 2013, the Richmond City Council took an historic step in leveling the playing field for returning citizens in passing an ordinance that expands their “Fairness in Hiring” policy to include all companies doing business with the City of Richmond. A broad cross-section of clergy, formerly incarcerated community leaders from the Safe Return Project, public officials, and business owners held a press conference on the steps of the Richmond City Hall to declare their support for the legislation.

Richmond City Council member Jovanka Beckles introduced the legislation in response to the 78% unemployment rate for Richmond residents who have returned home from incarceration. The City of Richmond and 43 other cities and states across the U.S. have decided that in their hiring they will not consider applicants’ past convictions unless legally required and only after the person has found to be qualified for the position. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission endorses this as a best practice and many county governments have found that it reduces costs in addition to improving public safety. “Sensitive positions” would be excluded from this provision and would be allowed to conduct background checks during the hiring process.

More than 50 private business owners, including the president of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, have signed “Fairness in Hiring” pledges declaring their commitment to making “my best effort to employ the most qualified applicant at my place of business, regardless of their past convictions. This is my contribution in the effort to support public safety, and the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals in the city of Richmond.”

Contra Costa County has led the way around issues of reentry and realignment in the state of California as the county shifted over $5 million dollars away from a jail expansion and into investments in people coming home from prison (click here for the history of this campaign).

Global Water Governance in the 21st Century

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Growing pressure on global water resources is having major impacts on our social, economic, and environmental well-being. Water governance processes facilitate interaction and dialogue among key players, both formal and informal, for setting standards and objectives and resolving disputes.

Despite growing recognition that the world’s water-related challenges extend beyond national and regional boundaries, there has been scant discussion of global water governance that looks more holistically at shared water challenges. This report identifies major concerns and offers recommendations for how water governance can be improved at the global scale, in an increasingly interconnected world.

Water Rates: Communication and Education – Issue Brief

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All water service providers must periodically correspond with their customers as well as state and local decision makers. In times of emergency messages can help customers understand what to expect next and when disrupted service might be restored. But regular communication in non-emergency periods is also necessary. It provides an opportunity to connect, raise awareness, and educate customers about ongoing issues relating to water delivery, availability, quality, and regulation. Such information is critical to help customers better understand the cost associated with the services they receive. In addition, it is important that stakeholders perceive water rates as equitable, reasonable, and justifiable. Early and effective communication can help promote that perception and also helps increase confidence in and credibility of the water service provider.

California water service providers must be particularly diligent when planning a rate-setting process. California has unique regulations (such as Proposition 218) that can complicate the rate-setting process if customers protest the rate change. Yet, in a 2003 survey of members of the American Water Works Association, utilities in the West were found to be three times more likely than utilities in other areas in the country to report financial and rate issues as their most challenging communications topic. Strategies exist to help water service providers ensure that the necessary rates are implemented, while still ensuring customer satisfaction.

Resources

PowerPoint Presentations from the Workshops on Water Rates and Finances:

Tools for Success: Forecasting Water Demand

Water Rate Affordability in California

A Public Goods Charge for Water

Conservation Rates: Sensible Pricing for Water in the Cal Am Settlement

Consumption-Based Fixed Revenue

Capital Finance Overview: Dealing with the New Norm

Innovative Agricultural Rate Structure

Modification of Water Rates 2011: City of Napa

Stories from the Field: Practice and Politics of Rate Setting in the Real World

Water Demand Forecast Model: Seattle Public Utilities

In this Series

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics

Pricing Practices in the Electricity Sector to Promote Conservation and Efficiency: Lessons for the Water Sector

Beyond Water Pricing: An Overview of Water Financing in California

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Demand Forecasting

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Affordability

Gearing Up for Action: A Curriculum Guide for Freight Transport Justice

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The Pacific Institute’s freight transport justice advocacy work sought to reduce the adverse health impacts of freight transportation on low-income neighborhoods of color closest to freight transport hubs, and to increase the share of the benefits that residents of these communities enjoy.

This guide, developed in partnership with community leaders and organizations, is an advocacy tool to build the power and capacity of communities to participate in decision making around freight transport issues. The activities have been designed to help community leaders engage groups of community members to learn more about freight transport and its effects on communities.

Contra Costa Health Services, Neighborhood House of North Richmond, West County Toxics Coalition, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, and Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative all contributed to this guide. The first edition was released in October 2010. The updated 2013 version is available in both English and Spanish.

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Spanish

Preparándose para la Acción

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Preparándose para la Acción: Una Guía Curricular para Lograr Justicia en el Transporte de Carga del Pacific Institute ha sido revisada siendo una importante herramienta de abogacía para construir el poder y la capacidad de comunidades para participar en la toma de decisiones en cuanto a temas del transporte de carga. Las actividades han sido diseñadas para ayudar a los líderes comunitarios en involucrar a grupos de miembros de la comunidad para aprender sobre el transporte de carga conectándolo a sus propias vidas. La meta de nuestro trabajo de justicia del transporte de carga es reducir los impactos adversos a la salud que el transporte de carga tiene en vecindarios de bajo recursos y de color que están cerca de centros de transporte de carga, y para aumentar los beneficios que residentes de estas comunidades pueden disfrutar.

La guía curricular es fácil de utilizar y ayuda a comunidades lidiando con problemas del transporte de carga a compartir sus experiencias, explorando las raíces de los impactos que el transporte de carga causa, identificando aquellos responsables de lidiar con estas causas, y desarrollando un plan de abogacía que avanza sus soluciones. Con actividades desde “Rompimientos de Hielo” y “Energizantes” a “Bingo Humano de Transporte de Carga” y “Colocación de Nuestras Historias en el Mapa,” Preparándose para la Acción involucra a las personas en una manera que construye comunidad y da herramientas a la gente para hacer cambios.

Descarga la Guía Curricular: Preparándose para la Acción

California Coastal Areas and Infrastructure Vulnerable to Flooding and Erosion

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Downloadable PDF maps from our study that allow you to visualize the impacts of sea level rise on the California Coast. Key impacts featured here include population and property at risk, miles of vulnerable roads and railroads, vulnerable power plants and wastewater treatment plants, and wetland migration potential. This information is being made available for informational purposes only. Users of this information agree by their use to hold blameless the State of California, and its respective officers, employees, agents, contractors, and subcontractors for any liability associated with its use in any form. This work shall not be used to assess actual coastal hazards, insurance requirements, or property values and specifically shall not be used in lieu of Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Resources

Thematic map: Vulnerable Population

Thematic map: Vulnerable Roadways

Thematic map: Railroads

In this Series

The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast

The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the San Francisco Bay

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics

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In the context of what is referred to as “the new normal”– increasing costs to provide safe and reliable water supply amidst decreasing demand — water service providers are facing new challenges in forecasting rates and preparing for future water demand. The most common water rate structures — such as flat fees, uniform rates, and block rates — require varying levels of financial, institutional, and human capacity to implement. An important consideration is whether the potential benefits are greater than the cost to provide the necessary capacity. This white paper is the first in a series addressing some of the key challenges of water rate forecasting.

Resources

PowerPoint Presentations from the Workshops on Water Rates and Finances:

Tools for Success: Forecasting Water Demand

Water Rate Affordability in California

A Public Goods Charge for Water

Conservation Rates: Sensible Pricing for Water in the Cal Am Settlement

Consumption-Based Fixed Revenue

Capital Finance Overview: Dealing with the New Norm

Innovative Agricultural Rate Structure

Modification of Water Rates 2011: City of Napa

Stories from the Field: Practice and Politics of Rate Setting in the Real World

Water Demand Forecast Model: Seattle Public Utilities

In this Series

Assessing Water Affordability: A Pilot Study in Two Regions of California

Beyond Water Pricing: An Overview of Water Financing in California

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Affordability

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Demand Forecasting

Issue Brief: Water Rates Communication and Education

Dinámica del Agua Subterránea en el Tramo Limítrofe del Río Colorado

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El Río Colorado, derivado y canalizado, así como intensivamente controlado, sólo en raras ocasiones (<10 por ciento de los días) lleva suficiente agua para fluir al menos 32 km más allá de la Presa Morelos, la última presa sobre el río, cerca de la frontera California/Arizona/Baja California. El corredor limítrofe del río – el tramo de aproximadamente 36 km de Andrade a San Luis que separa Baja California de Arizona – es generalmente considerado la parte más alta del remanente del delta del Río Colorado, con algunas de las zonas más extensas de álamos y sauces nativos que quedan en el bajo Río Colorado y una de las pocas áreas donde el río aún tiene, ocasionalmente, agua suficiente para sobrepasar sus márgenes y alcanzar su planicie aluvial. Por este motivo, durante más de una década, se ha generado un enorme interés en la restauración del tramo limítrofe. En años recientes, sin embargo, ha habido una creciente preocupación de que el deterioro en las condiciones del agua subterránea en la parte baja del tramo limítrofe, coarte el éxito de los esfuerzos de restauración.

Dinámica del Agua Subterránea en el Tramo Limítrofe del Río Colorado proporciona una clara descripción de, y una explicación para, las condiciones cambiantes del agua subterránea en el tramo limítrofe del Río Colorado y las zonas adyacentes y determina, hasta donde sea posible, el impacto que la extracción por bombeo de agua subterránea tiene en estas condiciones de sobre extracción.

Este estudio indica que, incluso después del periodo excepcionalmente seco de 2005-2009, cuando en el 90 por ciento de los días los flujos superficiales no alcanzaban a llegar al medidor aguas abajo del tramo limítrofe, más de un tercio del canal en el corredor limítrofe todavía mostraba conectividad con el manto freático, y aproximadamente dos tercios del tramo limítrofe todavía tenía un nivel freático al alcance de las raíces de álamos y sauces. La caída en picada del nivel freático en el extremo aguas abajo del tramo limítrofe indica que los últimos 8 km del río en el corredor limítrofe pudieran no reaccionar a los esfuerzos para restaurar el hábitat ripario, por lo menos no sin un compromiso a largo plazo de riego suplementario; aunque las áreas aguas arriba parecen estar a salvo del reciente abatimiento del nivel freático y se beneficiarían de restauración, como la que ha propuesto la reciente Acta 319.

Groundwater Dynamics in the Colorado River Limitrophe

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The Colorado River, diverted and channelized and intensively managed, only rarely has enough water to flow even 20 miles past Morelos Dam, the last dam on the river, near the California/Arizona/Baja California border. The river’s limitrophe reach – the roughly 22.5 mile stretch from Andrade to San Luis that separates Baja California from Arizona – is generally considered the uppermost extent of the remnant Colorado River delta, with some of the most extensive stands of native cottonwoods and willows left on the lower Colorado River and one of the few areas where the river still occasionally has enough water to exceed its banks and reach its floodplain. Because of this, there has been intense restoration interest in the limitrophe reach for more than a decade. In recent years, however, concern has grown that deteriorating groundwater conditions in the lower portion of the limitrophe will limit the success of restoration efforts.

Groundwater Dynamics in the Colorado River Limitrophe describes and explains the changing groundwater conditions in and adjacent to the Colorado River’s limitrophe reach, and analyzes the impact of groundwater pumping on these overdraft conditions. The key question underlying this study asks how changing groundwater conditions in the limitrophe could affect the sustainability of planned habitat restoration projects.

This study indicates that, even after the exceptionally dry period of 2005-2009, when surface flows failed to reach the gage at the downstream end of the limitrophe on 90 percent of days, more than a third of the channel through the limitrophe still exhibited connectivity with the water table, and roughly two-thirds of the limitrophe still had a water table that remained within the reach of the roots of cottonwoods and willows. The plunging water table at the downstream end of the limitrophe suggests that the final five miles of the river within the limitrophe may not respond to efforts to restore riparian habitat, at least not without a long-term commitment to supplemental irrigation, but areas upstream appear well-insulated from the recent drawdown and would benefit from restoration activity, such as that proposed by the recent Minute 319.

Resources

Appendix: Groundwater Dynamics in the Colorado River Limitrophe

Languages

Groundwater Dynamics in the Colorado River Limitrophe

Spanish

Testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick Before the California Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy

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This document provides the full testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick before the California Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy.

Water to Supply the Land: Irrigated Agriculture in the Colorado River Basin

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Water is scarce in the Colorado River Basin, and the effects of climate change are straining the overspent water supply. Demands on the river already exceed the river’s average supply. This is the first report to describe the extent of irrigation in the basin, which consumes roughly 70% of the basin’s water supply. The report compares several agricultural management scenarios and the potential water savings and costs associated with each, without removing agricultural land from production.

Resources

Tool: The Colorado Basin map

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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California’s water supply is vulnerable to seasonal extremes that are exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Seawater desalination is a reliable source of water, which can be especially valuable during a drought. Yet in California, and in other regions dependent on hydropower, electricity prices tend to rise during droughts, when runoff, and thus power production, is constrained and electricity demands are high. This report describes the energy requirements and associated greenhouse gas emissions for desalinated water and evaluates the impact of short- and long-term energy price variability on the cost of desalinated water.

This report is part of a series launched in 2012 identifying the key outstanding issues for desalination in the state: cost and financing; energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions; and marine impacts.

Resources

Interactive Map: Existing Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

Interactive Map: Proposed Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

In this Series

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Costs and Financing

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Marine Impacts

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Proposed Seawater Desalination Facilities

Community Resilience Fact Sheets Help Communities Prepare for Climate Change Impacts

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As Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina have taught us, climate change is a global process with very localized impacts that can profoundly affect community health and quality of life. These localized impacts, ranging from extreme temperatures to rising sea levels, will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as the elderly, renters, low-income residents, limited English speakers, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and those without health or home insurance. Yet the same communities considered most vulnerable to climate change also contain a wealth of knowledge about how to creatively marshal social networks, culturally-based practices and skills, and limited resources to weather hard times.

Our Community Resilience Fact Sheets, can be used by community leaders and residents to learn more about the actions they can take before, during, and after climate change impacts hit. They provide residents with tips and resources on how to better prepare for and protect themselves and their communities from climate change impacts from flooding, rising electricity costs, poor air quality, wildfires, rising water costs and water scarcity, and extreme heat. The fact sheets are part of the Climate Change Survivor project, which provides engaging activities and games, downloadable, to raise awareness about climate change impacts like heat waves, flooding, and poor air quality – and the tools that community members can use to build safety and resilience.

The Community Resilience Fact Sheets are the result of a partnership between the Pacific Institute and the Oakland Climate Action Coalition (OCAC) to assess local climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation options — and to develop actionable tools to engage vulnerable communities in climate adaptation planning efforts with a focus on implementation of the City of Oakland’s Energy and Climate Action Plan. Our Resilient Roots Project, a partnership between the Pacific Institute and OCAC’s Resilience and Adaptation Subcommittee, works to connect Oakland residents to the resources and capacity they need to take individual and collective action to build their resiliency to local climate impacts and to engage in climate adaptation planning efforts to better prepare and protect their communities from these impacts.

Popular education is a key tool for expanding climate change literacy among vulnerable populations and for engaging vulnerable communities in building community resilience. Over the past year the Pacific Institute has worked with OCAC members to develop community-friendly educational materials and activities based on our recently published report Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, CA, which analyzes social vulnerability to local climate change impacts in Oakland and identifies adaptation options that could be put in place to address these impacts. The resulting Fact Sheets can be read as online versions or downloaded to print out and fold into handy brochures.

In this Series

Flooding (PDF)	Wildfires (PDF)
Rising Electricity Costs (PDF)	Rising Water Costs and Water Scarcity (PDF)
Poor Air Quality (PDF)	Extreme Heat (PDF)

Print and fold versions:

Flooding (PDF)	Wildfires (PDF)
Rising Electricity Costs (PDF)	Rising Water Costs and Water Scarcity (PDF)
Poor Air Quality (PDF)	Extreme Heat (PDF)

Note: Instructions for folding the fact sheets are included with each fact sheet.

Workbook Activity: Are You a Climate Change Survivor?

Climate Change Survivor Board Game

Case Study: Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, California

Climate Change Survivor Workbook with Games

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Oakland residents can take steps to protect their communities in the face of climate change impacts. Are You a Climate Change Survivor? is the fun new activity workbook, game, and handy fact sheets from the Pacific Institute and Oakland Climate Action Coalition (OCAC) that provide engaging activities to raise awareness about climate change impacts like heat waves, flooding, and poor air quality – and the tools that community members can use to build safety and resilience.

From “Climate Justice Human Bingo” to “Community Resilience Lifeboat,” the projects, games, and discussions in the Are You a Climate Change Survivor? activity workbook provide resources and things to do that range from basic learning about climate change and how climate change affects us, to how community members can prepare and how to create more resilient communities.

One activity is the board game Climate Change Survivor – the atmosphere’s version of Sorry! Community groups, community health workers and educators, church groups, schools, families, and even groups of neighbors can download the game board and game cards free online and have a great time while learning about different climate change impacts, how we might be vulnerable, and what we can do to better prepare and protect ourselves from these impacts.

The activities and resources were developed by the Pacific Institute and OCAC and piloted at community meetings, events, and workshops. The focus is on creating a space where diverse people and organizations can imagine and implement solutions that protect Oakland residents as they face the local impacts of climate change, such as heat waves, floods, wildfires, poor air quality, and rising utility costs.

The activity workbook is complemented by colorful Community Resilience Factsheets providing more information about how climate change will impact Oakland communities in Oakland. They include practical tips for how to protect yourself, save money, and build resilience to climate change impacts while encouraging friends and neighbors to do the same.

These tools are an extension of the 2012 Pacific Institute study Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, California, which identifies social vulnerability to climate impacts shaped by a variety of factors, including income, race, health, age, English fluency, etc.

Resources

Climate Change Survivor Press Release

Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, California

Sustainable Water Jobs: A National Assessment of Water-Related Green Job Opportunities

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This comprehensive study finds that investments to increase efficient water use and reuse will both address growing problems associated with drought, flooding, and contamination, and simultaneously create jobs in a wide range of professions. The study identifies 136 different kinds of jobs involved in implementing sustainable water strategies, from plumbing to landscaping, engineering, and irrigation specialization.

Resources

Video:

Sustainable Water Jobs and Disadvantaged Communities: Assessing the Opportunities and Challenges

Training and Employment Case Studies:

Amigos de los Rios in Altadena, California

Groundwork Portland in Portland, Oregon

Limitless Vistas in New Orleans, Louisiana

Sustainable South Bronx in Bronx, New York

Verde in Portland, Oregon

¡YouthWorks! in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Sustainable Water Management for Urban Agriculture: Planting Justice, Oakland

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The food justice movement has deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the organization Planting Justice is utilizing urban agriculture to address economic and social justice issues. Urban agriculture has the potential to provide sustenance and empowerment to a wide spectrum of communities left without access to fresh, healthy food due to systemic inequities in urban development. This case study examines the sustainable water management practices of Planting Justice, presenting their triumphs and setbacks in the context of the Bay Area food justice movement.

California’s Water Footprint

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This report offers the first comprehensive assessment of California’s water footprint. A water footprint is defined as the amount of water required to produce a product, including the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the beverages we drink, and all the other goods on which we rely. The authors evaluate the potential impact of policy solutions, as well as consumer choice, on California’s water footprint, highlighting leverage points for reducing water impacts.

In this Series

Water Footprint Outcomes and Policy Relevance Change with Scale Considered: Evidence from California

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Costs and Financing

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Seawater desalination is gaining traction as a potential solution to water supply challenges in California, but economics – specifically, the cost of the water produced and the complex financial arrangements needed to develop a project – will ultimately determine the success and extent of this technology. This report provides communities and decision makers with information needed to make decisions about building desalination plants along the California coast, and elsewhere.

Resources

Interactive Map: Existing Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

Interactive Map: Proposed Seawater Desalination Plants in California, December 2015

In this Series

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emisions

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Proposed Facilities

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Marine Impacts

Sustainability Standards and Public Governance

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An emerging theme of the framing project from its inception in 2009 was the growing awareness of the significance and complexity of the interactions between voluntary, non-governmental sustainability standards and national and international governance, raising fundamental questions about standards development, use, legitimacy and sustainability.

It became increasingly clear as the project progressed that understanding, and if possible resolving these questions could be a pre-requisite to achieving broad support for sustainability standards from policy makers and many civil society organizations.

In response, The Pacific Institute carried out a comprehensive review of the literature on the subject and commissioned the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development to analyse the issues and make preliminary recommendations.

a) Literature Review

The literature review by Pacific Institute Research Associate Mai-Lan Ha takes a critical look at the literature that has developed over the last twenty years or so, covering the relationship between private voluntary social and environmental standards (PVSES) and public governance.

The review considers:

the origins of PVSES and their interactions with public policy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and non-state market driven instruments;
the implications of the use of PVSES in the developing world;
what an ‘ideal’ relationship between private governance and public policy should be;
the role of PVSES in the specific context of international trade and the World Trade Organization (WTO);
the literature around PVSES and democracy, looking at both internal and external elements of PVSES and democracy.

The complete review can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

b) Analysis and Development of ‘Principles for Standards-Setters’

The review and analysis by the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development builds on the literature review and explores the relationship between PVSES and public governance in greater detail.

The review finds that the standards community has paid significant attention to the ideas of ‘filling governance gaps’ with standards, and then ensuring that the standards themselves are governed ‘well’ or in line with ideas of ‘good governance’.

However, the rapid evolution and take-up of environmental and social standards in the marketplace itself has knock-on effects upon the behaviour of and policy options available to governments, and impacts more widely on public governance. This aspect of a ‘governance framing’ of standards is currently very underdeveloped.

The paper proposes that consideration of ‘good governance of standards’, ‘standards asgovernance’ and ‘standards to fill governance gaps’ are not sufficient on their own to ensure that standards do not inadvertently weaken ‘good public governance’. Additional attention is needed.

Perhaps the key, innovative output of the work is the development of eleven suggested ‘principles’ to guide the sustainability standards movement in its interactions with formal governmental institutions. These principles are highly preliminary. The intention is that, if followed, they would help ensure that sustainability standards strengthen, and do not undermine, good public governance.

The eleven draft principles are presented below, with the hope that they may seed further discussion. The complete paper can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.

Eleven DRAFT Principles for Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Public Policy

Overarching principles:

Respect the unique roles of governments and states
Engage public sector actors
Support sharing of information and resources with public sector actors
Build on existing public sector and international norms
Assess and review the range of public sector implications and relationships

Respect

Principle 1 – Do no harm: to public sector or government capacity to address the environmental and social issues addressed by the VSES
Principle 2 – Minimise conflict: where conflicts arise between proposed public policy or legislative requirements in host countries or supplier countries, seek to understand why and act to minimise conflict wherever possible
Principle 3 – Prior notification: where it is not possible to achieve the objectives of the VSES without creating conflict with laws in countries and markets where the VSES will take effect, ensure that affected suppliers, organisations and public sector actors are given ample prior notice of your VSES and an opportunity to engage in dialogue on alternative approaches
Principle 4 – Advisory roles on international law: Develop rules of procedure to ensure that government participants have an ‘advisory’ rather than ‘veto’ or ‘consensus’ role on issues which raise questions about interpretation of international law

Engage

Principle 5 – Ensure that public sector actors are offered opportunities to engage in the VSES in ways that are appropriate to the VSES under consideration whilst respecting their unique roles and responsibilities

Support

Principle 6 – Explore how best to link monitoring and assurance mechanisms associated with your VSES to existing public sector monitoring and enforcement activities in markets where your VSES will take effect.

Build

Principle 7 – Draw on intergovernmentally agreed principles and norms where these fall within the scope of the VSES
Principle 8 – Seek opportunities to maximise alignment and synergies between VSESs and complementary public policy goals and norms in countries where the VSESs will take effect

Assess and review

Principle 9 – Assess why public sector actors and/or international organisations are engaging in the development of your VSES, understand their remit, and assess which have chosen not to engage (and why)
Principle 10 – Assess and share with affected parties the range of public sector implications, relationships and impacts of your VSES
Principle 11 – Assess the likelihood that the VSES could be considered a ‘relevant international standard’ for purposes of the rules of the World Trade Organization (including its Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade)

Resources

Literature Review on Voluntary Social and Environmental Standards and Governance

From Storage to Retention: Expanding California’s Options for Meeting its Water Needs

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California’s ability to grow its wealth of specialty crops depends on retaining and storing water from the state’s wet season for use during the long, dry summer season. This report argues for an expansion of approaches to storing water that increase supply reliability for specialty crop agricultural production and other beneficial uses while protecting ecosystem health. The authors call for management approaches that support a broad range of options, including ecologically sound large-scale reservoirs, a patchwork of on-farm ponds, expanded soil capacity to retain water, and improvements in groundwater recharge.

The report highlights a conceptual shift in water management that it argues is a necessary underpinning of effective water storage, and recommends a set of priority actions that constitute high-leverage opportunities to improve California’s water storage capacity and management. The report was produced by the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply (CRWFS), with contributions from Juliette Christian-Smith of the Pacific Institute, a CRWFS member.

Guide to Water-Related Collective Action and Water Action Hub

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Global water challenges must be addressed through collective action, where multiple stakeholders collaborate on shared water stewardship goals. The Water Action Hub, from the United Nations Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, is the world’s first online platform to unite companies, governments, NGOs, and citizens on a range of critical water projects in river basins around the planet. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for stakeholders to productively engage in collective actions, and includes success stories.

The Pacific Institute is co-secretariat of the CEO Water Mandate, which mobilizes business leaders to advance water stewardship, sanitation, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Water Action Hub is designed to help companies and other organizations identify potential partnerships in specific river basins through a map-based data management system. Users can find projects by selecting a geographic area of interest, a particular organization, or a specific project.

This guide focuses on water-related collective action. Written primarily for companies new to external engagement on water issues, it supports internal analysis and decision-making, helping companies become well-prepared for external-party discussions and collective action activities. Other parties—governments, NGOs, and others—may also find the strategies and insights to be useful.

Key Findings

Key findings include:

The guide is structured around five elements of collective action preparation:

Scoping the water challenges and action areas that collective action will address;

Identifying and characterizing the interested parties on whom action areas critically depend;

Embedding the challenges, action areas, and interested parties in a collective action process that will optimize the effort and shared benefits for all participants;

Designing the collective action engagement; and

Structuring and managing the collective action.

Effective collective action is key to successfully addressing shared water challenges and the vulnerabilities they present to many companies. In its most productive form, collective action leads to a strong sense of shared interests, shared responsibility, and shared benefits. Companies will typically embrace collective efforts with other interested parties to:

benefit from their experience,

gain fresh ideas and perspectives,

enhance credibility and legitimacy,

increase the momentum for change,

pool resources to address common objectives, or

simply become better stewards of water resource.

Collective action can take a variety of forms, ranging from a relatively informal exchange of perspectives to highly structured joint decision-making, implementation, and accountability. A successful collective action will typically build from a shared sense of risk, responsibility, and benefit among interested parties, and the process will emphasize dialogue that leads to stronger outcomes than those achieved through unilateral action.

Resources

Online Tool: Water Action Hub

Urban Water Demand in California to 2100: Incorporating Climate Change

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Climate change will have significant impacts on California water supply and demand. Research shows that the state’s changing climate will lead to increased water use in cities and suburbs, while water supply is expected to diminish. The rates at which conservation practices are put into place, and the degree to which they are continued, will have a major effect on future water use. But even with state mandates, urban water use is expected to rise quickly, at a time when state agencies are projecting reduced water supply from snowmelt and runoff.

The Urban Water Demand to 2100 model is a free tool from the Pacific Institute to help water managers to forecast urban water demand with four global climate change models, and to compare different possible futures to the year 2100 by altering greenhouse gas emissions, population projections, conservation and efficiency measures, and more in the models.

Resources

Tool: Urban Water Demand to 2100 model

Bringing a Human Rights Lens to Corporate Water Stewardship

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Businesses are under increasing pressure to help fulfill internationally recognized human rights. Private sector leaders have recognized the importance of effective management systems in responding to these expectations and protecting the core resources needed in their own activities.

This report seeks to develop practical guidance for businesses attempting to navigate challenges presented by current human rights issues, while identifying opportunities for partnerships to enhance stewardship efforts. It is part of a project by the United Nations Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, which the Pacific Institute is co-secretariat for, to develop robust practical guidance on the human right to water and sanitation.

A Twenty-First Century U.S. Water Policy

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This book provides the first independent assessment of water issues and water management in the United States in many decades, addressing emerging and persistent challenges from the perspectives of science, public policy, environmental justice, economics, and law. Providing case studies and first-person accounts of best and worst practices in water management, the book explores challenges and solutions to water issues in the United States.

Available for purchase on Oxford University Press, and Amazon.

Resources

Video: 21st Century U.S. Water Policy

Select Content and Foreword from A Twenty-First Century US Water Policy

Introduction to The Soft Path for Water

Chapter 3: Water and Environmental Justice.

Case Study: Green Infrastructure

Sample Lesson Plan for Chapter 2: Legal and Institutional Framework for Water

Cadiz Public Comments

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This letter contains a summary of comments submitted by the Pacific Institute on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) of the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery, and Storage Project on March 13th, 2012.

Social Vulnerability to Climate Change in California

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California faces a range of impacts from global climate change, including increased incidences of extreme heat, wildfires, coastal flooding, and erosion. This report shows that addressing social vulnerability in climate change policies and response strategies is critical to California’s future; communities must begin developing and implementing adaptation plans as quickly as possible.

The research for this report – carried out with input from community leaders and advocates of the Oakland Climate Action Coalition and with representatives from federal, state, and regional agencies and community organizations – highlights why understanding vulnerability factors and the populations that exhibit these factors are critical for crafting effective and equitable climate change policies and response strategies.

Resources

Abstract

Tool: Social Vulnerability Index map

Tool: Social Vulnerability to Climate Change: Individual Factors map

GIS Data Downloads

Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands

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This report provides background on the Water–Energy Simulator (WESim), an easy-to-use analytical tool that can be used to evaluate the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisions. The Excel-based model allows the user to explore a range of possible scenarios, such as increased demand for water resources, the development of alternative water and energy sources, and needed water treatment improvements resulting from emerging contaminants and stricter water-quality guidelines. WESim can be applied by individual water and energy utilities, groups of utilities, and policymakers and decision makers. A WESim User Manual and report, Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands, are provided, as well.

Water provision and use require energy in all phases, from source extraction to the discharge of wastewater. Multiple factors will influence the energy intensity of the water sector in the near future: climate change will affect water supply, quality, and demand, potentially creating a need for new energy-intensive supply and treatment options; population growth, water use patterns, technology, and price all will affect water demand; and emerging contaminants may require more energy-intensive treatment technologies. These trends highlight the need for a clear and consistent methodology for evaluating the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisions.

WESim addresses this need, as a tool that creates a common framework in which to explore alternative scenarios. The model is designed to allow you to input actual operating data on water and energy use, allowing for an analysis that better reflects operating conditions. To facilitate use of the model, defaults for the energy requirements of various components of the water and wastewater system are provided, as well.

WESim was developed by The Pacific Institute and Dr. Bob Wilkinson, with support from the WateReuse Research Foundation, the California Energy Commission, and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Resources

WESim model

W ESim User Manual

Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, California

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This analysis identifies more than 50 strategies for building community resilience and adapting to climate-change impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, poor air quality, and rising food, water, and electricity prices. The study, produced by the Pacific Institute in partnership with the Oakland Climate Action Coalition, provides a detailed analysis of climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies to inform the development of a comprehensive and equitable climate adaptation plan that can be implemented with the input of local communities.

Resources

Tool: Oakland Social Vulnerability to Climate Change map

Appendix A: Summary of Adaptation Strategies

The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the San Francisco Bay

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Rising sea levels from global climate change pose a serious threat to the highly developed coastal communities of the San Francisco Bay. This report assesses the populations, critical infrastructure, and property at risk from projected sea-level rise, if no action is taken to protect the coast. The authors provide a set of principles to guide the decision-making process for determining and funding solutions for mitigating and responding to sea-level rise in the region.

Resources

Interactive Map: California Coastal Areas and Infrastructure Vulnerable to Flooding and Erosion

Maps:

Hazards

Sea-Level Rise

Thematic Maps:

Vulnerable Population

Vulnerable Roadways

Railroads

Electric Power Plants, California

Electric Power Plants, San Francisco Bay Area

Wastewater Treatment Plants, California

Wastewater Treatment Plants, San Francisco Bay Area

Existing Coastal Wetlands

Viability of Potential Coastal Wetland Migration Area, San Francisco

Replacement Value of Buildings and Contents

In this Series

The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Proposed Seawater Desalination Facilities

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In 2006, the Pacific Institute published “Desalination, With a Grain of Salt,” a comprehensive overview of the advantages and disadvantages of seawater desalination to help meet California’s water needs. In 2012, the Institute launched a series of research reports identifying the key outstanding issues for desalination in California: cost and financing; energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions; and marine impacts. That year, the Institute also released this white paper, which provides an overview on the proposed seawater desalination plants in the state. Maps are provided, along with the locations and details about California’s existing and proposed seawater desalination facilities.

Interest in seawater desalination remains high in California. This white paper was updated in 2016.

Resources

Tool: Existing Seawater Desalination Plants in California Map, December 2015

Tool: Proposed Seawater Desalination Plants in California Map, December 2015

In this Series

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Costs and Financing

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Marine Impacts

Opinion Editorial: Separating Frack From Fiction

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New Report Helps Separate the Frack from the Fiction

By Heather Cooley

Fracking – a process to improve the production of oil and gas wells – has generated tremendous controversy in recent years. There are daily and confusing media reports from outlets across the United States and other countries, including Canada, South Africa, Australia, France and England. While fracking is hailed by some as a game-changer that promises increased national energy independence, job creation and lower energy prices, it has also been severely criticized by others because of serious and unresolved environmental, social and public health concerns.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, refers to the process by which a fluid – a mix of water, sand and chemical additives – is injected into oil and gas wells under high pressure to create cracks and fissures in rock formations that increase the productivity of these wells. It is standard practice for extracting oil and natural gas from unconventional sources, including shale and tight sands, and is increasingly being applied to conventional sources. According to some estimates, 90 percent of oil and gas wells drilled in the United States now use hydraulic fracturing.

Much of the media attention about hydraulic fracturing and its risk to water resources has centered on the use of chemicals in the fracturing fluids and their potential to contaminate groundwater. The strategies identified to address this concern have centered on disclosure and, to some extent, the use of less toxic chemicals. But while chemical disclosure can be useful for tracking contamination, there are other water-related issues that must also be addressed.

New Pacific Institute research and interviews with stakeholders from industry and government to community-based organizations show they all share similar, serious concerns about the impacts of fracking on the availability and quality of water resources. In addition to concerns about chemicals and groundwater contamination, there are growing worries over the massive water requirements for hydraulic fracturing and the potential conflicts with other water needs – including water for agriculture and ecosystems – as well as the serious challenges associated with storing, transporting, treating and disposing of wastewater. Methane contamination of drinking water wells can also be a concern according to field studies in areas where natural gas is produced. More and better research is needed on these critical issues.

Unfortunately, like many political debates these days, the dialogue about fracking has been marked by ideology, confusion, narrow perspectives and obfuscation. For example, some industry groups use a narrow definition of fracking to argue that there is no link between their activities and groundwater contamination. Yet documented cases in Dimock, Pa., and an ongoing investigation in Pavillion, Wyo., provide evidence of groundwater contamination.

In these cases, however, contamination was associated with the integrity of the well casing and wastewater disposal, which are integral parts of the hydraulic fracturing process, but not the injection of the fluids underground per se – and so, the issue is skirted by semantics. Additional work is needed to clarify terms and definitions associated with hydraulic fracturing in order to have an honest and informed discourse about the risks.

Part of the problem is a lack of credible and comprehensive data, information and analysis of the real concerns associated with fracking. Due to the nature of the business, industry has an incentive to keep the specifics of their operations secret in order to gain a competitive advantage, avoid litigation and minimize regulation.

In California, for example, at least 159 oil or gas wells have been fracked since January 2011, mostly around Bakersfield but also near Santa Barbara and in Los Angeles. But since reporting is voluntary and not subject to third-party verification, the true extent of fracking in California, and its consequences, remains unknown.

Additionally, there are few peer-reviewed, scientific studies on the process and its environmental impacts. While much has been written about hydraulic fracturing, the majority of this writing is either industry or advocacy reports. As a result, the discourse around the issue is too often driven by opinion rather than science, ideology rather than fact.

Fracking may offer great promise, but it is absolutely irresponsible to rush into a major expansion without giving serious consideration to the social, economic and environmental risks, and the careful development of appropriate oversight and policies to minimize those risks.

Download the report here: Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction.

This Op-Ed first appeared in the Sacramento Bee.

Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Resources: Separating the Frack from the Fiction

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Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has generated growing controversy. The lack of credible and comprehensive data around the possible risks of fracking is a major impediment to a clear assessment of its impacts. This study identifies significant issues around fracking’s water-related impacts according to key stakeholders, pointing to the need for better and more transparent information in order to address the risks and provide policy solutions.

Water as a Casualty of Conflict: Threats to Business and Society in High-Risk Areas

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While much research has been produced on how water use and pollution can exacerbate conflict, this report focuses more broadly on the ways conflict and high-risk situations can affect water systems and resources directly, as well as the planning, construction, operation, and management of water systems. The authors separate the impacts into four categories: natural resources, physical infrastructure, human capital, and socio-political and financial systems. The report, produced in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact, also explores how water risks affect the business sector and how businesses have responded, exploring case studies in several countries.

Water Rates: Water Affordability – Issue Brief

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Water rates in the United States are not typically understood as a human rights issue, but utility bills can be an exceptional burden for low income households. Water rates that cost more than one and a half to three percent of household income can prevent individuals and families from accessing water for basic needs. When affordability impedes individuals’ ability to access water, it can significantly impact public health.

There are many ways utility companies can implement affordability measures for low-income households, such as implementing budget billing, enacting late fee forgiveness, and finding alternatives to rate-based revenue sources. This fact sheet provides information on water rate affordability measures, as well as successful water affordability programs in California.

Resources

PowerPoint Presentations from the Workshops on Water Rates and Finances:

Tools for Success: Forecasting Water Demand

Water Rate Affordability in California

A Public Goods Charge for Water

Conservation Rates: Sensible Pricing for Water in the Cal Am Settlement

Consumption-Based Fixed Revenue

Capital Finance Overview: Dealing with the New Norm

Innovative Agricultural Rate Structure

Modification of Water Rates 2011: City of Napa

Stories from the Field: Practice and Politics of Rate Setting in the Real World

Water Demand Forecast Model: Seattle Public Utilities

In this Series

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics

Pricing Practices in the Electricity Sector to Promote Conservation and Efficiency: Lessons for the Water Sector

Beyond Water Pricing: An Overview of Water Financing in California

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability

Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Demand Forecasting

Issue Brief: Water Rates Communication and Education

Water Rates: Water Demand Forecasting – Issue Brief

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Historically, water demand forecasts have been determined by estimating current per-capita water consumption multiplied by expected future population. However, this method does not account for changes in the economy, technological advances, or conservation habits, nor does it take into account the overall trend of declining water use. Water demand forecast methods must accommodate these changes, as well as account for the impact of conservation programs, demographic changes, and climate change. This issue brief gives an overview of water demand forecasting, and suggests techniques to increase the accuracy of forecasts.

Resources

PowerPoint Presentations from the Workshops on Water Rates and Finances: Tools for Success: Forecasting Water Demand Water Rate Affordability in California A Public Goods Charge for Water Conservation Rates: Sensible Pricing for Water in the Cal Am Settlement Consumption-Based Fixed Revenue Capital Finance Overview: Dealing with the New Norm Innovative Agricultural Rate Structure Modification of Water Rates 2011: City of Napa Stories from the Field: Practice and Politics of Rate Setting in the Real World Water Demand Forecast Model: Seattle Public Utilities

In this Series

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics Assessing Water Affordability: A Pilot Study in Two Regions of California Beyond Water Pricing: An Overview of Water Financing in California Issue Brief: Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability Issue Brief: Water Rates: Water Affordability Issue Brief: Water Rates Communication and Education

mWASH: Mobile Phone Applications for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Sector

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Billions of the world’s poor still lack access to basic water and sanitation services, but mobile devices are common even in areas without these services. Mobile phone technology facilitates information access, spurring the demand for transparency and increased access to information. Technology also makes communication between stakeholders more immediate, enabling communities to coalesce around issues of concern.

Water and sanitation practitioners have begun to tap the potential of mobile phones as tools to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. In this report, the Pacific Institute, in partnership with Nexleaf Analytics, assesses how these mobile WASH (“mWASH”) solutions can amass and disseminate information quickly and thoroughly, directly to or from underserved populations most in need of service from water providers.

CE2 Model: Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Urban Water Conservation and Efficiency Measures

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Over the past 25 years, water conservation and efficiency improvements have provided real water savings, allowing many agencies to maintain or reduce water use while meeting the needs of a growing population and economy. Recent studies indicate that despite the improvements that have already been achieved, significant water conservation potential remains. Indeed, California legislation passed in 2009 requires urban water agencies to reduce per capita water use by 20% by the year 2020.

VIDEO
CE2 MODEL TRAINING WEBINAR

The economics of water conservation and efficiency are key issues. The Pacific Institute has developed the Cost Effectiveness of Water Conservation and Efficiency (CE2) Model to help evaluate the economic desirability of water conservation and efficiency measures and explore how costs and benefits can be shared among customers, water utilities, and other entities (system requirements: PC with Microsoft Excel and Access 2003* or later). The model helps document the costs of starting and running a conservation program and estimate the associated water, energy, and financial savings. It is sufficiently general and flexible to address variations in conservation measures regionally and according to the level of analysis because the model outputs are based on conditions defined by the user. The CE2 Model does not provide “the answer” as to whether a particular measure or suite of measures makes economic sense. Rather, it provides a set of financial metrics that can inform the decision-making process.

The CE2 Model can also help water conservation practitioners share information across departments and with other water, wastewater, and energy utilities. The model quickly and easily calculates financial metrics that are meaningful and readily understood by planners and managers. It also provides a common platform through which to discuss the costs and benefits of water conservation and efficiency. This in turn allows utilities to exchange cost experiences and data and learn from one another more easily.

The primary audience for the CE2 Model is water utility staff. The model is appropriate for wholesale and retail utilities of all sizes and can be used by agencies that exclusively provide water services, as well as agencies that also provide wastewater and/or energy services. Additionally, it may be of use to consultants, non-governmental organizations, and others interested in water conservation and efficiency and sustainable management of water resources.

Download the CE2 Model. System requirements: PC with Microsoft Excel and Access 2003 or later. *If you have Excel but do not have MS Access (and don’t wish to pay for or install the full version), you can install the free runtime version. Please choose the version corresponding to the version of Microsoft Office you have installed:
Access 2010 Runtime or Access 2007 Runtime

Download the CE2 Model User Manual.

Multiple-Use Water Services (MUS): Recommendations for a Robust and Sustainable Approach

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Creating sustainable water systems will continue to be one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Multiple-Use Water Services (MUS) has emerged as a water-provision and management approach that addresses the poverty alleviation potential of water projects. MUS is rooted in the multiple ways in which people have interacted with their local water sources over time, and seeks to overcome the fragmented way in which water is currently managed. This report analyzes the gaps in the MUS approach and evaluates previous efforts at integration in the water sector to identify lessons learned and recommendations for making MUS implementation more robust and sustainable.

The Water – Energy Nexus in the American West: The Energy Implications of Desalination

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Despite some major barriers to desalination, interest has recently mushroomed as technology has improved, demands for water have grown, and prices have declined. Interest in desalination has been especially high in the West, where rapidly growing populations, inadequate regulation of the water supply/land-use nexus, and ecosystem degradation from existing water supply sources have forced a rethinking of water policies and management. Pacific Institute Water Program Co-Director Heather Cooley authored the chapter, “The Energy Implications of Desalination” in the newly released The Water – Energy Nexus in the American West.

“The potential benefits of desalination are great, but the economic, cultural, and environmental costs of wide commercialization remain high,” Cooley states. “In many parts of the world, alternatives can provide the same freshwater benefits of desalination at far lower economic and environmental costs. These alternatives include treating low-quality local water sources, encouraging regional water transfers, improving conservation and efficiency, accelerating wastewater recycling and reuse, and implementing smart land-use planning.”

When the barriers to desalination are overcome, carefully regulated and monitored construction of desalination facilities should be permitted. Regulators must develop comprehensive, consistent, and clear rules for desalination proposals, so that inappropriate proposals can be swiftly rejected and appropriate ones identified and facilitated. And private companies, local communities, and public water districts that push for desalination facilities should do so in an open and transparent way, encouraging and soliciting public participation and input in decision making.

Available for purchase from Edward Elgar Publishing.

Climate Change and Urbanisation: Building Resilience in the Urban Water Sector– A Case Study of Indore, India

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Thousands of cities in the developing world face rising pressures on water resources due to population growth and urbanization, which are intensified by the effects of climate change. In these cities, informal water managers often play an important role in regulating water supply.

With a focus on the water situation in Indore, India, this report explores policy solutions and stakeholder engagement tools garnered from the input of both formal and informal water managers. The report suggests that coordinating the formal and informal water sectors, improving water storage and management, and bringing community voices into water planning are critical to sustainable water management in developing countries, especially for the urban poor, who are most vulnerable to water scarcity.

This report was produced in collaboration with the Institute for Environmental Transition (ISET) and TARU Leading Edge.

California Farm Water Success Stories: Vegetated Waterways and Riparian Restoration

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A fourth-generation farmer on the Oakdale Ranch, John Stephens worked with Audubon California to improve water quality, drainage, and wildlife habitat on his property by restoring Willow Slough, which runs through his property. This work addressed major watershed concerns in the area, including a lack of vegetated riparian corridors and high rates of erosion and sedimentation of local waterways, as identified by the Yolo County RCD and Cache Creek Watershed Stakeholders Group. In the future, Stephens hopes that his riparian restoration project will be linked to other projects, creating a healthy riparian corridor along the length of Willow Slough.

^{The Farm Water Steward Award was established to recognize leaders and innovators in water stewardship across the California agricultural community. Yolo County farmer John Stephens was the 2012 recipient of the Farm Water Steward Award for his work with Audubon California to improve water quality, drainage, and wildlife habitat on his property by restoring Willow Slough, which runs through his property. The award was jointly presented by the Pacific Institute. Read more.}

The Vegetated Waterways and Riparian Restoration case study, part of the California Farm Water Success Stories series, outlines the cost and benefits of riparian restoration projects.

Download the case study.
Download the Pacific Institute press release.

VIDEO
John Stephens of Oakdale Ranch, Yolo County

John Stephens and Chris Rose talk about the restoration of Willow Slough.

In addition to these success stories, the Pacific Institute and other members of the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply have launched an Interactive Database and Map which contains more than 30 case studies, including the Pacific Institute’s success stories, and is searchable by location, production type, irrigation method, and stewardship practice.

Read the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply press release.

MORE SUCCESS STORIES:

– Sustainable Water Management for Urban Agriculture
– Integrated Regional Water Management: Kings Basin
– Volumetric Pricing and Conjunctive Use
– Industry-Driven Standards for Water Efficiency
– Managing for Multiple Benefits
– Smart Irrigation Scheduling
– Groundwater Banking
– Improved Communication, Monitoring, and Measurement
– Recycled Water and Agriculture
– State and Federal Funding Accelerates Efficiency

California Farm Water Success Stories: Volumetric Pricing and Conjunctive Use

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Public interest in the issue of irrigation water pricing has increased worldwide in recent years, with a growing awareness of water scarcity and a greater appreciation of the opportunity costs of allocating water among competing uses.

The Alta Irrigation Distrct has implemented a variety of programs, including volumetric water pricing, active groundwater recharge and conjunctive use, and a focus on agricultural water use efficiency. The case study Volumetric Pricing and Conjunctive Use, part of the California Farm Water Success Stories series, explores how Alta Irrigation District has successfully implemented these programs with widespread support.

Download the case study.
Download the Pacific Institute press release.

VIDEO
Chris Kapheim, General Manager of the Alta Irrigation District

Chris Kapheim, general manager of Alta Irrigation District, describes the district’s pricing and conjunctive use policies.

Read the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply press release.

MORE SUCCESS STORIES:

– Sustainable Water Management for Urban Agriculture
– Integrated Regional Water Management: Kings Basin
– Vegetated Waterways and Riparian Restoration
– Industry-Driven Standards for Water Efficiency
– Managing for Multiple Benefits
– Smart Irrigation Scheduling
– Groundwater Banking
– Improved Communication, Monitoring, and Measurement
– Recycled Water and Agriculture
– State and Federal Funding Accelerates Efficiency

California Farm Water Success Stories: State and Federal Funding Accelerates Efficiency

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A variety of grant and loan programs along with water rate structures are available that provide financial incentives for agricultural producers and water districts to make water management improvements.

The case study State and Federal Financing Accelerates Efficiency: Panoche Water and Drainage District and Sierra Orchards, part of the California Farm Water Success Stories series, focuses on several that have provided financing to update irrigation systems and implement best water management practices on farms and throughout irrigation districts.

Download the case study.
Download the Pacific Institute press release.

VIDEO
Craig McNamara, Walnut Grower, Yolo County

Craig McNamara discusses his use of drip irrigation, tailwater ponds, and sediment traps on his farm. McNamara emphasizes the importance of cost-shares to help farmers implement water stewardship practices.

Read the California Roundtable on Water and Food Supply press release.

MORE SUCCESS STORIES:

Testimony of Peter Gleick: Recommendations to Congress for Fundamental Changes in National Water Policy

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Overview

This testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick before the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for the Hearing on Opportunities and Challenges was given on December 8, 2011 to address domestic and global water supply issues.

Water-use Efficiency and Productivity: Rethinking the Basin Approach

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The Pacific Institute provides thoughtful new analysis to help move beyond the theoretical quagmire that has characterized the debate over water use efficiency for decades. A newly published peer-reviewed article in the journal Water International analyzes three fundamental flaws in the traditional approach to water-efficiency or the “basin approach,” including the assumption that all consumptive water use is beneficial, a lack of attention to water productivity measures, and the numerous, important “co-benefits” that are either ignored or discounted in most basin assessments.

The new article, Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity: Rethinking the Basin Approach describes how water use goals have changed over the last decade, and therefore why our metrics and approach to understanding the potential for increased efficiency and productivity should also change. In the twentieth century, the primary objective of water policies was to simply make more “new” water available for human use through the construction of infrastructure to store, move, and distribute water. But total water use is now understood to be a poor indicator of the value or productivity of water, and a poor indicator of true efficiency. The “soft path” for water recognizes that the real purpose of water use is measured in the goods and services provided by that use.

Pacific Institute President Peter Gleick wrote about the new article Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity: Rethinking the Basin Approach in his San Francisco Chronicle’s SF Gate “City Brights” blog:

“The debate about water use in California agriculture is stuck in a 30-year-old rut; relying on outdated and technically-flawed thinking that is slowing statewide efforts to meet 21st century challenges. This is exemplified by the recent release of a study authored by researchers at the Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) and funded by a Sacramento-based farm lobby group (the California Farm Water Coalition) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The CIT study uses old theories of water-use efficiency to argue that the potential to improve efficiency of water use in California agriculture is tiny. If the authors of the study are right, the only options for saving water in California agriculture would be to dramatically change crops or to take a considerable amount of agricultural land out of production – which would be bad news for our farming communities, our economy, and our environment. The good news is that they are wrong…”

Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity: Rethinking the Basin Approach examines how the traditional approach to water management obscures many important opportunities for increased benefits such as increased productivity or important co-benefits that are often completely ignored. The article argues that the failure to consider the many additional benefits of improving water-use efficiency – including improved crop productivity, improved water quality, greater water supply reliability, decreased energy demands and associated greenhouse gases, and reduced or delayed infrastructure investments – limits the range of solutions for complex real-world problems.The old “basin approach,” developed in the late 1980s and 1990s, calls attention to evaluating water use in basins as a whole, arguing that in water-stressed places like California, most water is ultimately used beneficially or productively, even if there are small-scale or field inefficiencies. It assumes that most losses are simply re-captured and re-used somewhere else downstream and therefore, there is no real potential for improving water efficiency. This way of thinking does not adequately address key issues of concern today, including droughts, water-quality degradation, the ability to improve water productivity, and an array of environmental problems.

The new Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity article points out three fundamental flaws inherent in the narrow basin approach:

1) underestimating the potential for better technology and management to reduce unproductive or non-beneficial evaporation or other consumptive losses of water;
2) ignoring the potential to improve water-use “productivity” because it only values “new” water;
3) failing to account for the many highly significant “co-benefits” of efficiency actions.

Available for purchase from Taylor & Francis Group

At a Crossroads in Our Region’s Health: Freight Transport and the Future of Community Health in the San Francisco Bay Area

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Priority Development Areas in the San Francisco Bay region overlap with communities with the highest health risk from toxic air contaminants, including diesel pollution from freight transport, designated as CARE zones by the Air District. But a new study from the Pacific Institute and the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaboration found that 74% of the land in Priority Development Areas that intersect with CARE communities is far enough away from freight transport hazards to be suitable for sensitive land uses like new housing. With wise regional planning, decision-makers have the power to develop the region’s economic capacity while protecting the health of vulnerable communities.

The new analysis, At a Crossroads in Our Region’s Health: Freight Transport and the Future of Community Health in the San Francisco Bay Area, maps the Priority Development Areas, with 45 detailed local maps of five Bay Area counties. These maps highlight the 26% of the land in CARE communities where it is inadvisable to site sensitive land uses like new housing. Within the significant remaining area, one out of every three acres is zoned as residential or mixed residential/commercial, providing planners great potential for reducing land-use conflicts between residential and freight-transport-related land uses.

Using mapping and spatial analysis, the report assesses the current and potential conflicts that exist between freight-transport-related land uses and sensitive land uses such as housing, schools, parks, and health clinics in these areas. To determine which places are most impacted by freight-related land uses, the researchers generated health-protective buffers around freight-transport-related land uses including freeways, rail yards, seaports, airports, warehouses, and distribution centers. The report identifies how many sensitive land uses – such as schools, parks, and health clinics – are already located within these health-protective distances from freight-related land uses, and identifies the amount of residentially zoned land within these health-protective buffer zones to assess for future land-use conflicts.

“In implementing state climate legislation SB 375 in the Bay Area, regional decision-makers are crafting a Sustainable Communities Strategy that will guide how we invest public dollars to encourage more compact land use and development patterns,” said Margaret Gordon from the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative, a regional coalition of community groups and health organizations that co-authored the report. “Freight transport is a major source of unhealthy pollution that disproportionately affects low-income and communities of color in our region. But this new study shows that suitable places to put new housing, schools, parks, and other sensitive land uses can be found in Bay Area communities that will protect residents from being exposed to sources of harmful pollution.”

The Pacific Institute/Ditching Dirty Diesel report recommends that to minimize potential land use conflicts, available suitable land located at a health-protective distance from freight-related land uses should be prioritized for new housing and other sensitive land uses. The remaining land area located in close proximity to freight-related land uses can be prioritized for commercial and light industrial development that creates jobs for local residents while protecting worker health.

Resources

Bay Area Overview Maps

Bay Area Maps

Maps by County

Priority Development Area (PDF)
Priority Development Area and C.A.R.E. Zone (PDF)

Maps by County

Alameda

East Contra Costa County

West Contra Costa County

San Francisco County

San Mateo County

Santa Clara County

Download All Maps by County (PDFs)

Bay Area Overview Maps(1.7MB PDF)
Alameda County (6MB PDF)
East Contra Costa County (4.7MB PDF)
West Contra Costa County (3.9MB PDF)
San Francisco County (3.3MB PDF)
San Mateo County (4.6MB PDF)
Santa Clara County (6.5MB PDF)

Water for Energy: Future Water Needs for Electricity in the Intermountain West

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The production of electricity, from fuel extraction to electricity generation, has growing impacts on both water availability and quality. This report evaluates future water needs for different energy futures and identifies the growing risk of conflict between electricity production and water availability in the U.S. Intermountain West. The report identifies strategies to ensure the long-term sustainable use of both of these important resources.

Improving Understanding of the Global Hydrologic Cycle: Observation and Analysis of the Climate System: The Global Water Cycle

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Water Rates: Conservation and Revenue Stability – Issue Brief

Overview

Resources

In this Series

Assessing Water Affordability: A Pilot Study in Two Regions of California

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Community Reintegration and Employment in Contra Costa County

Overview

Global Water Governance in the 21st Century

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Water Rates: Communication and Education – Issue Brief

Overview

Resources

In this Series

Gearing Up for Action: A Curriculum Guide for Freight Transport Justice

Overview

Languages

Preparándose para la Acción

Overview

California Coastal Areas and Infrastructure Vulnerable to Flooding and Erosion

Overview

Resources

In this Series

An Overview of the “New Normal” and Water Rate Basics

Overview

Resources

In this Series

Dinámica del Agua Subterránea en el Tramo Limítrofe del Río Colorado

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Groundwater Dynamics in the Colorado River Limitrophe

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Resources

Languages

Testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick Before the California Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy

Overview This document provides the full testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick before the California Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy.

Overview

Water to Supply the Land: Irrigated Agriculture in the Colorado River Basin

Overview

Resources

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Overview

Resources

In this Series

Community Resilience Fact Sheets Help Communities Prepare for Climate Change Impacts

Overview

In this Series

Climate Change Survivor Workbook with Games

Overview

Resources

Sustainable Water Jobs: A National Assessment of Water-Related Green Job Opportunities

Overview

Resources

Sustainable Water Management for Urban Agriculture: Planting Justice, Oakland

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California’s Water Footprint

Overview

In this Series

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Costs and Financing

Overview

Resources

In this Series

Sustainability Standards and Public Governance

Overview

a) Literature Review

b) Analysis and Development of ‘Principles for Standards-Setters’

Eleven DRAFT Principles for Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Public Policy

Overarching principles:

Respect

Engage

Support

Build

Assess and review

Resources

From Storage to Retention: Expanding California’s Options for Meeting its Water Needs

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Guide to Water-Related Collective Action and Water Action Hub

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Key Findings

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This document provides the full testimony of Dr. Peter H. Gleick before the California Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy.