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Impacts of California’s Ongoing Drought: Hydroelectricity Generation 2015 Update

Hydropower and natural gas are the principal sources of electricity for California’s millions of users.

Pumped Dry: Dry Wells, Sinking Ground in California

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Breaking Water Taboos

The recent severe drought in the Western United States — and California in particular — has shined a spotlight on a range of water-management practices that are outdated, unsustainable, or inappropriate for a modern 21st century water system.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Impacts of the California Drought, Part 2: Net Agricultural Income

Last week, the Pacific Institute published the first comprehensive analysis of the impacts of the drought on California crop revenue and agricultural employment through 2014.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Impacts of the California Drought: Agriculture

California is in a severe drought – four years long now. But what does the drought really mean for the things we care about: food production, fisheries, industrial activities, rural communities?

Impacts of California’s Ongoing Drought: Agriculture

In 2015, California was in the midst of the most severe drought in nearly 120 years of instrumental record, with far-reaching effects in the state. This report examines the impacts of the drought on California’s agricultural sector through 2014.

Not a Drop to Drink: Dealing with Drought

In 2010, the UN passed a resolution recognizing access to water as a basic human right. The realization of this right is becoming increasingly difficult, as climate change disrupts rainfall and the growing global population places greater demands on this limited resource.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: The California Drought: Almonds and the Bigger Picture

California is a wonderful place to grow food. The climate is highly favorable; soils are some of the best in the world, it is located well to serve global distribution markets with major ports and other transportation infrastructure; and normally, some regions are relatively well-watered.

California Agricultural Water Use: Key Background Information

California is a key producer of agricultural goods that are consumed all over the world.

New Data Show California Cities’ Response to Drought Is Highly Uneven

As California heads into its fourth consecutive year of drought, and pronouncements about our water supply are increasingly dire, new data released by the state show that water use and water conservation efforts in cities across the state are highly uneven.

National Geographic ScienceBlog: The Impacts of California’s Drought on Hydroelectricity Production

California’s hottest and driest drought in recorded history has shifted the sources of electricity with adverse economic and environmental consequences. The Pacific Institute has just completed and released a report that evaluates how diminished river flows have resulted in less hydroelectricity, more expensive electricity from the combustion of natural gas, and increased production of greenhouse gas emissions.

Impacts of California’s Ongoing Drought: Hydroelectricity Generation

California’s hottest and driest drought in recorded history, from 2012 to 2016, shifted the sources of energy for electricity with adverse economic and environmental consequences. This report focuses on the period of drought from 2011 to 2014.

California Urban Water Suppliers Water Use Map

This web app from the Pacific Institute shows how different California cities are responding to the ongoing drought. This web feature brings to life newly-released data on residential and system-wide water use, and allows users to explore trends and patterns in that use.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: The State of the California Drought: Still Very Bad

While we do not know yet what the rest of the wet season will bring – and while we hope for the major storms needed to recharge our rivers, groundwater and reservoirs – it seems increasingly likely that California will not see enough precipitation to get out of the very deep deficit that three years of drought (so far) have produced.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: The Growing Influence of Climate Change on the California Drought

Over the past three years (and indeed, for 10 of the past 14 years) California has experienced a particularly deep drought. How bad is the drought? Is it the worst in the instrumental record? The worst in over a century? The worst in 1200 years? The worst “ever”? And why has it been so bad?

Insights into Proposition 1: The 2014 California Water Bond

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, which was approved by California voters in November 2014.

Huffington Post: When Our Responses to Drought Make Things Worse

In a new study just published by the journal Sustainability Science (Springer), analysis from the Pacific Institute shows that many of the fundamental responses of California water...

Metering in California – Need to Know Fact sheet

This fact sheet examines the effectiveness of water metering as a tool to reduce excessive or wasteful water use by both utility companies and customers.

What about Desalination during the Drought?

When discussing the current drought in California, there is often talk of desalination and its potential to increase our freshwater supply. Desalination, the process of removing salt and minerals...

Planning For Rain: Why Storm Water Management Matters during the Drought

It’s been weeks, even months, since some parts of California have gotten rain, and it’s likely it will be a few more months before rains return.

The Multiple Benefits of Water Conservation and Efficiency for California Agriculture – Need to Know

California farmers have made progress in updating and modernizing irrigation practices, but great untapped potential remains to use water more efficiently.

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Why Has the Response to the California Drought Been so Weak?

In the past few weeks, I have had been asked the same question by reporters, friends, strangers, and even a colleague who posts regularly on this very ScienceBlogs site (the prolific and thoughtful Greg Laden): why, if the California drought is so bad, has the response been so tepid?

Over Twenty-Five Years Later, How Does the Drought in California Compare?

In the midst of the California drought and the hot summer months ahead, more data and public information are needed about what to expect and what are our options for action.

A Tale of Two Farms: How Water Efficiency Could Help Drought-Proof California Farms

For many California farmers, this growing season has been the “worst of times”. While all of the state is in the midst of a severe drought, conditions are most acute in the state’s most productive agricultural region.

Urban Water Conservation and Efficiency – Enormous Potential, Close to Home

As California continues to face severe drought conditions, a new report released today by NRDC and the Pacific Institute tallies the huge potential to lower water use in...