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National Geographic ScienceBlogs: The Future of Desalination in California is Still in the Future: California, Israel, and Australia

It’s only natural that during a crisis we look to single, “silver bullet” technical solutions, after all, they are supposed to be effective against werewolves, witches, and other monsters. For monsters like the ongoing severe California drought, the current favorite silver bullet is seawater desalination.

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.

Corporate Water Stewardship in Asia

Huffington Post: Where Does California’s Agricultural Water Go?

Water plays a vital role in California's agricultural sector, using 80% of the water used by humans in the state. In recent months, water challenges imposed by the current severe drought have brought this agricultural water use into the limelight, raising new questions about how the water is used.

California Agricultural Water Use: Key Background Information

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

Comment Letter on the Status of the Salton Sea Management Program

This comment letters sent to the California State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) urged the Water Board to direct the Salton Sea Management Program to review and act upon previous recommendations and suggestions, as well as those described in the letter, and to accelerate efforts on behalf of California’s Salton Sea and the people and wildlife who depend on it.

Water Use Trends in the United States

This report analyzes and explains the factors contributing to the positive trend of decreasing water use, and examines the implications for future water demand. National water use remains high, and many freshwater systems are under stress from overuse. Climate change will exacerbate existing challenges, affecting the supply, demand, and quality of the nation’s water resources.

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.

The Water Footprint of California’s Energy System, 1990–2012

A new article by Julian Fulton and  Heather Cooley evaluates the amount of water consumed in meeting California’s energy needs – also referred to as the water footprint of energy.

History of Water Conflicts

National Geographic ScienceBlog: Tackling Global Sustainability: A Need for Integrated Systems Approaches

If there is anything that the past few decades of research and study of major global challenges tells us, it is that truly effective solutions to sustainability challenges require truly integrated approaches across disciplines, fields of study, data sets, and institutions. We are not going to solve 21st century global problems with 20th century tools.

Knowing and Showing that Companies are Respecting the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation

Weather and Climate Summit

Guidance for Companies on Respecting the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation

In 2007, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) was created as a strategic policy initiative for businesses committed to aligning their operations and strategies with 10 principles related to human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.

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.

Career Spotlight: Water Program Director

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?

New Data Show Residential Per Capita Water Use across California

New monthly water use data for California water utilities shows that residential water use varies widely around the state, and that the response to the drought has been uneven.

The New York Times Food for Tomorrow Conference on Sustaining the Global Food Economy

National Geographic ScienceBlogs: Peak Water: United States Water Use Drops to Lowest Level in 40 Years

The most important trend in the use of water is the slowly unfolding story of peak water in the United States and elsewhere.

Huffington Post: The California Water Bond is a Beginning, Not an End: Here’s What’s Next

California voters have approved Proposition 1 - the 2014 California Water Bond. The ultimate value and effectiveness of the bond will depend on how it is implemented and how the funds are spent.

Huffington Post: What Does Proposition 1 — the 2014 California Water Bond — Really Say?

On November 4, California voters will decide the fate of Proposition 1 -- the 2014 Water Bond -- which authorizes the sale of $7.12 billion in new general obligation bonds and the reallocation of an additional $425 million of previously authorized, but unissued, bonds.