Monthly Archives: June 2014

Could California weather a mega-drought?

Posted on June 29, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Jay Lund In the past 1,200 years, California had two droughts lasting 120-200 years. Could the state’s water resources continue to supply enough water to drink, grow crops and provide habitat for fish with such an extreme, prolonged drought? … Continue reading →

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Modernizing California’s groundwater management

Posted on June 22, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

“A broad consensus appears to be building among California water users and policymakers that it is high time to establish an effective, statewide framework for groundwater management.” — Groundwater Resources Association of California, Contemporary Groundwater Issues Council As California strains … Continue reading →

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Will California’s drought extend into 2015?

Posted on June 15, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Jay Lund and Jeffrey Mount Debates over how to manage California’s critically dry water supplies this year have displaced most discussion about water next year. This year’s drought is bad, but another dry year that begins with even lower … Continue reading →

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Should California expand reservoir capacity by removing sediment?

Posted on June 9, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Jay Lund Removing sediment from reservoirs is often suggested as a potentially better way to expand storage capacity than raising dam heights or building new reservoirs. This is a natural notion to explore given the cost and likely environmental … Continue reading →

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Beyond bonds: Funding the governor’s Water Action Plan

Posted on June 5, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray, Jay Lund, David Mitchell, Caitrin Chappelle, Emma Freeman, Dean Misczynski, James Nachbaur In late January, Gov. Jerry Brown released the California Water Action Plan, which outlines 10 strategic priorities for putting the state on a more … Continue reading →

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Is shorting fish of water during drought good for water users?

Posted on June 3, 2014 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Jay Lund and Peter Moyle In drought years, California usually reduces “environmental water flows” — the amount of river flows needed to maintain aquatic ecosystems — to make more water available for farms and cities. The current drought has been … Continue reading →

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