Category Archives: Planning and Management

Some curious things about water management

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Christine Parisek

By Jay R. Lund *This is a repost of a blog originally published in 2012. Water management is often very different from what we think intuitively, or what we have been taught. Here are some examples. 1. Most water decisions … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Economy, Floodplains, Planning and Management, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Water Conservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Functional Flows for Developing Ecological Flow Recommendations

Posted on December 9, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Sarah Yarnell, Alyssa Obester, Ted Grantham, Eric Stein, Belize Lane, Rob Lusardi, Julie Zimmerman, Jeanette Howard, Sam Sandoval-Solis, Rene Henery, and Erin Bray To protect California’s native aquatic species, stream flows need to be managed to support important ecological … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, Planning and Management, Water Markets | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Opportunities for Science Collaboration and Funding in the Delta

Posted on October 23, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Aston Tennefoss The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is central to California’s water supply system, and serves a diverse group of stakeholders, including local, state, and federal agencies, elected officials, and water users. Its islands, channels, and wetlands also are … Continue reading →

Posted in Delta, Planning and Management, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Fish managers tasked with ranching? Conservation wins

Posted on August 12, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Ann Willis In May, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved $2.4M for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to acquire Shasta Big Springs Ranch on the Shasta River, a tributary to the Klamath River.  This follows a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Conservation, Planning and Management, reconciliation, Sustainability | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Modeling, Measuring, and Comparing Crop Evapotranspiration in the Delta

Posted on April 23, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Jesse Jankowski Crop evapotranspiration (ET) is the biggest managed loss of water in California, accounting for roughly 80% of human net water use, and includes crop water applications transpired from plants and evaporated from soil. Methods to estimate ET … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, California Water, Delta, Planning and Management, Tools | Tagged , | 1 Comment

California’s Water Data Problems are Symptoms of Inchoate Science and Technical Activities

Posted on March 26, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

“The truth is lost when there is too much contention about it.” – Publius Syrus (43 BC) by Jay Lund In 2016, California’s legislature passed AB 1755, the Open and Transparent Water Data Act, requiring that State agencies provide water … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Planning and Management, Tools | Tagged | 2 Comments

Back to Dry – Get Organized and Prepared for Drought Again

Posted on March 4, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Jay Lund Despite this week’s rain and snow, California is back to dry conditions again after a very wet 2017.  With about four weeks left in the normal wet season, the Sacramento Valley is at about 65% of average … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Drought, Planning and Management | Tagged | 2 Comments

Advice on Voluntary Settlements for California’s Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan Part 3: Science for Ecosystem Management

Posted on February 27, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Jeffrey Mount, PPIC Water Policy Center* Recommendation Improving Delta ecosystem functions under the State Water Board’s proposed Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan will require a complex series of changes to water and land management—and a strong science program to … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Delta, Planning and Management, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Los Angeles and the Future of Urban Water in California

Posted on January 22, 2018 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Erik Porse Los Angeles is a grand American urban experiment. It brings emerging ideas into the mainstream, sometimes for better, and sometimes for worse. In the early 20th Century, it seemed fanciful to build a metropolis in a region … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Planning and Management, Uncategorized, Water Supply and Wastewater | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Making water for the environment count in an era of change: Cautionary tales from Australia

Posted on December 17, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Alison Whipple The specter of California drought looming again on the horizon gives renewed urgency for water policy and management reforms. Recent discussions reflect a growing recognition that our future depends on us making water count for both humans … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the World, Climate Change, Planning and Management, Sustainability | Tagged | 1 Comment