Can restoring water and sediment fluxes across a mega-dam cascade alleviate a sinking river delta?

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | May 1st, 2024

Can water reuse save the Colorado?

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | April 2nd, 2025

To assess the current state of water recycling across the Colorado River Basin and its affected states, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, in partnersh

To assess the current state of water recycling across the Colorado River Basin and its affected states, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, in partnership with Natural Resources Defense Council, has investigated water recycling progress and policy development across the seven states in the basin.

Carbon accumulation and vertical accretion in a restored versus historic salt marsh in southern Puget Sound, Washington, United States

Society for Ecological Restoration | March 4th, 2019

Few comparisons exist between vertical accretion (VA) and carbon accumulation rates (CARs) in restored versus historic (i.e. reference) marshes. Here, we compare these pr

Few comparisons exist between vertical accretion (VA) and carbon accumulation rates (CARs) in restored versus historic (i.e. reference) marshes. Here, we compare these processes in a formerly diked, sparsely vegetated, restored salt marsh (Six Gill Slough, SG), whose surface is subsided relative to the tidal frame, to an adjacent, relatively pristine, historic salt marsh (Animal Slough, AS). Six sediment cores were collected at both AS and SG approximately 6 years after restoration. Cores were analyzed for bulk density (BD), % loss of ignition, % organic carbon, and 210Pb. We found that sharp changes in BD in surface layers of SG cores were highly reliable markers for the onset of restoration. The mean VA since restoration at SG (0.79 [SD = 0.29] cm/year) was approximately twice that of AS (0.41 [SD = 0.16] cm/year). In comparison, the VA at AS over 50 years was 0.30 (SD = 0.09) cm/year. VA consisted almost entirely of inorganic sediment at SG whereas at AS it was approximately 55%. Mean CARs at SG were somewhat greater than at AS, but the difference was not significant due to high variability (SG: 81–210 g C m−2 year−1; AS: 115–168 g C m−2 year−1). The mean CAR at AS over the past 50 years was 118 (SD = 23) g C m−2 year−1. This study demonstrates that a sparsely vegetated, restored salt marsh can quickly begin to accumulate carbon and that historic and restored marshes can have similar CARs despite highly divergent formation processes.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes of different native fish tissues from the Santa Ana River, California

Oxford University Press (OUP) | November 17th, 2025

Stable isotopes are commonly used to understand the role of fishes in aquatic food webs. However, variability in species- and tissue-specific isotopic values can affect t

Stable isotopes are commonly used to understand the role of fishes in aquatic food webs. However, variability in species- and tissue-specific isotopic values can affect the inference that is drawn from a stable isotope study. We evaluated differences in stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) among three tissue types (white muscle, caudal fin rays, and eye lenses) for Santa Ana Sucker Pantosteus santaanae and Arroyo Chub Gila orcuttii to inform the design of a stable isotope study in the Santa Ana River, an urban river that is located in southern California.

Carbon Footprint Planning: Quantifying Local and State Mitigation Opportunities for 700 California Cities

Urban Planning (Cogitatio) | April 17th, 2018

Consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories have emerged to describe full life cycle contributions of households to climate change at country, st

Consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories have emerged to describe full life cycle contributions of households to climate change at country, state and increasingly city scales. Using this approach, how much carbon foot- print abatement potential is within the control of local governments, and which policies hold the most potential to reduce emissions? This study quantifies the potential of local policies and programs to meet aggressive GHG reduction targets using a consumption-based, high geospatial resolution planning model for the state of California. We find that roughly 35% of all carbon footprint abatement potential statewide is from activities at least partially within the control of local governments. The study shows large variation in the size and composition of carbon footprints and abatement opportu- nities by ∼23,000 Census block groups (i.e., neighborhood-scale within cities), 717 cities and 58 counties across the state. These data and companion online tools can help cities better understand priorities to reduce GHGs from a comprehensive, consumption-based perspective, with potential application to the full United States and internationally.

Carbon Sequestration and Subsidence Reversal in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay: Management Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | August 28th, 2023

Carpinteria Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Carpinteria Groundwater Sustainability Agency | December 1st, 2023

The Basin was originally designated as a low-priority basin by DWR. In 2019, DWR conducted a basin reprioritization process that reclassified the Basin as a high-priority

The Basin was originally designated as a low-priority basin by DWR. In 2019, DWR conducted a basin reprioritization process that reclassified the Basin as a high-priority basin, resulting in the preparation of this Plan pursuant to Section 10720, et. seq., of the State Water Code as required by SGMA.

Carriage Water

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | September 26th, 2001

Carriage water is defined as marginal export costs, that is, the extra water needed to carry a unit of water across the Delta to the pumping plants while maintaining a co

Carriage water is defined as marginal export costs, that is, the extra water needed to carry a unit of water across the Delta to the pumping plants while maintaining a constant salinity. Or more practically, when the exports are increased by one unit, the Sacramento flow is increased by one unit plus carriage water to maintain a constant Delta salinity. It has been known for several years that the current method of estimating carriage water in DWRSIM, called the Minimum Delta Outflow (MDO) Routine, is not particularly accurate in individual years and a better method needed. The Delta is a complex system and past attempts at developing a useful method for measuring carriage water and ultimately an MDO replacement always had at least one major flaw. An attempt was made to search for carriage water directly in the historical data, that is, to find a period of time when Net Delta Outflow (NDO) is fairly constant, but Sacramento flow and exports are increasing. If carriage water existed, salinity at interior Delta stations should increase. While there are a few times when this seems to be true (e.g. summer 1979 and 1994), the salinity increase could also be explained by antecedent conditions, that is, previous to the period of constant NDO, NDO was much higher, and the salinity increase could be simply due to the Delta gradually reaching new equilibrium. Thus it became apparent that only a model of the Delta could say anything about carriage water.

Cascading impacts of natural disasters in a connected world

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | March 26th, 2026

Case History No. 9.14. Santa Clara Valley, California, U.S.A.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | June 30th, 1984