Layperson's Guide to California Wastewater*

Water Education Foundation | December 12th, 2013

This guide, part of an ongoing series by the Water Education Foundation, provides an overview of basic background information on California laws and regulations, wastewat

This guide, part of an ongoing series by the Water Education Foundation, provides an overview of basic background information on California laws and regulations, wastewater collection and treatment processes, history, current challenges, and case studies. Related issues are discussed in the Layperson’s Guide to Water Recycling.  *Abridged version; unabridged version for sale via the Foundation.

Learning from California’s Experience with Small Water System Consolidations: A Workshop Synthesis

Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment (CLEE) | May 1st, 2018

California recognizes a human right to “safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.” However

California recognizes a human right to “safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.” However, California’s small and disadvantaged communities in both rural and urban contexts can find it especially challenging to fund the water system infrastructure, operations, monitoring, and maintenance necessary to achieve this goal.  Small water systems that provide water to at least 15 service connections and serve water to fewer than a thousand people are responsible for the bulk of the state’s drinking water quality violations, and an estimated 300 disadvantaged communities in California are served by systems that fail to meet state drinking water standards. Other Californians rely on very small water systems or private domestic wells that lack state requirements for water quality testing and may be especially unreliable.

Learning from Crises to Build Urban Water Security

Rand Corporation (Rand) | January 15th, 2025

In this report, the authors examine the experiences of five cities — Cape Town, South Africa; Melbourne, Australia; São Paulo, Brazil; and Las Vegas, Nevada, and New O

In this report, the authors examine the experiences of five cities — Cape Town, South Africa; Melbourne, Australia; São Paulo, Brazil; and Las Vegas, Nevada, and New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States — facing severe or catastrophic water supply risks to identify steps that could be taken ahead of time to mitigate those risks and build urban water security.

Left Out in Drought: California Fish Impacts of the California Drought on Freshwater Ecosystems

Pacific Institute | September 7th, 2022

California is deep into the third year of another major drought. Rural and urban areas again face water use restrictions and financial losses. Less water and hotter tempe

California is deep into the third year of another major drought. Rural and urban areas again face water use restrictions and financial losses. Less water and hotter temperatures also stress ecosystems, increasing the prevalence of wildfires, air pollution, dry streambeds, and loss of wildlife. Impacts to rural and urban areas frequently mask the disproportionate ecological impacts of the drought and the related policy and management responses that have exacerbated those impacts. The lack of acknowledgement and de- prioritization of ecosystem water needs during drought has led to insufficient actions taken to protect the natural systems on which we all depend.

Legal Aspects of Instream Water Uses in California: Background and Issues

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | January 1st, 1978

This paper is part of a series of background and issue papers prepared by the staff of the Governor's Commission to Review California Water Rights Law. TABLE OF CONTEN

This paper is part of a series of background and issue papers prepared by the staff of the Governor's Commission to Review California Water Rights Law. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. The Nature of Property Rights III. State Water Resources Control Board Authority Related to Instream Uses IV.  Other Authority for the Protection and Enhancement of Instream Uses V. Methods of Protecting Instream Uses in Western States other than California VI.  Issues

Legal Change and Water Market Transaction Costs in Colorado

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | January 29th, 2020

Water markets are commonly described as failing to achieve efficient water management because of transaction cost barriers to trade. In the western United States, two sou

Water markets are commonly described as failing to achieve efficient water management because of transaction cost barriers to trade. In the western United States, two sources of legal conflict frequently drive transaction costs: (1) negative externalities of trading and (2) uncertain property rights. Conflicts arise because water law applies a no‐injury rule that prevents water transfers from modifying water available to third‐party water rights and defines water rights by historical water use, among other reasons. Existing literature suggests many legal changes to reduce transaction costs, but no studies in the western United States quantify transaction costs under proposed future changes. Here we developed statistical models of transaction costs for water transfer proponents under four specific legal changes in the state of Colorado. Two legal changes would modify the no‐injury rule, and two aim to clarify property rights. Colorado hosts active markets and has recently experienced debate over such legal changes. By surveying 100 legal and hydrologic experts, we elicited transaction cost estimates and rankings of which legal changes were most likely to increase third‐party injury. The legal changes that aim to clarify property rights had significantly lower likelihoods of increasing injury. One of these legal changes, which would not limit transferable water to historical use in certain circumstances, also had the greatest reductions in proponents' transaction costs. Meanwhile, the legal changes that directly modify the no‐injury rule project substantial transaction cost savings but much higher likelihoods of increased injury. The results demonstrate trade‐offs between reducing transaction costs and increasing third‐party effects.

Lessons from California’s 2012–2016 Drought

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) | October 1st, 2018

California’s 5-year drought has ended, even as its aftermath lingers. From 2012–2016 much or all of California was under severe drought conditions, with gre

California’s 5-year drought has ended, even as its aftermath lingers. From 2012–2016 much or all of California was under severe drought conditions, with greatly diminished precipitation, snowpack, and streamflow and higher temperatures. Water shortages to forests, aquatic ecosystems, hydroelectric power plants, rural drinking water supplies, agriculture, and cities caused billions of dollars in economic losses, killed millions of forest trees, brought several fish species closer to extinction, and caused inconvenience and some expense to millions of households and businesses. The drought also brought innovations and improvements in water management, some of which will better prepare California for future droughts. This paper summarizes the magnitude and impacts of the 2012–2016 California drought. The paper then reviews innovations arising from the drought in the larger historical context of water management in California. Lessons for California and for modern drought management are then discussed. Droughts in modern, well-managed water systems serving globalized economies need not be economically catastrophic, but will always have impacts and challenges, particularly for native ecosystems. In California and every other water system, droughts usefully expose weaknesses and inadequate preparation in water management. In this regard for California, managers of ecosystems and small rural water supplies had the most to learn.

Lessons from Immersive Online Collaborative Modeling to Discuss More Adaptive Reservoir Operations

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) | April 26th, 2024

Lessons from the Oroville dam

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | March 17th, 2017

California has experienced tremendous amounts of precipitation in the past few months, leading to the wettest year on record (as of mid-rainy season) immediately afte

California has experienced tremendous amounts of precipitation in the past few months, leading to the wettest year on record (as of mid-rainy season) immediately after a 5-year record-setting drought over the region. On 7 February 2017, the Oroville dam, the tallest dam in North America, suffered damage when unexpected sediments, intensified by floods in a drought-stricken area, can substantially affect the operation of hundreds of dams and levees in California.

Letter from John J. Entsminger, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority, to Debra Haland, Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior

Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) | August 15th, 2022