Water Quality Control Plan for Salinity (draft)

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | October 15th, 1988

Water quality for agriculture

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) | July 15th, 1985

Water Right Decision 1485: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | August 16th, 1978

Water Stress and a Changing San Joaquin Valley

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) | March 1st, 2017

The San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest agricultural region, and an important contributor to the nation’s food supply—is in a time of great change and growing

The San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest agricultural region, and an important contributor to the nation’s food supply—is in a time of great change and growing water stress. Agriculture is a leading economic driver and the predominant water user. The region’s farms and related manufacturing businesses account for 25 percent of the valley’s revenues and 16 percent of local jobs—and 89 percent of annual net water use. The latest drought underscored valley agriculture’s vulnerability to water scarcity and long-term declines in groundwater reserves. The region has a greater abundance of productive farmland than local water supplies for irrigation. In most years since the mid-1980s, groundwater has been used faster than it is being replenished (“groundwater overdraft”). Over the past three decades, overdraft has averaged nearly 2 million acre-feet per year, or 13 percent of net water use. This has contributed to increased pumping costs, dry wells, sinking lands, and declining reliability of this vital drought reserve.

West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project Environmental Impact Report (Draft)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 7th, 2022

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) proposes to the install the West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project (proposed project). During drought condit

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) proposes to the install the West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project (proposed project). During drought conditions, water stored in upstream reservoirs may be insufficient to repel salinity moving upstream from San Francisco Bay. Without the protection of the drought salinity barrier in West False River, saltwater intrusions could affect more than 27 million Californians who rely on the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta) for at least a portion of their water supply; could render Delta water unusable for agricultural needs; and could reduce the value of habitat for aquatic species. DWR installed emergency drought barriers in West False River in 2015 and 2021–2022 in response to drought conditions to protect water quality in the interior Delta. Installation of a drought salinity barrier in West False River has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing the intrusion of saltwater into the Central and South Delta based on these previous installations (see Section 1.2, “Project Background,” in Chapter 1; California Department of Water Resources 2019).

What If California’s Drought Continues?

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) | August 20th, 2015

California is in the fourth year of a severe, hot drought—the kind that is increasingly likely as the climate warms. Although no sector has been untouched, impacts so

California is in the fourth year of a severe, hot drought—the kind that is increasingly likely as the climate warms. Although no sector has been untouched, impacts so far have varied greatly, reflecting different levels of drought preparedness. Urban areas are in the best shape, thanks to sustained investments in diversified water portfolios and conservation. Farmers are more vulnerable, but they are also adapting. The greatest vulnerabilities are in some low-income rural communities where wells are running dry and in California’s wetlands, rivers, and forests, where the state’s iconic biodiversity is under extreme threat. Two to three more years of drought will increase challenges in all areas and require continued—and likely increasingly difficult—adaptations. Emergency programs will need to be significantly expanded to get drinking water to rural residents and to prevent major losses of waterbirds and extinctions of numerous native fish species, including most salmon runs. California also needs to start a longer-term effort to build drought resilience in the most vulnerable areas.

What Threat Does Sea-Level Rise Pose to California?

Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) | August 10th, 2020

Among Its Other Challenges, California Continues to Face the Looming Impacts of Climate Change and Rising Seas. While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic a

Among Its Other Challenges, California Continues to Face the Looming Impacts of Climate Change and Rising Seas. While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic and resulting economic impacts have rightly drawn the focus of the Legislature’s and public’s attention since March 2020, other statewide challenges continue to approach on the horizon. Among these are the impending impacts of climate change, including the hazards that rising seas pose to California’s coast. Scientific estimates suggest the magnitude of sea‑level rise (SLR) in California could be at least half of one foot in 2030 and as much as seven feet by 2100. Moreover, storm surges, exceptionally high “king tides,” or El Niño events could produce notably higher water levels than SLR alone.