Climate Action Plan

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) | May 31st, 2022

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (Metropolitan) core mission is to provide a clean, reliable water supply to Southern California. Changing clim

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s (Metropolitan) core mission is to provide a clean, reliable water supply to Southern California. Changing climatic conditions, variable precipitation patterns, availability of water supplies, changes in consumer demands, and sea level rise will change the way Metropolitan provides its services and how it operates its regional water system. Metropolitan recognizes the potential impact of climate change to water availability and is committed to environmental stewardship to protect this valuable resource. Reducing greenhouse gas (G H G) emissions is an important step in protecting California and the region from the effects of climate change. Reducing G H G emissions from Metropolitan’s operations supports California’s overall G H G reduction goals. This Climate Action Plan (CAP) sets targets for reducing G H G emissions from Metropolitan’s operations, including conveyance, storage, treatment, and delivery of water to its 26 member water agencies. Additionally, this CAP complements Metropolitan’s existing long-range planning efforts, including the Integrated Water Resources Plan, Energy Sustainability Plan, and Capital Investment Plan. Through the implementation of this CAP, Metropolitan will strengthen its commitment to environmental sustainability, increase the resiliency of its operations, and strategically achieve G H G reduction goals. For additional details on the purpose of this CAP and Metropolitan’s history and existing operations, refer to Section 1.0, Purpose, Overview, and Environmental History and Leadership.

Climate Action Plan Phase 1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | May 18th, 2012

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in an effort to reduce its impact on the environment and lead by example, has developed this Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emiss

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in an effort to reduce its impact on the environment and lead by example, has developed this Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Plan to guide its project development and decision making with respect to energy use and GHG emissions. It is now clearly understood that these gases enhance the Earth’s ability to absorb and retain the heat radiated from the sun. Increased concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere are the principal cause of anthropogenic climate change. As the connection between GHG emissions and climate change has strengthened and California has established GHG policies and reduction goals, DWR has focused on its own GHG emissions and developed strategies to reduce its contribution to the global problem of climate change consistent with those policies and goals. This GHG Emissions Reduction Plan (Plan) is the first Phase in DWR’s Climate Action Plan and considers GHG emissions from all DWR activities. In this Plan, DWR details its progress and future plans for reducing GHG emissions consistent with the GHG emissions reduction targets established in Assembly Bill (AB) 32, Executive Order S-3-05, and DWR’s own policies, the aggressive steps it will take to reduce its emissions by over 80% below 1990 levels, and the steps that it will take to monitor its progress toward achieving these reductions. DWR estimates that its total GHG emissions in 1990 were nearly 3.5 million metric tons, roughly the equivalent of a coal fired power plant or 680,000 passenger cars. Most of these emissions were released as a result of generation of electricity used to move water through the State Water Project (SWP), which DWR owns and operates. Since 1990, DWR’s GHG emissions have fluctuated due to hydrologic conditions, water demands, and energy resources. DWR GHG emissions peaked in 2003 at over 4.1 million metric tons per year. This Plan shows how DWR will make substantial reductions in its GHG emissions in the near-term (present to 2020) and how it will continue to reduce emissions beyond 2020 to achieve its long-term (2050) GHG emissions reduction goals.

Climate Action Plan, Phase 3: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | February 14th, 2019

Climate change impacts have been widely documented globally, across the nation, and within the state. Loss of snowpack; longer, more frequent heat waves; and longer, more

Climate change impacts have been widely documented globally, across the nation, and within the state. Loss of snowpack; longer, more frequent heat waves; and longer, more intense wildfire seasons are already being experienced in California. While uncertainties remain about the exact timing and extent of projected impacts, numerous climate-driven hazards represent a clear threat to Department of Water Resources (DWR) facilities, managed lands, operations, and staff activities. By conducting this department-wide vulnerability assessment, DWR seeks to better prepare its decision-making for an uncertain future.  This climate change vulnerability assessment (VA) provides the first evaluation of its kind for facilities owned and operated by DWR and the activities that DWR performs. This analysis draws from the extensive body of knowledge about climate change and attempts to evaluate, describe, and quantify — where possible — DWR’s vulnerabilities to expected increases in wildfire, extreme heat, and sea-level rise, as well as to changes in hydrology and ecosystems that will impact DWR’s facilities, operations, and other activities. Table ES-1 presents examples of vulnerabilities identified in this assessment and summarizes quantitative indicators of climate change risk.  Using a mid-century time horizon, climate-change-driven hazards assessed in this VA are presented under six categories: wildfire, extreme heat, sea-level rise, long-term persistent hydrologic changes, short-term extreme hydrologic events, and habitat and ecosystem services degradation. This assessment applies a common framework to examine vulnerability through three components of how DWR’s assets and operations could be exposed to future climate hazards, how these assets and operations are sensitive (or susceptible) to impacts of this exposure, and the capacity of these assets and operations to cope with or adapt to changing conditions or events. 

Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water (CAMP4W)

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) | March 26th, 2025

To ensure the continued reliability of water supplies for the communities we serve, Metropolitan embarked on the development of a comprehensive Climate Adaptati

To ensure the continued reliability of water supplies for the communities we serve, Metropolitan embarked on the development of a comprehensive Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water (CAMP4W), a comprehensive set of policy directives and decision-making tools that ensure the Board of Directors is equipped to consider climate risks to water supplies, water quality, infrastructure, operations, workforce, public health, and financial sustainability to its deliberations and investment decisions. It provides a roadmap to guide future investments and decision-making as we confront our new climate reality in the years and decades ahead.

Climate and choice in the Colorado River Basin

Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) | October 31st, 2024

Climate benefits from establishing marine protected areas targeted at blue carbon solutions

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) | April 13th, 2022

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are recognized as highly effective tools for marine conservation. They may also play an important role in mitigating climate change. A vari

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are recognized as highly effective tools for marine conservation. They may also play an important role in mitigating climate change. A variety of climate change solutions are rooted in the ocean, centered primarily around “blue carbon” and the capacity of marine life to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) with some potential to reduce emissions. However, the global potential of these solutions remains misunderstood and untapped. Here, we analyze the potential impact on carbon removal and emissions reduction of adopting six ocean-based solutions in MPAs: coastal wetlands protection, coastal wetlands restoration, macroalgae protection, macroalgae restoration, seafloor protection, and seaweed farming. The carbon removal and avoided emissions achieved by implementing these solutions globally through 2060 were estimated using meta-analysis of existing studies. Applying all six ocean solutions under global implementation scenarios yields total emissions reduction by 2060 of 16.2 ± 1.82 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2-eq) for the plausible scenario and 24.8 ± 2.46 GtCO2-eq for the ambitious scenario. That equates to around 2% of the total carbon mitigation needed to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to 2 °C by 2050. Around 70% of this reduction is attributable to carbon removal and 30% to avoided emissions. Enhancing MPAs’ blue carbon potential could be a key contributor to drawing down carbon and could provide many additional benefits to the marine environment and human society, such as rebuilding biodiversity and sustaining food production. However, more regional-scale studies are needed to inform the best strategies for preserving and enhancing carbon removal in ocean sinks.

Climate Change Adaptations for Local Water Management in the San Francisco Bay Area

California Energy Commission (CEC) | July 1st, 2012

Climate change will affect both sea level and the temporal and spatial distribution of runoff in California. These climate change impacts will affect the reliability of w

Climate change will affect both sea level and the temporal and spatial distribution of runoff in California. These climate change impacts will affect the reliability of water supplies and operations of California’s water supply system. To meet future urban water demands in the San Francisco Bay Area, local water managers can adapt by changing water supply portfolios and operations. An engineering economic model, CALVIN, which optimizes water supply operations and allocations for the State of California, was used to explore the effects on water supply of a severely warm dry climate and substantial sea level rise, and to identify economically promising long-term adaptations for San Francisco Bay Area water systems. This reconnaissance level modeling suggests that even under fairly severe forms of climate change, Bay Area urban water demands can be largely met, but at a cost. Costs are from purchasing water from agricultural users (with agricultural opportunity costs), more expensive water supply alternatives such as water recycling and desalination, and some increases in water scarcity (costs of water use reduction). The modeling also demonstrates the importance of water transfer and intertie infrastructure to facilitate flexible water management among Bay Area water agencies. The intertie capacity developed by Bay Area agencies for emergencies, such as earthquakes, becomes even more valuable for responding to severe changes in climate.

Climate Change Analysis for the Santa Ana River Watershed

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | September 24th, 2013

The Santa Ana Watershed Basin Study (Basin Study) is a collaborative effort by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamatio

The Santa Ana Watershed Basin Study (Basin Study) is a collaborative effort by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), authorized under the Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow SECURE Water Act (Title IX, Subtitle F of Public Law 111-11). The study began in 2011 and was completed in the spring of 2013. The Basin Study complements SAWPA’s Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) planning process, also known as the “One Water One Watershed” (OWOW) Plan, and refines the watershed’s water projections, and identifies potential adaptation strategies, in light of projected effects of climate change. This climate change analysis for the Santa Ana River Watershed (SARW) is a contributing section to the Basin Study. This report explains the methods used to develop an analysis of potential implications of the changing climate, and how those implications might affect issues of importance to the Santa Ana River Watershed. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the project and the study area, along with a summary of relevant previous studies. The development of climate projections and hydrology models used can be found in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 provides projections for water supply and demand in the SARW. An impact analysis was conducted focusing on key areas of importance to the SARW, the results of which can be found in Chapter 4. A tool to evaluate demand management is presented in Chapter 5, along with a case study of potential adaptation strategies. Chapter 6 addresses uncertainties in climate change analysis. In light of climate change, prolonged drought conditions, growth, and population projections, a strong concern exists to ensure there will be adequate water supplies to meet future water demand. The findings of this Basin Study will be used to update the OWOW Plan, evaluate the implications of climate change, assess increased energy demand, and ensure that future water quality and supply needs are met. Goals of the study include: incorporating existing regional and local planning studies within the watershed; sustaining the innovative “bottom up” approach to regional water resources management planning; ensuring an integrated, collaborative approach; using science and technology to assess climate change and greenhouse emissions effects; facilitating watershed adaptation planning; and expanding outreach to all major water uses and stakeholders. Future water supply was analyzed for the Santa Ana River Watershed using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model (Liang et al., 1994; Liang et al., 1996; Nijssen et al., 1997) to project streamflow using 112 different projections of future climate. Projected climate variables, including daily precipitation, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and wind speed, came from the Bias Corrected and Spatially Downscaled Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (BCSD-CMIP3) archive. Historical VIC model simulations over the period 1950-1999 were conducted using historical meteorological forcings (factors affecting the climate of the earth that drive or “force” the climate to change) developed by Maurer et al., (2002), and subsequent extensions. The VIC hydrologic model solves the water balance for each of a series of 1/8° by 1/8° (~12km x 12 km) grid cells, which represent the watershed. Daily climate projections span the time period January 1, 1950 to December 31, 2099 and exist for each grid cell. Grid based outputs of daily runoff and baseflow generated by the VIC hydrologic model are routed to select sites throughout the watershed to produce daily streamflow projections. Through coordination with SAWPA and local water agencies, 36 key locations in the basin were determined, so that sub-basins could be delineated. Change factors were developed by calculating decade mean (reference decade – 1990s; three future decades – 2020s, 2050s, and 2070s) total precipitation and temperature, then calculating percent change, and finally calculating the median change for all the 112 projections. Final products include data sets at key locations for precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, April 1st Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), and streamflow. These data sets were used to answer frequently asked questions regarding impacts of climate change on the Santa Ana River Watershed.

Climate Change and Integrated Regional Water Management in California: A Preliminary Assessment of Regional Approaches

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | June 6th, 2012

This report examines the initial steps that IRWM regions are taking in response to new requirements to address climate change vulnerabilities and consider greenhouse gas

This report examines the initial steps that IRWM regions are taking in response to new requirements to address climate change vulnerabilities and consider greenhouse gas emissions in IRWM plans. Given our evolving understanding of climate change impacts and appropriate adaptation strategies, effectively integrating climate change into planning is a challenging task. This report seeks to learn from initial steps by IRWM regions in order to inform future guidance and support. It also identifies key considerations for DWR and IRWM regions in analyzing and adapting to climate change risks within an adaptive management framework. Specifically, this report seeks to: 1. Assess the manner and degree to which the climate change requirements in the 2010 IRWM Guidelines are met in Round 1 Proposition 84 Planning and Implementation grant proposals, and in recently approved IRWM plans 2. Assess current IRWM regional approaches to analyzing and adapting to climate change risks, in light of the overall goal to promote an adaptive management approach 3. Provide recommendations on key steps for DWR and IRWM regions to support the development of informative climate change analyses and mechanisms for adaptive management at regional and state levels This assessment is based on a review of the current IRWM climate change requirements, existing IRWM plans, and Planning and Implementation grant proposals funded in 2011. It is also informed by interviews conducted by DWR regional climate change specialists with representatives of IRWM regions regarding their plans to address climate change.

Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Scenarios for California Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment

California Energy Commission (CEC) | July 31st, 2012

This white paper provides an evaluation of physical elements of climate change and sea level rise that are contained in the California Climate Change Vulnerability and Ad

This white paper provides an evaluation of physical elements of climate change and sea level rise that are contained in the California Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment. The analyses use six global climate models, each run under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emissions Scenarios B1 and A2 scenarios. From the global climate models and associated downscaled output, these scenarios contain a range of warming, continued interannual and decadal variation of precipitation with incremental changes by the middle and end of twenty-first century, substantial loss of mountain snow pack, and a range of sea level rise along the California coast.