Overview
Climate Extremes
As California climate extremes characterized by precipitation volatility and higher temperatures become more frequent, durable and intense, the challenges of water allocation for planning and response. Climate extremes including droughts, excessive rains, and temperature fluctuations may jeopardize productivity of farmlands across California, ranked as first nationally, and their spillover effects on income and employment in their areas of influence and beyond. This research helps characterize vulnerability and adaptability of agriculture to varying water supply conditions, and its effect on the local economies, through the use of open access tools to simulate water supply and warmer temperature cropping decisions response. Systems Analysis in Water
Systems Analysis in Water
California’s interconnected water system hosts many natural and man-made features, including oceans, lakes, rivers, dams, aquifers, canals, etc. This water system serves users in all agriculture, environmental, and urban settings. By studying the different components of this system both individually and as a part of the larger whole, we are able to identify promising water supply and management alternatives including infrastructure changes and flexibility in water allocation, to minimize water shortage and its cost, while meeting regulatory and other operational constraints. Such approach is helpful in long term planning of water resources in a highly complex and decentralized system.
Agriculture Economics
California’s agricultural industry ranked first nationally, generates about $60 billion dollars in gross revenue supporting about 450,000 jobs. Within the industry there are countless individualized layers working together to create such a complex system including establishment, labor, harvest, imports, exports, and, which largely rely on irrigation water availability. At the same time, California agriculture operates in an overconstrained system that involves growing competing demands from rural and urban communities and the environment, and a complex water allocation system. We research the potential response of agriculture to water scarcity, floods and regulation, and its potential effects on the regional economy including the ripple effects. Insights from the research may inform planning, policy and emergency response for decisionmakers as vulnerable areas are identified. Resilient Communities
Resilient Communities
When climate extremes strike, small rural communities are often hit harder. Water accessibility has become a growing concern, particularly to rural and disadvantaged communities, given the lack of financial capacity, organization, and in some cases needed, technical expertise. By employing participatory bottom-up approaches, we engage in research that identifies climate vulnerabilities, and promising avenues to increase resilience to climate extremes particularly on access to safe drinking water. We support research to help decision-makers make informed choices regarding water allocation that will effectively benefit all of those in need of water. Investing resources into protecting water accessibility is to directly invest in a thriving community and ecosystems for the present and the future.
