New Pacific Institute Report: "Left Out in Drought: California Fish" |
Freshwater fish and ecosystems have been severely impacted by drought in California as highlighted by new Pacific Institute report “Left Out in Drought: California Fish” by Senior Researchers Morgan Shimabuku and Cora Kammeyer.
The study finds water temperatures in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers have exceeded the lethal limit for salmon for multiple months in 2020 and 2021, decreasing fish survival rates.
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The Pacific Institute has solutions. “When informed by science, the policy and management decisions we make today can help ensure better outcomes for California’s fish, aquatic ecosystems, and those who rely on and benefit from them in the future.” says Morgan Shimabuku, lead report author.
The report highlights recommendations for decisionmakers to improve drought resilience for freshwater ecosystems:
- Making water management institutions nimbler during drought to improve cooperation and coordination between federal, state, tribal, and other actors.
- Creating drought plans for freshwater ecosystems that are proactive rather than depending on emergency declarations which often come after the damage has already occurred.
- Maintaining minimum instream flow requirements during emergency drought declarations.
- Prioritizing broader freshwater ecosystem protection, including not only providing volumetric requirements for instream flows but also water quality considerations such as temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations, considerations for the timing of instream flows, restoring natural flow and connectivity, and creating freshwater protected areas.
- Expediting projects to restore floodplain connectivity and health.
- Standardizing and coordinating research and data collection, while improving information on lesser-known species.
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Pacific Institute Research and Innovative Solutions Front and Center at Stockholm World Water Week |
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Stockholm World Water Week convenes the world’s leading water experts and organizations to address the world’s most pressing water challenges during hundreds of sessions. Pacific Institute water resilience research and innovative solutions were front and center at World Water Week again this year between August 23 and September 1.
Pacific Institute experts participated in six separate sessions, ranging in topic from the water-energy-climate nexus to nature-based solutions. Many of these sessions featured the Pacific Institute’s work leading the CEO Water Mandate focused on corporate water stewardship.
The theme for World Water Week 2022 was "Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water", which recognizes the world's freshwater is under increasing pressure from rising temperatures, populations, and consumption patterns. This theme focused on how the world values water and more specifically the "unseen" water in groundwater aquifers, in the soil, and in the atmosphere.
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New Pacific Institute Report: Advancing Affordability through Water Efficiency |
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A new Pacific Institute White Paper, “Advancing Affordability through Water Efficiency,” finds water conservation and efficiency improvements support water affordability for both conserving households and the larger community. Water efficiency measures inside and outside the home can dramatically reduce household water use, reducing water bills and potentially wastewater and energy bills. They can also avoid or delay the need for costly new water supply and treatment infrastructure, lowering costs for the community.
The report, by Pacific Institute Director of Research Heather Cooley, Senior Researcher Morgan Shimabuku, and Research Associate Dr. Christine DeMyers, finds that while all households benefit from water efficiency improvements, conserving households receive the greatest benefit. The authors conclude that greater effort is needed to ensure that water conservation and efficiency programs are accessible to low-income households, renters, and those living in multi-family housing.
The findings can inform policy decisions throughout the United States and beyond. For greater water efficiency and thus greater cost savings for all, the report recommends:
- Target and design water conservation and efficiency to ensure program offerings are accessible to customers in lower household income tiers.
- Improve communications and outreach about the avoided costs of water conservation and efficiency improvements.
- Increase investment in water conservation and efficiency improvements.
- Improve demand forecasting to avoid building unnecessary and costly new water supply and treatment infrastructure.
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The Water Resilience Coalition Launches Collective Action Campaign |
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Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) Opens Consultation Period
The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) is opening a month-long public consultation period for technical guidance on science-based targets (SBTs) for nature. This guidance will focus on helping companies assess and prioritize their environmental impacts to then set targets, beginning with freshwater. Once finalized, this will form the basis of SBTN’s first release of SBTs for nature in early 2023, which will include initial target-setting resources on freshwater as well as land to complement those on climate from the Science Based Targets initiative. This public consultation aims to undertake a transparent, multi-stakeholder process to ensure the guidance is robust, clear, and practical.
A public consultation webinar was held on September 20. Here, SBTN experts shared more information about the draft guidance, the development process and addressed key questions.
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Speaking Engagement: Director of Research Heather Cooley and Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock |
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On September 22, Pacific Institute Director of Research Heather Cooley and Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock will co-present as part of the Localizing California Waters regional workshop with Ventura County on the topic of taking a multi-benefit approach to watershed planning.
The event will focus on activating the Ventura River In-Stream Flow (VRIF) Toolkit Catalog for a closer look at how to move forward on tools that can help accelerate the response to drought, fire, extreme heat, habitat loss, flooding impacts, and community health. This event is for water, land, natural resource managers, stewards, organizations, schools, farmers and ranchers, agencies, designers, engineers, monitoring technicians, installers, and innovators.
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Upcoming Speaking Engagement: Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher, Shannon Spurlock, will present "Maximizing Water Resources through Integrating a Multi-benefit Approach into Land Use Planning" on September 27 in partnership with the American Planning Association’s Water & Planning Network.
Panelists will share how and why they prioritize water projects that incorporate a multi-benefit approach in land use planning. From state-level funding to the economics of project valuations, to working with planners to design and implement environments that are equitable and resilient, this webinar will demonstrate how to integrate and scale a multi-benefit approach for the greatest community benefits.
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Upcoming Speaking Engagement: WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exhibition 2022 |
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The Pacific Institute will be featured across three sessions at this year's WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition from October 4-6 in Las Vegas. At the conference, technical sessions will cover everything from advancing the adoption of efficient products, to alternate water supplies, to marketing and outreach and much more.
Water utilities and systems are increasingly challenged by climate change, emerging contaminants, evolving regulations, aging infrastructure, conservation needs, and much more. New technologies are being invented, new strategies and programs are being developed, new ways to engage customers are arising, and new models for managing and governing systems for drinking water and wastewater are being explored.
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Harnessing the Power of Water to Meet Energy and Climate Goals: Presented by Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute Director of Research
Population growth and climate change are increasing pressure on limited water resources. As conventional water sources become constrained, communities are considering more energy-intensive options, threatening to increase water’s energy and greenhouse gas footprints. Using California as a case study, the Pacific Institute draws on new data and information to quantify the technical potential to expand water efficiency, water reuse, and stormwater capture and develop future scenarios of water supplies and demands to estimate water’s energy and greenhouse gas footprints. While focused on California, the methodology and results are relevant for communities across the western United States.
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The Untapped Potential of California’s Urban Water Supply: Water Efficiency, Water Reuse, and Stormwater Capture: Presented by Dr. Sonali Abraham, Pacific Institute Research Associate
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Advancing Water Efficiency in Low Income Housing: Southern California Case Study: Presented by Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Cora Kammeyer and Research Associate Dr. Christine DeMyers
This session will share results from a cross-sector project in which corporations, NGOs, and water utilities worked together to install and monitor remote leak detection technology in three low-income apartment buildings in Southern California. The session will cover the water, energy, and money saved from the project; stakeholder perspectives; and how the unique set of partners came together to make the project happen. Speakers will share learnings from project implementation, including the project design and how to effectively partner across sectors.
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Upcoming Speaking Engagement: Senior Researcher Michael Cohen
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Michael Cohen will present on a panel “A Collaborative Approach to Colorado River Management" on October 6.
The Colorado River is in crisis, creating serious challenges for water managers and the communities that rely upon it. This panel of diverse stakeholders will discuss efforts to find collaborative solutions basin-wide and how this could shape the future of Western water for years to come. This is the first in what is anticipated to be a series on the Colorado River.
This session, hosted by the Southern California Water Coalition, is brought to you by San Diego County Water Authority, Imperial Irrigation District, Black & Veatch, and Brady.
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Upcoming Speaking Engagement: Senior Researcher Dr. Gregg Brill |
Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Dr. Gregg Brill will present at the Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions Forum on Performance and Metrics hosted by the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) in Winnipeg October 12-13.
Gregg will join IISD and strategic leaders working at the interface of natural infrastructure and water issues across the prairies, including Alternative Land Use Services – ALUS Canada, the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative, the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, and many other representatives from academia and municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
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Upcoming Speaking Engagement: Pacific Institute Senior Researchers Dr. Gregg Brill and Dr. Shannon McNeeley |
Pacific Institute Senior Researchers Dr. Gregg Brill and Dr. Shannon McNeeley will be participating in the 5th National Adaptation Forum on October 25.
Gregg will host a Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) Tools Workshop and Shannon is on the Steering Committee and the Equity & Climate Justice Working Group.
Gregg's session "Building the Business Case For Nature-Based Solutions: Introducing the NBS Benefits Explorer Tool" will focus on the implementation of and investment in nature-based solutions (NBS) by the corporate sector. Work like this allows organizations to make informed decisions regarding water security, climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic enhancements.
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Recent Speaking Engagement: Director of Research Heather Cooley |
Pacific Institute Director of Research Heather Cooley was a panelist at the 2022 Energy & Water Nexus Event hosted by the Bay Planning Coalition on Friday, September 9. The panel presentation "Alternative Water Sources for Drought Resilience" is more relevant than ever—with nearly 100% of California facing severe drought.
The annual Energy & Water Nexus Event brings together leading thinkers on water and energy to discuss solutions to pressing climate issues.
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Recent Speaking Engagement: Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock |
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Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Shannon Spurlock presented three sessions at the World Water Congress & Exhibition between September 11 and 15.
- The Art of Collaboration: Crossing Borders to Solve Systems-Based Problems
- Multi-agency Water Reuse Programs: Lessons for Successful Collaboration
- Water Efficiency: The Fastest, Cheapest, Largest Source of New Water
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Recent Speaking Engagement: Senior Researcher Dr. Gregg Brill
Dr. Gregg Brill presented at a virtual event "The Future of Natural Infrastructure" hosted by the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) on September 15.
IISD launched Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS), a 5-year initiative to scale up natural infrastructure in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba for cleaner water and resilient communities.
The event looked at how to ensure that the case for more natural infrastructure is backed by evidence, adopted, financed, and built into policy, and how local municipalities can take part in this work.
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Pacific Institute in the News |
Grist: Unplugged: Why utilities are more likely to disconnect Black, Latino, and Indigenous households
The Guardian: ‘Water is our most precious resource’: Alfalfa farmers asked to give up crop amid megadrought in US south-west
KQED: Dead Fish Are Piling Up Across Shores of San Francisco Bay, Lake Merritt, As Algal Bloom Grows
KTVU: Heat domes and heat waves take more water from reservoirs
Los Angeles Times: Tidal marsh or ‘fake habitat’? California environmental project draws criticism
Mercury News: Does the Bay Area have enough water to build housing during the California drought?
Water Education Foundation: New Report: New Pacific Institute Report Finds California Drought Worsening Long-Term Decline of Fish Populations
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Help create and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. |
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