Drought

California’s water rights remain a major bone of legal and political contention as the larger struggle over water allocation continues.

A new University of California study predicts that a combination of factors, including climate change, will reduce California's water supply. How will the state take action to make it more resilient?

Despite many laudable programs and well-intentioned efforts, California lacks a full-fledged statewide strategy for conserving native freshwater species in the face of climate change. California needs a new approach.

The notion of bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to move water from Northern California to Southern California has been kicking around for decades. It finally seems to be approaching the critical moment.

California, Arizona and Nevada would cut their allocations about 20% when reservoir levels drop. But other states have their own opposing plan. Now the federal government has to decide how to manage the drought-plagued river.

Household use is a tiny fraction of California's overall water supply, but the state wants to spend billions of dollars to make a tiny reduction in that already infinitesimal bit of water consumption.

In a sign of the ongoing threats to its precious groundwater stores, half a dozen regions in California rank among the world’s most rapidly declining aquifers, according to research published today. Globally, lack of local water drives migration, poverty, starvation and violence — while in California, it drives decades-long regulatory battles over how to stop […]

After years of jousting among California's many water interests, there have been a few major breakthroughs recently. But other battles, such as validity of long-standing water rights, remain unsettled.

Unlike a year ago, water storage is above average. Whether the year is wet or dry, though, remains uncertain despite El Niño conditions.

California ranks among the top states suffering economic damage from climate-related disasters. The report describes food shortages, floods, droughts, wildfires, pollution, disease — all linked to climate change.