The Confluence

Landscape with New Melones Lake in Spring

The Confluence is the blog of the California Institute for Water Resources (CIWR) within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. We cover timely topics of water management in California, highlighting innovative research and voices.

CIWR's mission is to integrate California's research, extension, and education programs to develop research-based solutions to water resource challenges. We do this by facilitating collaborative research and outreach on water issues across California's academic institutions and with international, federal, state, regional, nonprofit, and campus communities.

Visit us at: ciwr.ucanr.edu | follow us on Bluesky @ucanrwater.bsky.social, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X @ucanrwater

Patterns and drivers of water-wise landscaping for urban water conservation

May 9, 2024

By Joanna P Solins

Front yard with water-wise landscaping. Photo Credit: Cadenasso Lab, UC Davis California's urban water agencies have long relied on conservation measures to promote reliability and manage costs.

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Fifty Years of Water Research Projects in California

January 7, 2024

By Erik C Porse

For decades, California has supported research to improve water resources management. Within our archives at the California Institute for Water Resources (CIWR), we have records of nearly 250 funded research projects going back fifty years.

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Groundwater use in rice fields in Yuba County, California. Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources

Database of Demand Management Actions Under SGMA Goes Live

August 15, 2023

By Ellen M Bruno

Demand management policies that alter the incentives of water users in ways that encourage conservation will be necessary to achieve groundwater sustainability under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

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Kristin Dobbin moderates a panel on the key challenges for achieving groundwater sustainability. Photo by Ellen Bruno.

Advancing a Collaborative Agenda to Meet California’s Emergent Groundwater Management Needs

June 22, 2023

By Ellen M Bruno, Kristin B Dobbin

Among the most significant challenges related to California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) are emergent social and economic questions regarding implementation. Despite passing almost ten years ago, there's still a long road to achieving groundwater sustainability.

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Water pours from a clear bottle into a drinking glass

New research: Climate impacts widespread across California, fueling worries over water supply

May 17, 2023

By Faith Kearns. As water system managers across California devise strategies to help secure their water supply, they often face a major obstacle to implementing those measures: a lack of interest or will to act among community members.

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