Esther N Lofton

Dr. Esther (Mosase) Lofton is an Urban Watershed Resilience Advisor with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Cooperative Extension. Based at the South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, California, she serves Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

Her applied research and extension program focuses on strengthening water resilience in urban communities and at the urban-agricultural interface. Her work addresses drinking water quality, environmental and surface water quality, stormwater management, water-use efficiency, water supply reliability, nature-based solutions, and equitable access to water resources, information, and decision-making.

Dr. Lofton conducts research and outreach across multiple spatial scales, including watersheds, surface water and groundwater basins, communities, neighborhoods, landscapes, urban farms, community gardens, agricultural fields, and households. Her work considers how water quality, water supply, land use, and management practices interact across urban, peri-urban, and agricultural settings. She uses field monitoring, experimental research, integrated hydrologic and water-quality modeling, geospatial analysis, GIS, and remote sensing to evaluate water-resource challenges and identify practical management solutions.

Her program combines scientific research with education, technical assistance, and collaborative engagement. She works with public agencies, water and stormwater managers, academic institutions, community organizations, residents, and partners involved in urban agriculture and managed landscapes to translate research findings into practical recommendations, educational resources, demonstration projects, and decision-support tools.

Through her research, extension, and regional partnerships, Dr. Lofton seeks to improve water quality, strengthen water supply resilience, support sustainable and climate-responsive water management, and help communities and decision-makers better understand and address interconnected water challenges across Southern California.