California Drought Impacts: Case Studies on Water Use
Dr. Peter GleickPacific Institute, Oakland, California
August 2015
Conclusions
• The severe drought in California is having widespread impacts
• We are just beginning to understand the full nature of these impacts.
• California’s water system is especially vulnerable, and we also see an influence of climate change.
• Some research is now available for effects on energy and agriculture.
California Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies (1895-2014) (36-month periods)
Source: Mann and Gleick, 2015, PNAS. NOAA/NCDC ClimDiv data
Drought and California Hydroelectricity
Decreased hydro-generation; increased GHG emissions
Source: Gleick 2015
Agricultural revenues are at an all-time high
Source: Cooley et al. 2015
Farm employment is at an all-time high
Agricultural impacts have been buffered by unsustainable practices, strong markets, and improvements in
water-use efficiency.
This cannot continue indefinitely.
Groundwater depletion in the Central Valley is severe and ongoing
Dr. Peter H. [email protected]
Pacific Institute, Oakland, California
@petergleick
www.pacinst.org
www.worldwater.org