UC Riverside Report Urges California Governor-Elect to Prioritize Water Infrastructure and Climate Preparedness
A new report co-authored by a UC Riverside water expert advises California's governor-elect, Xavier Becerra, to make flood and drought preparedness a top priority. The report, titled 'Priorities for California’s Water: Advice for the Incoming Governor,' highlights the state's water system vulnerability due to climate change, excessive groundwater pumping, and neglected infrastructure. Prepared by the Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center, the document recommends enhanced disaster preparedness, stronger groundwater protections, and long-term investments in water storage and delivery systems. According to UCR public policy professor Kurt Schwabe, a co-author, California's current water conveyance and storage systems are undersized for modern flood and drought conditions. An immediate concern is preventing further damage to the State Water Project’s canals from land subsidence in the Central Valley, caused by excessive groundwater pumping, which can severely reduce water delivery capacit...
