Currently Funded CAL2030 Projects:

• Effects of climate change on evapotranspiration and ephemeral channel networks in California, James W. Kirchner, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, UC Berkeley
• The Evolution of Water Institutions and Policies in the California Economy, David Zilberman, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley
• Mapping Small Emergent Wetlands Using Ikonos Satellite Imagery in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, Steve Beissinger, Department of
  Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley

CAL2030 Overview

California faces a looming water crisis that cannot be ignored. The state's rapidly growing population is quickly outpacing available water supplies. With 50 million residents expected by 2030, California must find a way to supply water to all competing interests. While demand for water is growing, the resource is becoming scarcer. New water quality regulations and environmental requirements are shrinking supplies available for people and crops. In addition, rapidly growing neighbors, such as Arizona and Nevada, are now calling for their rightful allocations of Colorado River water, one of California's primary water sources. Once Southern California's imported supplies of Colorado River water are cut back, demand for water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta may increase sharply.

California's water problems are not easy to solve. Very few sources of "new" water are under active development, and the historical approach of increasing water storage by building new dams and reservoirs is now viewed by many as too expensive and environmentally disruptive. Innovative approaches that consider all available options are required: groundwater banking, public-private partnerships, recycling, reclamation, water transfers, and aggressive conservation. The imbalance between water supply and demand is reaching the breaking point. A way must be found to manage water wisely and share it equitably between urban and agricultural areas and recently increasing environmental needs. Time is of the essence. California must make investments now to prepare effectively for future droughts and population growth.

BWC made a strategic decision to focus its initial efforts on California's water problem by developing research in two thrust areas (RTAs). The First is the Digital Watershed, and the second is CAL 2030. BWC plans to integrate these two RTAs into an end-to-end demonstration called Digital CAL, data and analysis portal.

CAL2030 intends to create a research portfolio in engineering, the physical sciences, social sciences, economics and law, addressing issues at the intersection of physical and social science, such as improvement in water use efficiency, conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater, water markets, salinity management, transfers and exchanges, coordinated operation of reservoirs and pumping facilities, and wastewater reuse in conjunction with traditional water storage and conveyance options.