OAKLAND, CA, April 29, 2015 -- As water challenges imposed by California's drought have brought agricultural water use into the limelight, the Pacific Institute, an independent think tank focused on water issues, has released a new "Need to Know" brief that provides essential background information on this subject.
The brief (here) estimates total water use for crops grown in California, the water intensity of those crops and the economic productivity of water. Although water use data exists, there are large uncertainties in agricultural water use due to a lack of consistent measurement and reporting, time lags in information and confusion about definitions.
Data on agricultural production and water use are not collected at all, or are collected by individual irrigation districts, counties and a variety of state and federal agencies using a range of tools from voluntary reporting at the field level to remote sensing from satellites. Additional estimates of water use come not from actual observations or reposting but from model estimates and other techniques for projecting use.
Author Heather Cooley argues that in order to truly understand the risk and opportunities for water use in California, more and better data are needed. This brief is a primer on agricultural water use and will be followed by more detailed assessments of California's agricultural sector in the context of the drought in the coming months.
See also:
"New Pacific Institute report reveals impacts of CA drought on hydroelectricity costs"
"New report demonstrates water use decline for all U.S. sectors during 2005-2010"
About the Pacific Institute
The Pacific Institute is a nonpartisan research institute that works to create a healthier planet and sustainable communities. Through interdisciplinary research and partnering with stakeholders, the organization produces solutions that advance environmental protection, economic development, and social equity -- in California, nationally and internationally. For more information, visit www.pacinst.org.
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