Sustaining
the Environment

California Water Issues

The history of California is inextricably tied to water. The state’s water system is the largest in the U.S., serving more than 30 million people and providing irrigation to more than 5.5 million acres of farmland, while also sustaining numerous aquatic and terrestrial species and helping to maintain the health and natural cycles of the overall ecosystem.

Farmers, fishers, city dwellers, conservationists and policymakers all have interests in the future of California’s water as they seek to avert future crises. It is an epic challenge, and UC Davis experts are playing key roles in the public debates now under way—such as the safety and impact of levees, the sustainability and use of the San Francisco Bay Delta, and the maintenance of clean water supplies—that will shape the face of California water policy for the next century.

Learn more about UC Davis researchers’ work to find solutions to save farms, fish and livelihoods.