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our weather can be unpredictable, ranging from decades of drought to month-long storms that dump dozens of inches of rain. earlier this winter, california was recovering from a multi-week storm surge. we had trillions of gallons of rain and hundreds of inches of snow in only a few weeks’ time.

it was clear to anyone living here that we were and are not prepared for this amount of rainfall. here are four key issues that california is continuing to grapple with.

1. runoff pollution

as someone who lives on the coast, a common issue we face is the impact of runoff pollution. this runoff accumulates along the coast after storms, when contaminants from city streets, farms, and other urban areas are washed away and into the rivers, estuaries, and beaches. a common effect of runoff pollution is harmful algal blooms, these blooms are a consequence of increased nitrogen and phosphate in the water. in these conditions, toxic and nontoxic algae grow unchecked. eventually, they die and can suffocate the gills of fish and invertebrates.

helping to address this problem is the california cooperative oceanic fisheries investigations (calcofi), an affiliate of the california department of fish & wildlife, noaa fisheries service, and scripps institution of oceanography. i spoke with erin satterthwaite, who coordinates their program, and makes sure their research is accurately used, and accessible. satterthwaite said that calcofi values being inclusive and its data publicly accessible, using a holistic approach to solve questions we were once unable to answer, she called these “time machine questions.” we are now able to go back in time and answer questions from the past with the technology and information we now have access to. the goal is to be able to answer future questions, today.

satterthwaite and i spoke about how calcofi uses a holistic ecosystem approach, examining how elements of an ecosystem are impacted by changes in the surrounding area. they collect data up to 500 meters below sea level, testing the water for salinity, oxygen, phosphate, silicate, nitrate and nitrite, chlorophyll, phytoplankton biodiversity, zooplankton biomass, and zooplankton biodiversity. this data helps to paint a picture of what is happening to the ecosystem as a whole, and what may be changing within it.

2. flood management

researching for this article proved to be quite a feat, there are so many challenges facing water management in dense urban areas. currently, many of la’s rivers are paved entirely in concrete, an example is the los angeles river. the goal is to quickly move flood waters to long beach, and out of neighborhoods. while effective, this method ensures that no water is collected or recycled and flows directly into long beach.

this water is a mix of stormwater, street runoff, and trash. therefore, without filtration, it pours into the bay polluting the beaches and harbor. according to heal the bay’s beach report card, long beach is la county’s most polluted beach. long beach receives an ‘f’ rating after storms. to put it into perspective, the tijuana river slough receives the same score. this method of flood management is effective; however, it leads to water waste and pollution. 

3. drought preparedness

california is notoriously dry, with decade-long droughts that increase wildfire risks and damage, destroy crops, and turn the state a lovely shade of dusty brown. my family’s wild rice farm is in northern california, near mt. shasta. despite the numerous lakes, rivers, and dams in the area, we experience seasonal wildfires, some decimating thousands of acres of land. in fact, the largest reservoir in california is in shasta county, its water capacity is 4,552,000 acre⋅ft (5.615 km3). and while dams and reservoirs have their own ecological impacts, they are vital for collecting and storing rainwater. 

as for residential rainwater collection, it is not considered illegal in california to collect your own rainwater. some places even have rainwater harvesting incentive programs, but regulations may vary. when in doubt, collection of rainwater is best for plants and gardens, not for consumption. 

another form of water sequestration is infiltration basins, areas that allow water to naturally permeate the soil, filtering pollution, and refilling aquifers. cities like los angeles are far too dense and populated to have infiltration basins, but there are other methods of managing runoff and flood water that do not include water highways of cement and concrete. 

4. lack of gray infrastructure

last fall, i spoke to one of the researchers at tijuana river national estuarine research reserve, jeff crooks, ph.d. at the time, i did not realize that our conversation would be so relevant to my continued thoughts and research into statewide water issues.

we spoke about the importance of building gray infrastructure, and investing in better methods of collecting, treating, and diverting stormwater. i learned about the projects and goals of the estuary, and what we can do to solve the issues that the estuary is facing. crooks mentioned how the estuary can only filter so much stormwater before it flows directly into the ocean. therefore, it is vital that we build enough gray infrastructure to alleviate the pressures on the estuary. examples of gray infrastructure that would be beneficial are infiltration basins, stormwater storage, and water treatment plants. 

in 2014, california voted yes to passing the water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement act of 2014, also known as proposition 1: water bond. a vote “yes” for this proposition supported issuing $7.12 billion in bonds for water supply infrastructure projects and allocating bond revenue. the goal of prop 1 was to allocate money to increasing gray infrastructure to better collect stormwater, protect drinking water, protect watersheds, drought preparedness, and flood management. but it’s 2023, and we’re seeing that a lot of work still needs to be done. 

there is a $19b-$24b dollar plan to transform the la river into a public open space and natural urban habitat over the next 25 years. it would help mitigate stormwater pollution, reduce drought impacts, increase public green spaces, and help to reduce the impacts of damaging and dangerous floods. amigos de los rios is one organization that is working to make this green infrastructure a reality.

they call these connected spaces of parks, gardens, and river paths the emerald necklace greenway. the goal is to connect the mountains and the ocean with public spaces that provide both public services and water sequestration via soil and plants. these areas are one of the best methods of flood reduction and are far more beautiful than entirely cemented washes and rivers

sustainable solutions for california

california is known as a dry place, with seasonal wildfires and never-ending droughts. however, storms like the ones we experienced last month are indicators that our weather is unpredictable. i believe that combining different methods and sciences to solve problems such as water management is key to finding sustainable solutions, preparing for droughts, and not polluting the ocean.

as erin satterthwaite said, look at a problem and see how the ecosystem interacts instead of looking at just one element. or as writer cj hauser says in the crane wife, “if you want to save a species, you don’t spend your time staring at the bird you want to save. you look at the things it relies on to live instead. you ask if there is enough to eat and drink. you ask if there is a safe place to sleep. is there enough here to survive?”

this is the takeaway: we must look at issues as whole entities, how we influence our environment, how their parts interact, and how they change, flow, and migrate. water is a vital resource that a state like california cannot afford to under-appreciate.

this story was featured in our series, slipping through our fingers: the future of water.

as our mouths were agape from the raw beauty of the mountainous landscape, we found ourselves coughing – at points choking – on dust. and upon conversing with locals like the taxista on day two, it was clear that the dry climate is far from breaking news. this 10-year drought has become commonplace for mendozans, each year a bit worse than the last.

sure enough, a 2021 study found that five of the largest rivers in the mendoza basin are under extreme hydrological drought conditions. in addition to the desiccation of key wetland ecosystems, agriculture and livestock have suffered tremendously. wine production has decreased by almost a third, and key reservoirs can no longer promise water to local communities. as an attempted pivot, snowfall from the andes has been increasingly relied on – but what happens when snowfall decreases each year? last winter, the valley received no snow at all. snow-covered vistas are either distant in memory, or far up in the mountains.

activism in mendoza

on the final day of our trip, we had the gift of spending time with members of mendoza’s asamblea popular por el agua. this group of young climate activists have planned and implemented a series of largely- attended protests, dances and other events over the past five years. on this day, we drove two hours south to attend a public fair framed around the distribution and celebration of seeds in the town of san carlos.

they shared their work with us, which has proven incredibly effective in creating change and mobilizing substantial numbers of people in the fight for rights to clean water for everyone. their framework of diverse, creative, unrelenting activism allows them to address specific communities with each campaign, ensuring that their message truly reaches everyone.

their campaign also addressed questions of environmental justice in the face of climate change, since the impacts of drought, water pollution, and privatization will be distributed unequally, such that certain communities bare the largest burden of these actions. by utilizing infrastructures that already exist, such as grassroots organizations, farmer coalitions, news channels, famous singers like the puerto rican rap group calle 13, and more, they have brought their message to large audiences.

la feria de semillas adopted this similar technique, bringing local farmers, vendors, specialists, the work of local students, and regional nonprofits into the same space in order to amplify their message and strengthen connections within this network of various actors. having only witnessed four days of mendoza, i found myself blown away. first, at the seriousness of the situation. as environmental crises often are, this drought is at the nexus point of concurrent crises: public health, economic and ecological. second, i was blown away at the wisdom and clarity of the activism already in place. it was targeted, inspiring, and oozing with the joy of community. in my past activism in the u.s., i had never encountered a group that could so gracefully balance hope and reason.

upon boarding the return flight to buenos aires, i felt shaken awake. the land had a lot to say, but so did the people. this work is rich with demonstrations of conflict transformation in practice. the seed fair attendees brought their own history and life experience into the space; each had their personal stories of the drought and its impacts. in order to equalize and publicize the knowledge of this predicament, a panel of local experts elaborated on the historical and current situation.

similarly, there was a native plant workshop, open to the public, where attendees could learn about local plants and how to cultivate them. these structures built both freedom and responsibility for every individual at the fair: by gathering sources of local knowledge and sharing them among the community, each individual becomes an agent of change. they too can distribute this knowledge. they are part of the solution.

the only water roy pfaltzgraff has for his crops in haxtun, colorado, is what comes out of the sky, and that is not much during this mega-drought that has been devastating the west. despite extremely difficult growing conditions, pfaltzgraff still produces crops at a decent yield, in large part due to his soil health practices.

pfaltzgraff is part of colorado’s saving tomorrow’s agricultural resources (star) soil health program and is the only farmer in colorado, as of october 2022, to receive a maximum of five stars for the soil health of his fields. the outstanding soil health in his fields also impacts food quality, and pfaltzgraff is passionate about producing a quality product compared to the conventional farming focus on yield. with an associate’s degree in culinary arts, he has crafted several delicious gluten-free mixes using millet flour, corn, and other crops on his farm.

pfaltzgraff believes that it is important for people to get to know farmers and understand how food is produced. farmers and producers like pfaltzgraff will be profiled for their soil health practices in an upcoming three-part documentary series called “hold our ground,” which i am helping produce with the colorado state university center for science communication.

however, the central arizona project is working on several initiatives to make arizona’s water supply more reliable. one of those initiatives is a recent partnership with an israeli company called n-drip. according to n-drip’s chief sustainability officer, seth siegel, their technology brings a new irrigation system that could help save 50% of the water used in arizona’s agriculture.

if you don’t know much about the country, you certainly know what it looks like thanks to hollywood location scouts. most recently, “dune” intensifies jordan’s bare rocky landscapes and sprawling desert dunes to depict a water-deprived planet, but there are dozens of other well-known films that make use of the country’s remarkable scenery. jon stewart’s “rosewater” captures the capital’s urban sprawl, “lawrence of arabia” shows off its beaches, and films such as “star wars: rogue one,” “the martian,” “indiana jones and the last crusade,” and the 2019 adaptation of “aladdin” take advantage of its most famous features: the wadi rum desert and the city of petra. 

while most of my american friends’ first time camping took place in a wooded and stream-striped forest, i slept soundly in my sleeping bag beside a fire amongst beetles and scorpions. instead of tackling a shrubby and rocky hill, my first hike was up a seemingly unconquerable never-ending sand dune. even my first time at a dance party was during a fifth-grade class trip with traditional jordanian drumming prompting us to hold hands and rhythmically skip around our campfire’s flames. i grew up in the hollywood backdrop to alien and/or mystical societies and i feel an overwhelming sense of pride, nostalgia, and humor when i see it blown up and projected on the big screen. while hollywood continues to portray a familiar and timeless, dry jordanian landscape, i know from my annual visits and videos sent from my family that it now has an inconsistent and turbulent climate.

to assume that global warming makes the desert hotter and drier would be correct! the world bank confirms that jordan is at high risk for drought and research projects that jordan’s average temperatures will increase from about +2.5°c to +5°c by the end of the century. with a water-scarce country that houses ten million citizens and three million refugees, jordan’s leadership must implement water-conserving infrastructure immediately to save itself from future disasters. however, the cities continue to grow and urbanize amidst the warming climate, which creates more impermeable surfaces that flood with (rather than soak up) rainfall. since water scarcity has been a major environmental challenge for time immemorial, much of the public and leadership overlook flash floods as yet another risk of a warming climate despite them claiming the lives of local children and threatening unknowing tourists. these floods make the country’s projected climate instability even more precarious. 

before expanding on the issue of flooding, it’s important to note that the information available is limited due to a low number of meteorological stations, as well as some research papers being published only in arabic. dr. al-raggad, a jordanian hydrogeologist, said that only in 2016 the jordanian government began monitoring precipitation in real-time, “but the historical data will remain as they are.” regardless, basic climate science tells us that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, and in a desert setting where temperatures drop as soon as the sun sets, that water is expected to condense and fall. another recently discovered phenomenon called an atmospheric river, may explain how warmer and wetter winds coming up from the african continent reach the dry levant. local researchers have concluded that in the “last two decades, the region has experienced a dramatic shift in its rainfall records patterns,” noting the series of floods that affected cities across the middle east and north africa over the past decade. in jordan specifically, flooding events in the early 2000s affected less than 200 people on average, but in the last four years, the average has been over 200,000.

when hollywood only comes to jordan to film in its undoubtedly breathtaking desert landscape, it not only fails to capture how places like petra now see destructive floods, but also how the country’s urban areas cannot keep up with the changing climate. these flash floods impact the cities as much as, if not more than, the desert. with growing refugee populations and limited funding, urban spaces grow larger with outdated flood systems and increased surface runoff. what can be done?

i was fortunate enough to travel to a nearby country to see how a driven group of urban foresters, theotherforest, adapted to their changing environment. during the summer of 2021, i visited lebanon and volunteered with theotherforest which works on introducing “miyawaki forests” to neglected pieces of land. these forests, developed by the late japanese botanist akira miyawaki, create green spaces that can absorb excess rain as well as provide shade for poorer and neglected communities. by planting native species’ saplings randomly and densely where there’s access to sun and water, within just three years of consistent maintenance the community will get a self-sufficient forest. it’s a process that brings back some of the greenery, biodiversity, and ecological services that a city typically erases.

as i walked through one of the young forests that had once been an abandoned lot, i couldn’t help but think about how i’d love to see this in jordan. the jordanian government is putting in more resources into anti-flooding measures, such as teaming up with the swiss government and the swiss agency for development and cooperation for risk mapping, but i wanted to know if this reforesting approach was taking root there. and i was thrilled to learn from the founder of theotherforest that a similar group had emerged in jordan called tayyun. to prevent future floods and restore biodiversity, tayyun found the powerful self-sustaining solution of urban foresting. these miyawaki forests serve as a green infrastructure method to 1. serve as a carbon sink where shrubs and trees pull carbon dioxide out of the air as part of photosynthesis, 2. create more habitats and encourage a return of biodiversity, and 3. restore degraded land and slow runoff from rain. 

looking through tayyun’s instagram page gave me the same giddy nostalgia as dune’s grand cinematography did, except the former was the documentation of real heroic work being done in the region. in face of the highly damaging and deadly flash floods of the last decade, local leaders have looked to nature-based solutions to soften the devastation of extreme weather. while it’s fun to go to the movies and recognize my home, i prefer to go home and learn how people there are setting an example for resilience for all of us to follow. 

editor’s note: check back each day during cop26 for more pieces in planet forward’s climate hits home series.

every year, the santa ana winds bring chapped lips, dry hands, and wildfires. the hot wind fuels the flames, spreading fires up and over mountains, close to towns, and threatening homes and businesses. it was typical that the fire would be out within about a week, leaving scorched, blackened earth behind. it’s not until recently that fires rage on for weeks at a time, causing extended evacuations, widespread structure damage, and threatening the lives of many.

in the fall of my first year at college in d.c., my hometown saw some of the worst fires to date: the woolsey fire of november 2018. i had recently moved across the country and i was worried for my family. as the fires got closer to our home, i got the call that they would have to evacuate. 

for two weeks, my mother, father, sister, and two dogs were living in the cabin of a small boat that my family keeps. it was two weeks of worry and anxiety. there was a vacuum of information in our area, as no one was there to report on what was happening. we truly did not know if we would have a home to go back to. 

fortunately, firefighters quelled the flames and were able to stabilize the area. my family was able to return home, though they had no running water, electricity, or cell reception, as the infrastructure had been damaged in the fire. our neighbor, however, was not as fortunate, and their home burned, leaving only the chimney behind. even now, almost two years later, that empty lot is a constant reminder of the damage that can be done. 

the week after my family returned home was thanksgiving, when i flew home to smokey skies and a neighborhood that looked extraterrestrial. trees were blackened and barely standing. fences melted and scorched. hills white with ash. 

the woolsey fire ravaged my community for 56 days, destroyed 1,643 structures, including homes and businesses, and damaged another 341. wildfires create a horribly unique refugee situation within these communities, as many are rendered homeless and must choose to rebuild or relocate.

the 2020 fires are the state’s 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest fires and have burned over 3 million acres in california and killed at least 24 people as the fires spread along the west coast. this summer, california set record-breaking high temperatures, reaching up to 130 degrees f in death valley, according to noaa. year after year, california’s fires grow in size and bring even more extensive damage to buildings, homes, families, and communities. 

california, as well as oregon and washington, are experiencing the direct impacts of climate change. in the words of california gov. gavin newsom at this summer’s democratic national convention, “if you are in denial about climate change, come to california.” 

as reported by the new york times, newsom said, “california is america in fast forward. what we’re experiencing right now is coming to communities all across the country.”

nationwide, states have experienced record-breaking temperatures. summer 2020 is ranked as the fourth hottest for the u.s. — the second hottest for the entire northern hemisphere — and is the driest one-third of summers on record for the u.s., according to data from noaa. 

california should be viewed as an example to the rest of the country as to what will happen nationwide if we continue on our current course. change is needed, and it is not an individual effort, as we see in the california fires, but rather a collective one.

“you think, how is that juxtaposition happening?” sridhar said. “there’s this flooding, and the city just keeps moving on, but you’re still asked within the household to manage your water — cause there’s going to be a drought later on. you never know when it’s going to stop.”

sridhar and the nature conservancy work to show people that water comes from far beyond the tap. they work with farmers to use nature to help manage, conserve, and produce clean water.

2. eliza swedenborg, research analyst for the water program at the world resources institute, learned about water conservation when she was a peace corps member in mali. swedenborg is part of the world resources institute’s aqueduct initiative, a resource that informs people of the supply and demand of water. the goal of the aqueduct initiative is to provide farmers, businesses, and students with data about water demand across the globe to mitigate risk.

3. walt and ellen moore own a dairy farm in chester county, pennsylvania, that has been in the family for 108 years. with 850 milking cows, walt moore says water is a daily concern, but is fortunate to average 40 inches of rainfall a year. moore partners with the stroud water research center to develop the most efficient water usage practices. upstream – small tributaries that flow into our cities; what practices nearby

“farmers are some of the oldest conservationists; we’ve had to adapt and learn,” moore said.

4. matt carstens of land o’lakes, inc., and head of their new sustain initiative, connects farmers with businesses to develop sustainable practices. carstens emphasized the importance of education and storytelling. land o’lakes provides tools for farmers to conserve water.

5. jason haber, gw alum and author of “the business of good,” says that the battle of this century will be about food and water. haber is a storyteller working to inform people about the global water crisis and more efficient and sustainable business practices.

“you can lead a horse to water, but they’re only going to drink if you tell a good story,” haber said.