On the Water Front

The transformative power of three days on a river

By Ann Hayden / Published: August 22, 2025

Group putting all their hands together to form a circle in the middle.

The history of California water is saturated with stories about years-long battles that inevitably get called “water wars.” But UC Merced is trying to flip that narrative and chart a new course for water in California based on finding common ground, or in this case, finding common water. 

“Finding Common Water” is the name of a river trip that UC Merced and EDF have organized to bring together individuals who often hold diverse perspectives. The goal is to find areas of alignment and explore new collaborations. 

I joined the inaugural “Finding Common Water” river trip that EDF and UC Merced co-hosted in 2022, and returned this summer for another unforgettable experience organized by Josh Viers and Lauren Parker of UC Merced’s Secure Water Future Program and financially supported by EDF and the State Water Contractors. Our diverse cast of rafters came from state and federal water agencies, a local water district, a Tribe, environmental and rural community nonprofits, and agriculture. 

At a time when there is so much chaos and uncertainty in the world, getting out and spending three days along a secluded stretch of the Tuolumne with this fascinating group did wonders for the soul.  As Josh said at the end of the tour, “Three days on the river buys me 300 more days off the river.”  

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It’s Colorado River Day — a time to celebrate a dedicated stream of water funding

By Brian Jackson / Published: July 25, 2025

Colorado River

To mark Colorado River Day today, it seems fitting to celebrate Colorado’s 10-year journey to dedicating $50+ million a year to fund water projects and support the resource that makes Colorado so special: its water. And I’d like to briefly highlight three very different projects that have benefited from this vital new funding stream.

It started with the first Colorado Water Plan.

While drinking water utilities and large agricultural districts can often tap ratepayer fees to fund millions if not billions of dollars of improvement and maintenance projects, the same has not historically been the case for Colorado’s beloved rivers and streams. In 2015, the first Colorado Water Plan highlighted the urgent need to fill a gap for reliable, dedicated funding to support rivers, restoration, recreation, and aging agricultural infrastructure.

Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights makes creating a new funding stream extremely challenging, but a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision provided a new opening by eliminating a ban on state-based sports betting. In 2019, thanks in part to a bipartisan campaign supported by EDF, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and a host of other water users, Colorado voters approved Proposition DD, which legalized sports betting and dedicated the tax revenues from it specifically to fund water projects.

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Western states are stepping up to protect precious water supplies. Here’s how.

By Ann Hayden / Published: June 23, 2025
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and water and water stakeholders at signing ceremony

EDF’s Vanessa Puig-Williams (far right) joins Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (center) and other water stakeholders at a signing ceremony for a $20 billion, 20-year package to fund water projects.

As federal environmental programs and funding come under attack, states across the West are adopting major policies and dedicating more money to support long-term water resilience, underscoring how water bridges political divides. Here’s a roundup of the actions that were strongly supported by the EDF Water Team.

Texas goes big on water with $20 billion package

Alongside a large coalition of stakeholders, EDF supported and helped to shape a $20 billion, 20-year ($1 billion per year) funding package that will support water supply development and infrastructure repairs, including aquifer storage and recovery projects, agricultural water efficiency projects, and wastewater reuse. The package, signed by the governor in a ceremonyWednesday, is the first-ever investment in water of this magnitude in Texas. It will go to voters for final approval as a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

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New report shows progress in California’s land repurposing program

By Anna Schiller / Published: May 29, 2025

Aerial view of patchwork of agricultural fields in squares.

As California and the broader Western U.S. brace for an increasingly unpredictable water future, the release of the 2024 Annual Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program Report underscores the viability of land repurposing as a key climate adaptation strategy. California’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) plays a vital role in facilitating the transition of irrigated agricultural land toward uses that reduce groundwater demand while providing community and environmental benefits. Launched by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in 2022, this program is strategically focused on shifting irrigated agricultural land toward uses that reduce groundwater demand while delivering community and environmental benefits.

In just two years, MLRP has awarded over $75 million in block grants to eight regions spanning 3.3 million acres, including more than 120 underserved communities. With more than 100 partner organizations involved, the program is gaining traction as a model for collaborative, locally driven land use planning in areas that are bringing groundwater use into balance.

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How to build a national effort to secure America’s disappearing groundwater

By Rachel O'Connor / Published: January 27, 2025

America’s food supply depends on increasingly strained aquifers. Here are some essential building blocks for a national effort to secure our groundwater.

A center pivot system using groundwater to irrigate a field in New Mexico. Rural communities across the Southwest face rapidly declining groundwater levels. Photo: Balvarius.

 

In early 2024, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s (PCAST) requested input on how to address the country’s groundwater challenges. For EDF’s Climate Resilient Water Systems team, which has been working on this issue for over a decade, this provided an opportunity to reflect on what strategies have been effective and where we think future efforts should be focused. We submitted written recommendations to the President’s Council and accepted a subsequent invitation from the committee to participate in an in-person workshop to flesh out possible strategies. Read More »

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Data-Driven Solutions for India’s Groundwater Crisis: The Role of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

By Leah Beaulac / Published: November 14, 2024

Gathering accurate data as close as possible to the desired impact area of a water management project is a critical part of an effective Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning program. Here, Avinash Shivji Pande and Lakshmikantha NR — from EDF’s partner WELL Labs — collect data from a recharge pit in Jalna, Maharashtra. Read more about this particular intervention.

As groundwater depletion accelerates amid climate change and growing agricultural demands, integrating Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) into water management strategies can safeguard India’s water security and resilience.

Groundwater has sustained human societies for thousands of years, serving as a critical shared resource. However, the current rate of extraction — driven largely by climate change, population increase, and intensified irrigation — is outpacing recharge rates worldwide. At the same time, groundwater irrigation has proven essential for food security, livelihoods, and poverty alleviation, particularly in countries like India. Agriculture alone consumes roughly 90% of India’s groundwater, not only supporting domestic food security but also making India a major player in global food exports.

This reliance, however, comes at a significant cost. Over-extraction is leading to diminishing societal benefits, reflected in declining agricultural productivity, decreased adaptive capacity at the community level, and worsening water quality. Without effective adaptation and mitigation measures, climate-related water impacts are projected to lower global GDP by mid-century, with the heaviest losses expected in low- and middle-income countries. Read More »

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