Climate Crisis is a Water Crisis | Friends of the River

This is the reality of climate change that was widely known, predicted, and accepted by the scientific community more than 25 years ago. These are not caused by climate change, they are climate change. We need real solutions.

Climate Crisis is Water Crisis

California’s Rivers Are Suffering

While most of the discourse around climate change points the finger at rising temperatures and emissions, water is the factor that most directly impacts us. Friends of the River knows that our rivers have been suffering—long before we have felt the impacts of climate change—from an inequitable system of water management in the state that has been promulgated for far too long. Water is essential for human life and the survival of our state. Yet, despite the simple truth that water is integral to every living thing, we regularly isolate it and treat it as a stand-alone issue.

We now need to take urgent action before it’s too late—for our rivers and those that depend on them for survival.

A Critical First Step is to Connect Water and Climate Change in Policy and Law

The state and federal response to the climate/water/fire crisis in the West has involved allocating tens of billions of taxpayer dollars in 2021—a massive infusion of state and federal dollars that comes once in a generation. California is going to spend over $8 billion alone to combat the climate crisis. Unfortunately, there is no overarching strategic framework for the state that helps guide that spending for water. To make matters worse, there is also no overarching state plan that interconnects water resources management with the climate crisis, and this past legislative season was called a “blood bath” for environmental bills.

What does the climate crisis mean for me and you?

Beyond using taxpayer dollars effectively, we’re talking about future generations of Californians and the environment that sustains us. If we get this right over the next 5 – 20 years we can ensure a bright future for Californians with healthy and safe communities, a strong economy, and a thriving environment.

Through grassroots advocacy and project analysis, FOR is advancing climate resilient water solutions that meet our water needs, sustain healthy and vibrant rivers and the environment we all depend on, but we need your help to make a difference. You can take action today by:

1) Conserving water: Individual actions do make a difference. Learn our Drought Tips!

2) Donating today to support FOR’s work on the ground to promote climate resilient water solutions.

How do we know this will work?

In 2015 Governor Brown called for a 25% reduction in water use. Many urban areas met or exceeded this goal, saving more than 1 million acre-feet of water through conservation alone. This is equal to 326 billion gallons or enough water for 2 million households. Very impressive, but it represents just a 2.3% reduction in total state water use. That’s because urban areas only account for approximately 20% of our state’s water footprint. The rest goes to agriculture.