The story of water development in California provides compelling examples of water politics, the social and environmental consequences of redistributing water, and the relationships between water uses, energy, and climate.This course provides the historical, scientific, legal, institutional, and economic background needed to understand the social and ecological challenges of providing water for California’s growing population, agricultural economy, and other uses - all of which are made more complex by climate change.

California has had a unique historical relationship with water among U.S.states. With the temporal variability of its Mediterranean climate, combined with the geographic variability of its rainy north and desert south, management and manipulation of water flows have been imperative to California's path from early settlement to the most populous state in the nation, and its place among the largest economies in the world. The story of water development in California provides compelling examples of environmental politics, the social and environmental consequences of redistributing water, and the relationships between water, food,energy, and climate. This course provides the historical, scientific, legal, institutional, and economic background needed to understand the social and ecological challenges of providing water for California’s growing population, agricultural economy, and other uses - all of which are made more complex by climate change. The first half of the course looks at the history of water storage, conveyance,and use for agriculture, industry, and domestic purposes for the state as a whole, including the problems of maintaining water quality. The second half of the course stresses the difficulties of conveying water through the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta for use in southern California while also protecting the Delta ecosystem and providing other benefits for northern California.

Class will be remote and synchronous in SU21.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills