Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida

Western States Climate Scientist

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Pablo Ortiz is a Western states climate and water scientist for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He plans, designs, and carries out primary analysis on how changing climate patterns are impacting key sectors and populations in West Coast states, especially with regards to precipitation and water supply changes. Dr. Ortiz also works on developing strategies for vulnerable sectors and populations in California to cope and adapt to the current and projected impacts of climate change, particularly related to water impacts.

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Lake Oroville reaches record low levels in 2014 California Department of Water Resources

El cambio climático representa un gran desafío para la gestión del agua en California

October 7, 2020 11:25 AM EDT

A pesar de que algunos políticos siguen ignorando el cambio climático, la ciencia es clara: el cambio climático ya esta aquí, es creado por seres humanos, vienen aún más impactos, y nuestras acciones son importantes.

En este blog destaco varios desafíos que está trayendo el cambio climático para la gestión del agua en California, y cómo el estado y las agencias de gestión de agua pueden responder. Este blog es un resumen de resultados obtenidos a partir de un análisis de proyecciones de modelos climáticos para el estado de California. Los detalles de la investigación se presentan en un artículo científico y en un reporte de UCS titulado Troubled Waters. Read more >

NOAA and California Department of Water Resources
Cal-Adapt
Cal-Adapt
Troubled Waters (UCS Report)
Troubled Waters (UCS Report)
California Department of Water Resources
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Without bold action and preparation, climate change threats may bring similar impacts to those of COVID-19 Self-Help Enterprises

Groundwater Sustainability is a Necessity More Than Ever

July 30, 2020 3:26 PM EDT

The current pandemic is a threat to those closest to us today in a way that presages what we will experience on an accelerating basis due to the climate emergency. The low level of preparation communities have experienced around the pandemic, echos what these same communities face for water management on a daily basis and will face with future climate change threats unless fundamental changes are made locally. Read more >

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A drought-stricken soybean field in Texas

The World Is in a Water Crisis and Climate Change Is Making it Worse

September 9, 2019 5:19 PM EDT

The World Resources Institute (WRI) updated its Global Water Risk Atlas revealing that 17 countries–home of a quarter of the world’s population–will face “extremely high” water stress within 20 years. Water stress is defined as the ratio between water withdrawals (i.e., domestic, agricultural, and industrial water uses) and available renewable water supplies. Risk categories of ‘high’ and ‘extremely high’ water stress are reached when yearly withdrawals exceed 40 percent and 80 percent of available renewable water supplies, respectively.

Some readers may remember last year when Cape Town was approaching ‘day zero’, the day when municipal water supplies were going dry. Depending on where you live, some might have wondered “how long until that happens to us?” Read more >

Photo: Bob Nichols, USDA/CC BY 2.0 (Flickr)
https://www.wri.org/aqueduct
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