The Transboundary Setting of California’s Water and Hydropower Systems

Climate fluctuations are an environmental stress that must be factored into our designs for water resources, power, and other societal and environmental concerns. Under California’s Mediterranean setting, winter and summer climate fluctuations both have important consequences. Winter climatic conditions determine the rates of water delivery to the state, and summer conditions determine most demands for water and energy. Both are dictated by spatially and temporally structured climate patterns over the Pacific and North America. Winter climatic conditions have particularly strong impacts on hydropower production and on San Francisco Bay/Delta water quality.