Food grows where water flows : securing water for agricultural production in a drought-stricken California

Abstract

The state of California carries a large percentage of the national food security as it is responsible for a considerable amount of the agricultural production consumed in the United States. As climate change causes further challenges for agriculture, it seems wise to work on developing resilience strategies for this industry. Most research on these topics has been focused on generating high-tech systems that require considerable amounts of energy and financial resources. However, the reality is that countries facing the biggest hurdles when it comes to these matters, do not have the necessary means to create sophisticated projects at large scales. The best option right now is to learn how to use drought management strategies and spatial patterns to allow for a better usage of water resources. This thesis explores how the spatial distribution and interaction of hydrological resources, geological features, climate patterns, topography and water infrastructure impact agricultural production in the Central Valley in California. Rather than developing one final solution, this thesis presents options, for further exploration, based on the specific conditions of California. This will allow readers to better understand how to improve water use and access for agriculture in a scenario of drought. The intention is for this approach to be replicable and adaptable so it can improve agricultural production and food security in other regions or countries facing similar conditions due to climate change.