DWR Has No Clothes
Submitted by Aguanomics Blog
In “Managing an Uncertain Future: Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for California’s Water” [PDF], California’s Department of Water Resources notes that “California faces shrinking snowmelt, increased flooding, longer droughts and a rise in sea level.”
DWR suggests plans, strategies, coordination, and research. Guess what it does NOT mention consider?
Prices.*
I am shocked, really, that DWR — the folks “in charge” of our water do not even discuss prices as a means of dealing with water use, climate change, etc.**
I don’t know how this looks to you, but DWR looks pretty naked to me.
This glossy report is a waste of paper pixels. We don’t need more plans, we need better incentives!
Bottom Line: Coping with climate change will be difficult, but it will be far more difficult and far more costly if we are not using all the tools at our disposal — like prices!
* The only mention of “pricing” was a reference to the conservation pricing and incentivized pricing strategies included in other organizations’ laundry lists of “things to do”.
** The Legislative Analyst’s Office at least discusses realigning water rights, which can happen through markets.
