Building Resilience to Climate Change Impacts through Community Engagement in Water Management: A Comparative Study of California and Baja California

Abstract

This project investigates groundwater management in California, United States, and Baja California, Mexico. Research emphasizes the need to enhance resilience to climate change through improving water infrastructure, resource management, and community participation. Two case studies, Tulare Lake Basin in California and Maneadero Valley in Baja California, were conducted through collaborative, transborder, research focusing on the role of community involvement in groundwater management. These two case studies are characterized as experiencing stress factors associated with urban growth, agriculture, and increases in drought. These circumstances have led to higher demand for groundwater sources, resulting in scarcity, depletion and pollution of aquifers. Researchers conducted a thorough review of existing literature and completed twenty four semi-structured stakeholder interviews. Baja California interviews highlight urban water management, limited community participation is linked to government restrictions, and declining financial resources for water management. California interviews highlight rural water management, representation of disadvantaged communities under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the importance of education and information access, and the need for active community engagement in groundwater management. Both case studies show that concerns about climate change resilience are primarily tied to its impacts of prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and water quality on agricultural production. The project aims to address opportunities and challenges about the importance of participatory approaches in climate resilience and sustainable water resource management while generating relevant data for decision makers on both sides of the border.