California faces unprecedented challenges in water management, energy production, and natural resource use. In a wide-ranging conversation with Edward Ring, Director of Energy and Water Policy at the California Policy Center, we explored solutions that could transform the state’s approach to water, energy, and environmental stewardship — while supporting farmers, cities, and rural communities.
Investing in Water Infrastructure
Ring emphasizes that California has the resources to dramatically improve its water supply — if projects are implemented strategically and collaboratively. Key initiatives include:
- Raising Shasta Dam and completing Sites Reservoir: These federal and state projects could yield hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water annually, though disputes over projected yields continue.
- Dredging the Delta: Channels historically dredged for over a century have silted up, reducing flow by over a third. Restoring these channels could free one to two million acre-feet of water annually while improving habitat for species like salmon.
- Recharge and groundwater management: Utilizing excess stormwater to recharge aquifers could restore depleted groundwater while supporting agricultural needs without impacting contracted water allocations.
Ring stresses the importance of collaboration between farmers, urban water agencies, and environmental stakeholders, noting that solutions exist that can satisfy all parties.
Forests, Natural Resources, and Runoff
California’s forests, depleted of regular timber harvests and grazing, have become highly susceptible to wildfire. Ring notes that restoring historical forest management practices — including selective logging and grazing — could add approximately two million acre-feet of additional runoff annually.
Beyond forestry, California has untapped natural resources: lithium for EV batteries, quarrying, and asphalt production. Local production could reduce reliance on countries with poor labor and environmental standards, boost rural economies, and provide critical raw materials for the state’s energy transition.
Energy Policy and Innovation
Energy independence is another cornerstone of Ring’s vision. He points to practical strategies to maximize existing resources:
- Retrofitting natural gas plants for baseload power to reduce reliance on intermittent renewables.
- Decentralized energy generation through data center reactors, EV storage, and small modular nuclear reactors.
- Market competition to lower electricity costs, making large-scale projects like desalination and advanced water treatment more feasible.
Ring argues that California can achieve energy abundance without compromising safety or environmental standards, positioning the state to meet growing urban and industrial demands.
Balancing Environmental Goals with Practical Solutions
Ring challenges conventional approaches that focus narrowly on carbon emissions. He encourages a holistic view, accounting for environmental costs abroad — such as lithium mining in West Africa — and broader ecosystem impacts like insect population loss and habitat disruption from wind and solar projects. By focusing on integrated solutions that include water, forests, energy, and local resource production, California can achieve both environmental sustainability and economic growth.
Politics, Policy, and the Path Forward
While political and regulatory hurdles remain, Ring sees opportunity in leadership and collaboration. He notes that the governor and state agencies can implement meaningful change through executive action and strategic appointments. In water policy, he advocates a “all-of-the-above approach” combining desalination, surface storage, Delta management, and expanded allocations for farmers.
Ring’s message is clear: California can achieve abundance through collaboration, innovation, and practical policy solutions. Urban and rural stakeholders alike stand to benefit, and environmental goals can be met without sacrificing economic vitality.
Listen to the Full Interview
This interview with Edward Ring offers deep insights into California’s most pressing policy challenges and solutions. Listen to the full conversation to hear detailed discussions on water projects, energy innovation, forest management, and resource policy.