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Under a changing climate, droughts are projected to increase in frequency and duration in the Southwestern USA. Between 2012 and 2016, California experienced one of the region’s worst droughts, with record high temperatures and low snowpack, runoff, and precipitation. This study documents small drinking water system managers’ experiences during the 2012–2016 Drought. We contribute to research on water system drought resilience by elevating small drinking water system manager perspectives and expertise. We are especially focused on small systems that are not reliant on imports from state or federal water projects. A mixed-method approach ensures each data collection period informs the next to gather statewide perspectives and experiences of managers. Based on an analysis of drinking water manager reflections, the types of impacts, responses, and barriers differed based on both system size and water source portfolio. Common disadvantages that hinder small drinking water systems’ drought resilience and, similarly, climate adaptation include staff and administrative capacity; the financial burden of promoting water conservation over revenue compounded by onerous reporting and funding support programs; consumer awareness challenges; and challenges to consolidation from both local political differences and physical limitations. Systems that built technical, managerial, or financial capacity prior to the Drought were at an advantage over systems that lacked this capacity. In the long term, we found a dearth of adaptation planning among small water systems. Documentation of experiences from the 2012–2016 Drought can inform future planning for droughts and more broadly highlight needs for climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding resource managers' perceptions of climate change, analytic capacity, and current adaptation activities can provide insight into what can help support adaptation processes at the local level. In California, where a major drought currently demonstrates some of the hardships that could be regularly encountered under a changing climate, we present results from a survey of drinking water utilities about the perceived threat, analytic capacity, and adaptation actions related to maintaining water quality in the face of climate change. Among surveyed utilities ( n = 259), awareness is high in regard to climate change occurring and its potential impacts on water quality globally, but perceived risk is lower with regard to climate impacts on local drinking water quality. Just over half of surveyed utilities report at least some adaptation activity to date. The top three variables that most strongly correlated with reported adaptation action were (1) perceived risk on global and local water quality, (2) surface water reliance, and (3) provision of other services beyond drinking water. Other tested variables significantly correlated with reported adaptation action were (4) degree of impact from the current drought and (5) communication with climate change experts. Findings highlight that smaller groundwater-reliant utilities may need the most assistance to initiate climate adaptation processes. Trusted information sources most frequently used across respondents were state government agencies, followed by colleagues in the same utilities. The finding that frequently used sources of information are similar across utilities presents a promising opportunity for training and disseminating climate information to assist those systems needing the most support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean acidification is a global, long-term problem whose ultimate solution requires carbon dioxide reduction at a scope and scale that will take decades to accomplish successfully. Until that is achieved, feasible and locally relevant adaptation and mitigation measures are needed. To help to prioritize societal responses to ocean acidification, we present a spatially explicit, multidisciplinary vulnerability analysis of coastal human communities in the United States. We focus our analysis on shelled mollusc harvests, which are likely to be harmed by ocean acidification. Our results highlight US regions most vulnerable to ocean acidification (and why), important knowledge and information gaps, and opportunities to adapt through local actions. The research illustrates the benefits of integrating natural and social sciences to identify actions and other opportunities while policy, stakeholders and scientists are still in relatively early stages of developing research plans and responses to ocean acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in adaptation among local and state governments in the USA is on a steep incline since about 2007. Yet, place-specific vulnerability and adaptation research in the USA is still sparse, the public in many regions is still skeptical about the reality of climate change, and model adaptation planning processes are not well-known among practitioners. Against this backdrop of growing interest in adaptation, there is a great need to chronicle and critically assess emerging adaptation planning processes to learn broader lessons and share them widely both in the science and in the practice communities. This paper describes and critically evaluates a pilot project tested in two California local communities-San Luis Obispo and Fresno Counties-to illustrate how active engagement of local government and other stakeholders with experts can advance adaptation planning. The approach taken in this project proved to be an effective 'conversation opener' in communities not previously engaged in adaptation planning or where political support to address climate change is low. It created a sense of expectation and accountability among local leaders and stakeholders. It also gave local leaders a chance to take ownership of the process and of the issue; it succeeded in raising interest in adaptation planning and increasing understanding of adaptation and that it is needed as much as mitigation. It helped develop an initial set of adaptation strategies for key climate-sensitive sectors, but to be taken up into ongoing policy processes and implemented by localities, requires state and federal funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]