Water

About the Water Program

The Wheeler Water Institute contributes robust analysis and forward-looking policy recommendations to directly inform decision-making. Anchored by our unique blend of legal, policy, and technical expertise, we bring clarity and actionable research to a famously challenging field. Established in 2012 at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law, the Institute conducts projects at the intersection of law, policy and science.

With an expanding statewide population and increasing precipitation extremes, California must rethink the way it manages water – from recognizing the linkages between groundwater and surface water, to enhancing drinking water system resilience for small and disadvantaged communities, to reimagining wastewater as a resource. Our research aims to address these challenges by informing California water governance and guiding stakeholders through complex policy issues in order to improve decision making across the state. 


Mike Kiparsky and Leigh Barnacchi
Mike Kiparsky, Director of the Wheeler Institute, and Leigh Bernacchi, Program Coordinator for the UC Water Security and Sustainability Research Initiative

Recent Publications