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California Water Today 127 <br /> Figure 2.17 <br /> Water is one of residents'top environmental concerns <br /> 35 <br /> Air pollution, <br /> 30 vehicle emissions <br /> 25 <br /> v <br /> 20 <br /> Y <br /> Water, <br /> °vim' 15 combined <br /> Water quality <br /> 5 Water supply <br /> .......... I ........ . .. <br /> 0 <br /> 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 <br /> SOURCE:Baldassare et al.(2000-2010). <br /> NOTE:The figure reports the share of residents identifying these issues in open-ended responses to the question:"What do you <br /> think is the most important environmental issue facing California today?" <br /> Scientific and Technical Support for Decisionmaking <br /> Effective water management requires sound information, and water manage- <br /> ment systems as complex and extensive as California's require commensurately <br /> broad and well-organized scientific and technical support.The development of <br /> the Central Valley Project,the State Water Project,and the Central Valley flood <br /> control system all involved focused and systematic development of scientific <br /> and technical knowledge and expertise over decades(Chapter 1).The Hydraulic <br /> Era in California's water development required tremendous growth in techni- <br /> cal expertise in all branches of government and the private sector. From this <br /> emerged one of the most complex and effective water supply and flood control <br /> systems in the world. <br /> The Era of Conflict stimulated dramatic growth in demand for scientific <br /> support for environmental regulations.Setting Clean Water Act standards for <br /> flow and pollutant discharge,evaluating mitigation alternatives,constructing <br /> wastewater treatment plants, determining the causes of decline of native spe- <br /> cies subject to the Endangered Species Act,and evaluating the effects of water <br /> operations on ecosystems each required advances and organized application <br /> of science.Today,California's scientific infrastructure is extensive and diverse. <br /> Hundreds of scientists are involved in water management in California at <br />