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california Water Today 127 <br />Figure 2.17 <br />Water is one of residents’ top environmental concerns <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 />Air pollution, <br />vehicle emissions <br />Water, <br />combined <br />Water supply <br />Water quality <br />Percentage20072006200520042003200220012000 20092008 2010 <br />35 <br />30 <br />25 <br />20 <br />15 <br />10 <br />5 <br />0