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CALCAT Water
Connecting two Mediterranean regions to advance water resilience through research, innovation, and collaboration.
Led by the California Institute for Water Resources (CIWR) and the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), CALCAT Water connects water research communities in California and Catalonia to exchange knowledge, build long-term partnerships, and develop practical responses to shared water and climate challenges.
Two regions. Shared challenges. One resilient water future.
The Mediterranean Connection
Why California and Catalonia?
California and Catalonia are located on different continents, but both include regions shaped by Mediterranean-type climates. This uncommon climate connection creates valuable opportunities to compare experience, exchange knowledge, and develop collaborative approaches to water resilience.
Mediterranean Basin · California · Central Chile · South Africa’s Cape Region · Southern Australia
California
A Pacific State in the Western United States
California extends along the Pacific Coast of the United States, from Oregon in the north to Mexico in the south. Its landscapes include coastal regions, major agricultural valleys, forests, mountains, deserts, and large metropolitan areas.
Much of the state experiences long, dry summers and precipitation concentrated during the cooler months. California’s size and geography also create substantial regional differences in climate, water availability, and environmental conditions.
Catalonia
A Mediterranean Region in Northeastern Spain
Catalonia is located in northeastern Spain, bordering France and Andorra to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. Its territory includes coastal areas, interior plains, river basins, and the Pyrenees.
Much of Catalonia has Mediterranean characteristics, including hot, dry summers and irregular rainfall. Its varied geography also produces important differences between coastal, inland, mountain, and more humid northern areas.
A Rare Climate Connection
What Mediterranean-Type Climate Means
Mediterranean-type climates occur in only a few parts of the world. They are generally characterized by warm, dry summers and cool-season precipitation that is highly seasonal and variable.
Because water arrives during limited periods, these regions must support communities, agriculture, economies, and ecosystems through extended dry seasons. Drought, wildfire, intense rainfall, water-quality pressures, and ecosystem change are often closely connected.
Shared Conditions
Complementary Experience
These similarities allow California and Catalonia to compare approaches to drought management, water reuse, ecosystem resilience, water quality, governance, technology, and climate adaptation. Through CALCAT Water, CIWR and ICRA connect complementary research communities to examine what works in different settings and co-develop solutions for shared water challenges.
Shared Water and Climate Challenges
CALCAT Water focuses on areas where both regions can learn from one another and create stronger solutions together.
01
Drought and Water Scarcity
Preparing for prolonged dry periods, reduced reliability, and increasingly variable water supplies.
02
Water Quality and Reuse
Protecting water quality while advancing safe, efficient, and sustainable reuse strategies.
03
Wildfire and Watersheds
Understanding the effects of wildfire, erosion, and landscape change on ecosystems and water supplies.
04
Ecosystem and Climate Resilience
Supporting healthy rivers, wetlands, watersheds, and communities under changing climate conditions.
05
Governance, Policy, and Equity
Comparing institutions, policies, financing approaches, and collaborative models for fair and resilient water futures.
06
Innovation and Decision Support
Connecting data, models, technology, and scientific knowledge with real-world water decisions.
A Long-Term Platform for Collaboration
The California–Catalonia Water Resilience and Innovation Initiative connects two water research communities with complementary experience, expertise, and innovation capacity.
The initiative is designed to strengthen scientific and institutional relationships while creating opportunities for joint research, knowledge exchange, researcher mobility, thematic collaboration, and practical action.
Rather than transferring a single model from one region to another, CALCAT Water creates space for mutual learning, comparison, experimentation, and co-creation.
Sister Water Institutes
CIWR and ICRA
California
California Institute for Water Resources
CIWR coordinates water research, Extension, education, and partnerships across California.
Catalonia
Catalan Institute for Water Research
ICRA advances multidisciplinary water research, innovation, and knowledge transfer in Catalonia.
How the Collaboration Works
CALCAT Water creates multiple pathways for sustained interaction, shared learning, and joint action.
RESEARCH
Research and Innovation
Develop collaborative research, demonstration, and innovation activities that respond to priority water challenges.
EXCHANGE
Knowledge and Mobility
Create opportunities for researchers and institutions to exchange expertise, approaches, and practical experience.
CONVENING
Workshops and Working Groups
Bring researchers and partners together to identify shared priorities and develop future collaborations.
IMPACT
Policy and Implementation
Connect research with agencies, practitioners, and decision-makers to support implementation and impact.
Strategic Areas of Collaboration
The initiative provides a flexible framework for collaboration across interconnected water, climate, ecosystem, technology, and governance priorities.
Water Scarcity and Drought Resilience
Drought preparedness, groundwater resilience, storage, conjunctive management, and long-term water security.
Water Quality and Chemical Risk
Monitoring, emerging contaminants, source identification, water safety, and risk-based management.
Water Reuse and Resource Recovery
Reuse, circular water systems, treatment technologies, decentralized solutions, and resource recovery.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience
Environmental flows, restoration, nature-based solutions, ecosystem services, and watershed resilience.
Governance Innovation and Economics
Governance, water allocation, financing, regulation, economics, and collaborative decision-making.
Smart Water Systems and Decision Support
Artificial intelligence, digital tools, forecasting, modeling, data platforms, and predictive analytics.
Connect with CALCAT Water
Interested in collaborating on research, knowledge exchange, researcher mobility, workshops, or joint initiatives between California and Catalonia? We would be glad to hear from you.