SOLANO COUNTY�Climate Challenges & Solutions

Lynch Canyon Expansions

CALIFORNIA = MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE

• California mid-latitude position on the west coast
• Pacific Ocean manages temperatures (mild winters and cooler summers)
• Subtropical pressure systems dominate summers (clear skies and dry conditions)
• Polar Jet Stream shifts southward in winter months and helps keep temperatures mild and wet.
• California Current keeps temperatures mild and moist along the coast during summer, contributing to coastal fog

3

SOLANO COUNTY CLIMATE & WATER CYCLE

• Rains previously began in the fall
• Tule fog winters
• Winters are beginning later
• December / January
• Fewer between atmospheric rivers
• Warm winters
• Hotter/dryer/longer summers

4

• Extreme Weather Events
• More intense flooding & runoff
• Longer / hotter dry periods
• Potential winter snowpack environmental and economic impacts
• Reduced reservoir water available at Lake Berryessa in dryer periods
• Impacts on crops, native plants, and the ecosystem
• Summer heat harming crops & oak trees

5

RESULTS OF SHIFTING CYCLES

Realities of Climate Change�

CHANGING WEATHER: DROUGHT

• 2001-2021 driest period in past 800 years

​

• 42% of the drought’s severity attributed to rising temperatures

IMPACT OF FIRES (CA)

• 2000 there were 7,551 wildfires = 122,820 acres.
• 2024 there were 8,024 wildfires = 1,050,000 acres.
• Frequency and intensity in Northern California:
• Wine Industry
• Air quality
• Loss of property
• Insurance costs
• Cleanup cost/mitigation & resoruces
• Impacts to infrastructure (water/power)

IMPACT OF FIRES - Smoke

• Fine ash affects everyone, especially children, older adults and those with asthma
• Exposure is cumulative has long and short-term health impacts
• Frequent exposure leads to higher risk of premature death and decreased lung function
• Important to take precautions: air filters, staying indoors and closing windows

IMPACT OF HEAT

• Solano County heat related illness slightly higher than rest of state
• Has increased 8-9% plus annually since 2015
• Projected average temperature to increase 3.8 to 6.2 degrees F by 2100
• Triggering more extreme heat events
• See County guidance for staying ready in case of extreme heat: https://www.solanocounty.gov/news/county-officials-offer-guidance-staying-ready-case-extreme-heat
• We rely on our oceans to absorb carbon emissions and heat but those are a finite resource

10

IMPACT OF SEA LEVEL RISE�& ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS

• 1980-2024 (44Y), 6 major flooding events with economic impact of $10-$20B

​

• 2022-2023 (1Y), 22 fatalities and $4.6B in damages

​

• By 2100, sea levels may rise up to 66 inches

​

• Increased acreage vulnerable to flooding 20 to 30%

​

• Coastal and low lying communities of Solano County are most at risk from sea level rise.

EXPECTED IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SOLANO COUNTY AGRICULTURE

• Solano’s unique climate allows local farmers to grow a wide variety of crops
• Scientific consensus is that climate change may negatively impact many crop yields by 2050 and certainly by 2100.
• Examples include:
• warmer average winter temperatures cause a reduction of winter chill hours necessary for the trees to bloom and develop sustainable yields;
• warmer winter temperatures increase invasive pests and diseases that may damage certain crops;
• increased severity and length of summer heat waves slow down development of grapes; sunburned grapes must be culled (adding to labor costs) and reduces quantity and quality of product.

This is the scene in Vacaville across Pleasants Valley Road, looking toward Morningsun Herb Farm, which survived the fire. (Photo courtesy Morningsun Herb Farm). It was destroyed during the LNU Complex Fire in 2020.

13

Why climate action is needed

​

* We are experiencing direct impacts of climate change now

* Scientists expect these impacts will continue to increase and affirm that climate change poses significant threats to California communities and residents

14

Key terms

​

* Climate change: refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns caused by greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions- e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) that trap the sun’s heat

* Mitigation: mitigating/reducing the impacts of climate change by reducing emissions of GHGs or through removal of GHG from our atmosphere and by implementing climate smart actions

e.g., composting, switching to EVs

* Adaptation: adjusting to current and future effects of climate change e.g., building levees, drought-tolerant landscaping

Some Good News and Positive Actions

Positive Attitudes and Actions

• Support each other despite political affiliation
• Normalize climate conversations
• Be a good ancestor- help future generations
• Increase connections to community=life satisfaction
• Protect land, water and air quality right here in Solano County

​

17

Conservative Climate Sites Republicen.org

climatecommunications.gmu.org  (a George Mason Univ group)

skepticalscience.com

​

Religious Climate Sites

Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) at creationcare.org

​

Resources

Climate Change - NASA Science

Climate | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Healthy Places Index (HPI) (breaks down indicators by census tract, including environmental)

OEHHA - California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System (Heat risk specific by day for zip codes)

The Climate Reality Project (a non-profit with good resource sharing)

Climate Feedback – A Scientific Reference to Reliable Information on Climate Change (unique in approach by focusing on identifying and targeting specific misinformation claims)

​

GOOD NEWS�Call to ACTIONS �TO TAKE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

• Agricultural Programs
• Composting program
• DATA
• California Center for Urban Horticulturehttps://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/
• Water Efficient Landscapes Program | Solano County, Californiahttps://www.solanocounty.gov/government/resource-management/planning-services/water-efficient-landscapes-program
• Hwy 37 Restoration
• Litter Pickers (Rio Vista), Give Litter the Boot! (Vallejo), Benicia Litter Pickers
• Tree planting programs
• Clean air
• Manages stormwater and reduces flooding
• Provides shade
• SB 1383 Organic waste
• California Air Resources Board established in 1967
• Required catalytic converters on new cars
• Smog check
• Farmers Markets

​

​

​

​

​

thank you

20

New Slide 7- Why climate action is needed

* We are experiencing direct impacts of climate change now:

* Scientists expect these impacts will continue to increase and affirm that climate change poses significant threats to California communities and residents

New Slide 13-Key Terminology

* Climate change: refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns caused by greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions- e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) that trap the sun’s heat

* Mitigation: mitigating/reducing the impacts of climate change by reducing emissions of GHGs or through removal of GHG from our atmosphere and by implementing climate smart actions (Anna- maybe include also-in our communities and homes?)

* Adaptation: adjusting to current and future effects of climate change