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OPINION: Here’s The Right Strategy For California’s Next Drought

The recent drought brought record high temperatures and record low precipitation, pushed numerous native fish species to the brink of extinction and led to unusually large drops in groundwater levels. But the biggest milestone for urban areas was the state’s unprecedented order to cut water use by an average of 25 percent. This mandate was a blunt instrument. It didn’t reflect how well prepared most urban suppliers were, or their willingness to further reduce water use when needed.

Watwerwise: Study Urges School Water Tests

School districts should test drinking water supplies for lead during summer vacation, the Water Quality Association said. Water studies and media reports over the past school year show lead exposures is an ongoing concern nationwide, stemming primarily from aging infrastructure, especially in rural parts of California. “Many more states are requiring schools to test their drinking water,” said Pauli Undesser, WQA executive director. “We believe schools can take advantage of the summer month to conduct a thorough test in accordance with their state’s laws or guidelines and determine if specific water treatment is required. It should be a top priority.”

Design Plans Approved For Lake Oroville Spillway

The California Department of Water Resources said work on the Lake Oroville Spillway has reached a milestone. The project’s independent Board of Consultants approved design plans for the soon-to-be-built structure. The Department also announced Wednesday the spillway is shut down for the summer, and will not open again until needed during the next rainy season. DWR’s David Gutierrez said rain in Thursday’s forecast won’t present a problem.

 

Here’s The Right Strategy For California’s Next Drought

The recent drought brought record high temperatures and record low precipitation, pushed numerous native fish species to the brink of extinction and led to unusually large drops in groundwater levels. But the biggest milestone for urban areas was the state’s unprecedented order to cut water use by an average of 25 percent.  By some measures, the conservation mandate was a great success. From June 2015 to February 2016, Californians reduced water use by 24 percent compared to the same months in 2013 – more than double the savings achieved under a voluntary program in 2014.

State Reports On Water Savings During April

Water conservation figures for April released this week show the state’s urban residents used 21.7 percent less water than in April 2013, the year used as the pre-drought benchmark. Local water agencies did much better, with most reporting savings more than double the state average. The Water Resources Control Board released the information Tuesday. The Paradise Irrigation District led the local group with a 56.8 percent reduction compared to April 2013. Water use was calculated at 69 gallons per person per day.

 

California’s Endless Winter: 8 Feet Of Snow Still On The Ground In June

It’s an endless winter in the West. Snow from the barrage of storms that pounded the western mountains over the winter is still on the ground. Many mountains in the Rockies, Sierra and Cascades are packed with at least 8 feet of snow, the National Weather Service said, creating a dream summer for skiers and snowboarders. The Mammoth Mountain ski area in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., is seeing its “best spring conditions in decades … and will be operating DAILY into August for one of our longest seasons in history,” the resort said on its website.

Many Growers Are Still Dealing With Wet Fields

It may not be raining much anymore, but all that water is still doing a number on some growers of California peaches, walnuts and almonds. Exactly how big of a number is still unknown. Janine Hasey, a University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties, said that her area was seeing two separate issues. One involved river bottom orchards inside the levees, which flooded several times this year. “The growers actually know that there’s that risk involved,” Hasey said. “It’s just that this year, the rivers ran high for a long time.”

Spillway Crews Not Expecting Delays With June Storm

Crews working on the Oroville Dam spillway are watching the weather closely for the next few days. During a media telephone conference Wednesday, David Gutierrez, a tech expert for the Department of Water Resources said the rain should not cause a delay in the deconstruction of the lower shute but it will depend on how much rain they actually get. The DWR is expected to slow releases from the Hyatt Power Plant later this week. Inflows into Lake Oroville are below projections so the lake is dropping about a foot a day.

OPINION: DWR Asks To Improve Access To Lake Oroville

With the most pressing part of the Oroville spillway emergency over, the state Department of Water Resources now turns its attention to another juggling act. The challenge is keeping the lake low enough so the spillway doesn’t need to be used again until winter, yet high enough so that tourists still come to the lake for recreation — and hopefully spend money in an area that’s already taken a huge hit to its economy and its image. Another challenge is what to do if the tourists do come, because the largest boat ramp on the lake is inaccessible.

Design Plans Approved For Lake Oroville Spillway

The California Department of Water Resources said work on the Lake Oroville Spillway has reached a milestone. The project’s independent Board of Consultants approved design plans for a newly built structure. The Department also announced Wednesday the spillway is shut down for the summer, and will not open again until needed during the next rainy season. DWR’s David Gutierrez said rain in Thursday’s forecast won’t present a problem.