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Historic Drought in U.S. West Will Persist Through October

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Bloomberg

The historic drought stretching across California and the U.S. West will likely last through October, with only minor improvements expected in parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

Drought now covers almost 95% of 11 western states, including all of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon and Idaho, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Above-normal temperatures and a dearth of rainfall is expected from August to October, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s monthly report.

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Water Cutbacks Coming to Arizona

/in , , /by /Arizona Public Mediaby Christopher Conover

The “bathtub ring” at Lake Mead has become a familiar sight. The water level in the lake is the lowest it has been since the Hoover Dam, which created the lake, was built in the 1930s. Those low levels have been decades in the making.

“Back in around 2000, Lake Mead was pretty close to being full, but over the last 20 years-plus now we’ve just not had good hydrologic conditions. It will take years to recover from that, years of good conditions and unfortunately the climate models and projections don’t predict us getting cooler and they don’t predict us, let’s say, getting wetter,” said Dr. Sharon Megdal, University of Arizona professor and former board member for the Central Arizona Project.

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California Drought: Santa Clara County Residents Falling Far Short of Water Conservation Target

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

When it comes to California’s worsening drought, Santa Clara County residents are falling far short in conserving water.

On June 9, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the county’s main wholesale water provider, declared a drought emergency and asked all 2 million county residents to cut water use by 15% from 2019 levels as local reservoirs dropped alarmingly and state and federal water agencies reduced water deliveries.

But new numbers out Friday show that instead of hitting the 15% target, residents saved 0% in June — essentially using the same amount of water as they did in June 2019.

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Study Reveals Effects of Extreme Heat on Tens of Millions of Americans

/in , , /by

The summer of 2020 brought fear of Covid-19, social distancing – and heat-related health problems that affects tens of millions of Americans.

During those months, more than a quarter of the US population suffered from the effects of extreme heat, according to a study released this week. People reported health symptoms like nausea and cramps, as well as a decreased ability to focus, and the effects hit low-income households the hardest.

The study focuses on last summer but given the brutal heatwaves that have hit the US in 2021, especially in western states, it raises the prospect that the impact of extreme heat is highly likely to be worse this year.

Salton Sea Priorities Laid Out By Supervisor Perez

/in , /by /Patch.comby Toni McAllister

As the new president of the Salton Sea Authority board of directors, Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez says he will guide “continued efforts to advance habitat and dust suppression projects” at the Sea, and he has laid out his priorities.

At the June meeting of the Salton Sea Authority board of directors, Perez was elected by a unanimous vote to a one-year term as board president beginning July 1.

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Big Battle Looms Over California Water Rights

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Dan Walters

California doesn’t have enough water to meet all demands even in wet years, and when drought strikes the competition becomes, to put it mildly, intense.

State and federal officials who must ration the restricted supply are beset with pleas from farmers, municipal water systems and advocates for the environment.

However, water managers must also contend with a bewildering array of water rights, some of which date to the 19th century, as well as long-standing contractual obligations and laws, both statutes and judicial decrees, on maintaining flows for spawning salmon and other wildlife.

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IID’s New Coachella Valley Energy Commission Tackles Energy, Water Divide

/in , , /by /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Janet Wilson

Seeking to stave off legislation that would force Riverside County representation on its board of directors, the Imperial Irrigation District on Thursday convened the first meeting of its new Coachella Valley Energy Commission.

Undera long-term agreement with the Coachella Valley Water District, IID provides electrical power to 100,000 Coachella Valley residents. That pact expires in 2033, and the new commission’s overarching goal is to hammer out a way forward for those customers.

“As we approach the end of a 99-year arrangement … we must work together and adapt to changing circumstances and plan for a future of mutual benefit,” said IID Board of Directors Vice President J.B. Hamby, who chairs the new commission. “That’s not just overcoming perceived differences between Coachella and Imperial Valleys, but within the Coachella Valley as well. Our task is to overcome geography, wealth, backgrounds, and past differences as we plan our shared future.”

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Gary Bousquet Named Engineering Head of San Diego County Water Authority

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by City News Service Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Gary Bousquet has been appointed director of engineering for the San Diego County Water Authority as the agency begins the development of a major energy storage project intended to provide substantial long-term benefits for the region, it was announced Thursday.

Bousquet fills the position vacated by the retirement of Jerry Reed, whose 26-year career with the water authority included the past six years as engineering department director.

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EPA Considers Projects To Fix Cross-Border Pollution Flows

/in , /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

Federal officials are getting closer to identifying how they plan to control persistent cross-border sewage flows which routinely foul the San Diego ocean.

They talked publicly on Friday about ongoing efforts to fix a persistent problem, sewage coming from Tijuana which fouls a sensitive estuary in the United States and also contaminates the ocean.

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Drought Hits South American River, Threatening Vast Ecosystem

/in , /by /AP Newsby Victor Caivano and Almudena Calatrava

The Paraná River, one of the main commercial waterways in South America, has reached its lowest level in nearly 80 years due to a prolonged drought in Brazil that scientists attribute to climate change.

At peril is a vast ecosystem that includes potable water for 40 million people, the livelihood of fishing communities and farmers, and the navigability of a major grain export hub.

The National Water Institute of Argentina has defined the low water level of the Paraná River, which goes through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, as “the worst since 1944.”

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