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Record Snowpack ‘Welcome News’ for San Diego’s Colorado River Supply

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by Chris Jennewein Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority said a new federal report that forecasts significant increases in reservoir levels along the Colorado River is “welcome news” for San Diego’s water supply.

The report released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation forecasts that a near-record snowpack will raise Lake Mead at Hoover Dam by over 20 feet and Lake Powell farther north by 50 feet.

About two-thirds of San Diego County’s supplies are conserved Colorado River water.

Dan Denham, the Water Authority’s deputy general manager, said the federal report “is definitely welcome news and will buy us time to make crucial decisions.”

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The Banality of Floods (and Droughts)

/in , , /by /California WaterBlog by Jay Lund

California’s ongoing floods and very wet year overall will continue to grab headlines, provide great pictures, and break some local records, but overall this year is unlikely to be truly extreme from historical or broader water policy and management perspectives. It can still be a very useful wet year, beyond just having lots of water.

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California Snowpack Data Debunked: 2023 Was No Record Year. And Neither Was 1952

/in , , /by /East Bay Times by Scooty Nickerson

It was the snowpack reading that spawned a hundred headlines. “California ties 1952 record for all-time Sierra snowpack,” proclaimed KTVU. “California’s snowpack soars to record high after 17 atmospheric rivers,” trumpeted the Washington Post.

State officials largely seemed to agree.

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Above-Average Snowpack Will Raise Lake Mead, Buy Time for Collaboration

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

A federal report released April 20 says near-record snowpack in the Colorado River Basin could raise the elevation of Lake Mead by more than 20 feet by the end of the year, providing a critical opportunity for water agencies to improve long-term management of the river.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s report shows vastly improved hydrological conditions are also expected to raise the water level in Lake Powell by more than 50 feet. California relies heavily on lakes Powell and Mead for water, as do Arizona and Nevada.

Despite the good news this year, the ongoing trend toward a hotter and drier climate means long-term solutions remain critical. About two-thirds of San Diego County’s supplies are conserved Colorado River water.

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State Water Project to Deliver 100% of Requested Supplies as Reservoirs Fill

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by Chris Jennewein

The California Department of Water Resources announced Thursday that the State Water Project will be able to deliver 100% of requested water supplies this year thanks to full reservoirs following record winter rain and snow.

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Every Day is Earth Day for Water Agencies in San Diego County

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

“Invest in Our Planet” is the theme for Earth Day 2023. Investing in sustainable, local water supply sources and conservation has long been a way of life in San Diego County by water agencies and residents.

“Investing in our planet can take many forms, and the challenges we face differ from community to community,” said Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl. “One investment I encourage San Diegans to think about on this Earth Day is landscape transformation. This is important because the biggest users of water at our homes are our landscapes – perhaps as much as 70% of our water use, depending on where we live.”

Sustainability is a priority of the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies. Creating and maintaining a safe, reliable, sustainable water supply for the region ensures the vitality of San Diego County’s $268 billion economy for its 3.3 million residents.

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Opinion: Lake Mead Could Get a Lot More Colorado River Water. What Changed So Quickly?

/in , , /by /AZ Central by Joanna Allhands

What a difference a month makes.

The March 24-month forecast, which predicts reservoir levels along the Colorado River for the next two years, had Lake Mead on a steady trajectory downward.

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Feds Will Release More Water Downstream Into Drought-Stricken Lake Mead After Wet Winter

/in , , /by /CNNby Ella Nilsen

After years of punishing drought, a historic winter snowpack is bringing a reprieve to the Colorado River Basin and the nation’s largest reservoirs.

The US Bureau of Reclamation announced Thursday that this winter’s rain and the projected runoff from above-normal snowfall is expected to boost its water releases this year from Lake Powell to Lake Mead by 2.5 million acre-feet.

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Upper Colorado River States Add Muscle as Decisions Loom on the Shrinking River’s Future

/in , , /by /Western Water (Water Education Foundation)by Nick Cahill

The states of the Lower Colorado River Basin have traditionally played an oversized role in tapping the lifeline that supplies 40 million people in the West. California, Nevada and Arizona were quicker to build major canals and dams and negotiated a landmark deal that requires the Upper Basin to send predictable flows through the Grand Canyon, even during dry years. But with the federal government threatening unprecedented water cuts amid decades of drought and declining reservoirs, the Upper Basin states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico are muscling up to protect their shares of an overallocated river whose average flows have already dropped 20% over the last century.

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Westlands Receives $1.5mil for Desalination Pilot Program

/in , /by /The Sunby Daniel Gligich

Westlands Water District received a state grant to support desalination and on-farm recycling.

Westlands, which serves western Fresno and Kings Counties, views the grant as strengthening its ability to improve the water supply for local communities and farmers.

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