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A Plan to Replenish the Colorado River Could Mean Dry Alfalfa Fields. And Many Farmers are for it

/in , /by /Fox 5/KUSIby Amy Taxin

A plan to help shore up the depleted Colorado River by cutting off water to alfalfa fields in California’s crop-rich Imperial Valley is finding support from the farmers who grow it.

The Imperial Irrigation District — the biggest user of water from the 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) river — has offered to pay farmers to shut off irrigation to forage crops including alfalfa for up to 60 days during the peak of the sweltering summer. While farmers often balk at the idea of letting fields lie fallow, at least 80% of properties eligible for the new program have been signed up to participate, said Tina Shields, the district’s water department manager.

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WATCH: Tipping Point: Colorado River Reckoning- A PBS News Special

/in , /by /KPBS by Miles O'Brien

Forty million people depend on the Colorado River for water, but that vital resource is in peril. The river’s storage system has shrunk to an estimated 41 percent capacity as of June 2024.

The river, which irrigates 4 million acres of some of the most productive agricultural land in the United States, may never fully recover due to climate change, according to scientists.

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How to Create a DIY Water Feature for a Habitat Garden Without Breaking the Bank

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Jeanette Marantos

These days, habitat gardens are all the rage among eco-conscious Californians. They add native plants to their yards, patios or even balconies to provide food and shelter for wildlife.

But here’s the bitter truth: It’s not a real habitat garden if it doesn’t have a water source, as in a place where bees and butterflies can reliably sip without drowning or where birds can splash and preen.

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COMMENTARY: Farmers to Benefit as Sites Reservoir Nears Fruition

/in , /by /Maven's Notebookby Fritz Durst

From prolonged drought to excessive flooding, water conditions in California have been anything but consistent during the past few years. That’s a problem for one of the world’s leading agricultural regions.

With climate change threatening one of California’s biggest industries, we need to invest in a truly resilient and reliable water future. We need Sites Reservoir.

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Desalination Plant Proposed for San Francisco Bay

/in , /by /Enterprise-Recordby Paul Rogers

Saying it needs to evaluate all options for new sources of drinking water, Silicon Valley’s largest water district is studying a plan to build the first seawater desalination plant along the shores of San Francisco Bay.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District, a government agency based in San Jose, has approved spending $1.7 million for Black & Veatch, a Walnut Creek firm, to conduct an engineering feasibility study over the next 12 months for a project near the bay’s shoreline in Palo Alto, Mountain View or San Jose.

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Do Not Take Clean Water for Granted Either in Memphis or at the Paris Olympics 2024

/in , /by /Commercial Appealby Lynn Norment

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” – From Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner“

A couple of weeks ago, my attention was captivated by a television news story about people in a Memphis apartment complex who had gone five days without access to water. Portable toilets had been set up around the complex.

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Shift to La Niña for the Coming Winter Could Affect the Next Water Year in the West

/in , /by /Maven's Notebookby Natalie Hanson

While California and Nevada remain virtually drought-free, climate experts say extreme heat and wildfire risk may continue plaguing the West for months.

Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said during a webinar Monday that ongoing heat events across the West present a major risk to vulnerable communities, despite a good water supply outlook for the region.

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‘Long-Duration’ Heat Wave Again Cooking California, Raising Health and Wildfire Concerns

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

Another bout of prolonged heat has kicked off across California and much of the West, expected to again bring several days of triple-digit temperatures to most inland areas.

July’s second major heat wave isn’t forecast to be as extreme as the last event, which set several all-time records for high temperatures. Nevertheless, the National Weather Service predicted that it will be a “long-duration heat wave,” which creates uniquely dangerous conditions — especially when temperatures barely drop at night.

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OPINION: California’s Water Supply and Conservation

/in , /by /Escondido Times-Advocate by Ed Gallo

Continuing my comments from last week regarding California’s water supply and conservation, I am reminded of a trip to Chico  some 35 years ago. Our family was living through our second drought since moving here in 1973. You may recall a couple of years ago I wrote how this state is subject to recurring droughts roughly every 7 to 10 years. Dry years are nothing new.

We were in Chico in August and it was hot. In San Diego County we had already been warned about water usage and how to conserve. So when I drove around Chico I was shocked to see how many yards were being watered around noon-time. I was a bit unnerved seeing so much water running down curbsides when we down south had to curtail our consumption.

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Californians’ Water Usage is Down 9% and Other Takeaways From the Times’ Updated Water Tracker

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sean Greene

California residents are using about 8 fewer gallons of water per day than they did during the last drought emergency, according to newly released state data. Between April 2023 and last April, urban water users consumed an average of 77 gallons per person per day. That comes out to a 9% decrease since the drought emergency ended in March 2023.

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