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U.N. Report Warns of Catastrophic Climate Tipping Points. California is Nearing Several

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

Humanity is on course to transgress multiple global “tipping points” that could lead to irreversible instability or the complete collapse of ecological and institutional systems, a United Nations report warned Wednesday.

The third annual Interconnected Disaster Risks report from the U.N. University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn, Germany, found that drastic changes will occur if urgent actions are not taken around six moments when sociological systems are no longer able to buffer risks.

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Forecasters Predict Another Wetter-Than-Average Winter on the Way for Central California

/in , , /by /The Union Democrat by Guy McCarthy

The Central Sierra Nevada and the rest of Central California could see another wetter-than-average winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its U.S. Winter Outlook for December through February.

A winter outlook map for precipitation, released Thursday, shows wetter-than-average conditions are most likely in areas that include parts of Central California and Nevada.

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Western States’ Planned Water Cuts Are Enough to Avert a Colorado River Crisis, for Now

/in , , /by /Cal Mattersby Rachel Becker

California, Nevada and Arizona’s historic pact to cut their use of the Colorado River’s overtapped supplies should be enough to keep the basin’s massive reservoirs from hitting dangerously low levels — for now, a federal analysis reported today.

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Despite a Wet El Niño Forecast for Southern Nevada, Lake Mead Unlikely to See Water Level Rise

/in , , /by /Las Vegas Sunby Rhiannon Saegert

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting higher-than-usual rainfall for parts of Nevada, California and Arizona this winter, but that rainfall isn’t expected to translate to gains in the water level at Lake Mead, regional climate experts said.

El Niño’s southern oscillation cycle began changing weather patterns this month and will continue through the winter to bring wetter conditions to the southern United States, said Jon Gottschalck, the operational prediction branch chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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California Irrigation Bills 50/50 for Signature Into Law

/in , , /by /Irrigation and Lightingby Luke Reynolds

For California, a mixed bag of results on irrigation regulation has occurred with the signature of Assembly Bill 1572 into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, while Assembly Bill 1573 was ordered to the inactive file by the state’s Senate. 

The two bills each had different aims to address conservation measures in California and targeted various irrigation methods as a means of advancing that effort. 

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First Measurable, Widespread Snow Expected in California Sierra

/in , /by /SF Gateby Amy Graff

The first measurable, widespread snow is expected in California’s Sierra Nevada Wednesday into Thursday, with a cold storm from the Gulf of Alaska poised to sweep the Golden State, according to the National Weather Service. There’s another chance for snow later in the week as well.

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Phase One of Long-Awaited High Desert Water Bank Unveiled in Antelope Valley Area

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Daily Newsby City News Service

After three years of construction, water officials announced on Monday, Oct. 23, the completion of the first stage of a groundwater storage project they say will “significantly increase Southern California’s water supply in the face of a rapidly changing climate.”

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Wet Weather Bolsters a Record Year for Water Conservation by California and Its Neighbors

/in , , /by /Desert Sunby Janet Wilson

A wet year and major conservation efforts are paying off in the short term for the Colorado River, with California, Arizona and Nevada on track to conserve a record 1 million acre-feet of water or more by the end of 2023, officials announced last week.

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California’s First Wave-Powered Desalination Plant Underway in Fort Bragg

/in , , /by /ABC 7 KRCR by Sophie Lincoln

 Since almost completely running out of water in 2015, and again in 2021, the City of Fort Bragg is working to make sure it stays ahead of any future droughts by investing in desalination.

“We stopped allowing people to wash dishes and had them use paper products and things like that, just disposable plates and things like that. So it was very serious at that time,” Director of Public Works for the City of Fort Bragg John Smith said.

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The Atmospheric Rivers of Water Year 2023: End of Water Year Summary

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Scripps Institution of Oceanography Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

For insight into the numerous atmospheric rivers that brought impressive precipitation accumulations to California this Water Year and how it compares to previous years, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes provides this end of water year 2023 summary.

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