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How California Reservoir Water Levels Will Change, According to Predictions

/in , , /by /Newsweek by Anna Skinner

Many of California’s reservoirs are far above their average capacity, but water levels are expected to change as the winter season progresses.

The U.S. Southwest has suffered from years of drought, and until recently, the most severe impacts have been centered around Lake Mead and Lake Powell and much of California. Last year, none of California was free from drought, and more than 16 percent of the state suffered from exceptional drought, which is the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) most extreme classification.

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California Bans Watering Grass at Certain Businesses

/in , , /by /Contra Costa Newsby CC News

A bill signed into law Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom will now ban certain businesses from watering its grass in an effort to reduce water usage.

The bill is modeled after the State placed similar rules on commercial, industrial and government agencies from using drinking water for grass deemed “non-functional” in 2022.

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Scientists Disagree About Drivers of September’s Global Temperature Spike, but It Has Most of Them Worried

/in , , /by /Inside Climate News by Bob Berwyn

September’s stunning rise of the average global temperature is all but certain to make 2023 the warmest year on record, and 2024 is likely to be even hotter, edging close to the “red line” of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above the pre-industrial level that the 2015 Paris climate agreement is striving to avoid.

As of Oct. 10, the daily average Northern Hemisphere temperature had been at a record high for 100 consecutive days.

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California Coastal Commissioners Call for Action to Clean Up Sewage Polluted Tijuana River Valley

/in , /by /Courthouse News Service by Sam Ribakoff

In the endless urban sprawl of Southern California, the Tijuana River Valley looks like a serene break of green before the sprawl resumes on the other side of the border.

But the seemingly bucolic area is where representatives from the California Coastal Commission met on Wednesday to see first hand how sewage in the river has made people in adjacent communities sick and affected state lands.

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Phoenix Experienced Its Hottest and Driest Summer on Record

/in , , /by /Axios Phoenix by Jessica Boehm

Phoenix experienced its hottest summer on record with an average temperature of 97 degrees — more than 3 degrees warmer than the 30-year average between 1991 and 2020, per an analysis of NOAA data.

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Battery Storage is a Key Piece of California’s Clean Energy Transition. But There’s a Problem With Fires.

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

If California is going to meet its ambitious goals to transition from electricity using fossil fuels, the state will need energy storage to shoulder a significant amount of the load.

While the number of installations are on the rise, a persistent problem keeps coming up — fires igniting at battery storage facilities.

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Board Votes for Public Takeover of Cal Am Water by Eminent Domain

/in , , /by /KSBW 8 by Ariana Jaso

A little light at the end of a long tunnel is finally shining through, after years of water woes in Monterey. On Tuesday night, an elected board of local leaders voted in favor of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to take over California American Water (Cal Am). Six board members voted in favor, with one recusal.

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EPA Presents Awards to WaterSense Partners

/in , /by /WaterWorld

The U.S. EPA has presented 47 awards to WaterSense partners for their support of WaterSense and water efficiency at the WaterSmart Innovations conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This year’s award winners made innovative water-efficient products, built homes using 30% less water than typical new construction, made WaterSense labeled products accessible to consumers, and implemented programs to promote water-saving behaviors and fixtures.

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A Warming Colorado River Grapples With Invasive Species

/in , , /by /The Hillby Sharon Udasin

As climate change bakes the U.S. West and dries up key Colorado River reservoirs, a slew of invasive species is flourishing in warmer waters at the expense of the artery’s native inhabitants.

Among the most disruptive of this wide range of invaders is the smallmouth bass, which scientists fear could pose a possible danger to the native ecology of the Grand Canyon region should the fish continue making their way downstream.

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Boiling Point: Gavin Newsom Signed a Bunch of Climate Laws — and Vetoed Others

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy Roth

California continues to make waves on climate. In some cases literally.

Over the weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed dozens of bills dealing with renewable energy, landscape conservation and water use — and vetoed many others.

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