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Warming Causes More Extreme Rain, Not Snow, Over Mountains. Scientists Say That’s a Problem

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Seth Borenstein

A warming world is transforming some major snowfalls into extreme rain over mountains instead, somehow worsening both dangerous flooding like the type that devastated Pakistan last year as well as long-term water shortages, a new study found.

Using rain and snow measurements since 1950 and computer simulations for future climate, scientists calculated that for every degree Fahrenheit the world warms, extreme rainfall at higher elevation increases by 8.3% (15% for every degree Celsius), according to a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature.

Heavy rain in mountains causes a lot more problems than big snow, including flooding, landslides and erosion, scientists said. And the rain isn’t conveniently stored away like snowpack that can recharge reservoirs in spring and summer.

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Cool Spring Was ‘Best Case Scenario’ for Snowmelt and River Levels

/in , , /by /ABC 10by Brody Adams
Spring was unusually cool in Northern California this year, allowing for a manageable snowmelt period in what could’ve been a far more dangerous situation. While flooding due to snowmelt has certainly done damage to many valley and foothill communities following the record winter, the cool weather pattern to start the year has prevented the widespread, catastrophic flooding that could have occurred under different circumstances.
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Will the Giant Westlands Water District “Spill” Water This Year for Lack of Demand?

/in , , /by /SJV Waterby Lois Henry

Westlands Water District, the biggest agricultural water district in the state, could lose 200,000 acre feet of water – or more – for lack of demand, according to an update at its June board meeting. The revelation was made during a briefing by Chief Operating Officer Jose Guiterrez who acknowledged Westlands could have more than 320,000 acre feet of water left over when its contract year is up next Feb. 28.

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Chico Customers Paying Higher Water and Sewer Rates

/in , , /by /Action News Nowby Kelli Saam

People in Chico are seeing higher water bills this summer. It’s a combination of higher water and sewer rates. Starting in July the current combined bill must be paid separately. Cal Water implemented a four percent interim rate increase on May 5. Chico Cal Water District Manager Evan Markey said the final rate increase has been delayed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

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Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Says There is Enough Water for New Housing Development

/in , /by /Kion 46by Dania Romero

The City of Monterey says they are worried there won’t be enough water by the time over 36 hundred housing units are expected to be developed across the city. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District says thanks to the expansion of a project, there will be more than enough waterways before the housing is developed.

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Opinion: Water Rights Bills Would Jeopardize Water Reliability

/in , /by /AgAlertby Pat Wirz

Bills in the state Legislature would give increased authority to the California State Water Resources Control Board and could impact historic water rights and threaten water supplies for farming. Dangerous water rights reform bills that put the interests of the few over the interests of the many are moving through the California Legislature.

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Months Of Wet Weather Erase Drought Across the Southwest

/in , , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

A stretch of unusually wet months has erased drought across much of the Southwest. A briefing by climate experts spelled out how a snowy winter and rainy spring brought relief to a particularly parched region.

“Unlike some past presentations I’ve given for the Southwest,” said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, “This one actually has some good news in it.”

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Opinion: California Budget Deal Delivers Major Setback to Delta Water Tunnel Project

/in , , /by /CalMatters by Dan Walters

It’s gone by several names: Peripheral Canal, Water Fix and Delta Conveyance.

Its design has changed several times, from a canal to twin tunnels and most recently a single tunnel.

However, its purpose has been unchanged for seven decades – bypassing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as water is moved from Northern California to San Joaquin Valley farms and Southern California homes.

 

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California Lawmakers, Gavin Newsom Hammer Out $311 Billion Budget — Without Major Water Project

/in , , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Lindsey Holden and Ari Plachta

California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed on a $310.8 billion budget deal Monday, a compromise reached by dropping the governor’s proposal to move forward with a 45-mile Delta water tunnel that would pump water from the Sacramento River to other parts of the state.

Legislators released a series of bills Saturday and Sunday showing the broad outlines of a spending plan that includes more money for public transit, child care, prison reform and Medi-Cal. The measures also reflected the challenges of closing the state’s estimated $31.5 billion budget gap.

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Arizona Needs to Conserve Colorado River Water. Here’s a Rundown on Cities’ Voluntary Cuts

/in , , /by /azcentralby Taylor Seely

Arizona cities and other entities could serve nearly 2 million households for a year with the amount of water they plan to voluntarily leave behind in the Colorado River the next three years, but they say they’re foregoing the supply to help preserve the reservoirs’ health.

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