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Biden May Prevail Against Navajo in SCOTUS Water Battle

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Pamela King and Jennifer Yachnin

The Supreme Court on Monday appeared closely divided on whether to side with the Navajo Nation in the tribe’s high-stakes fight against the Biden administration and four states to protect its right to water from the drought-stricken Colorado River.

While the court could decide the case on narrow procedural grounds, some of the more moderate conservative justices questioned whether a ruling for the Navajo would obligate the federal government to build a vast network of pipelines and pumps to deliver water to the tribe or upset the delicate balance struck by the 40 million people who rely on the massive waterway that travels among seven states and Mexico.

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Near Miss; Atmospheric River Shifts Toward Southern California

/in , , /by /CBS Bay Area

After weeks of atmospheric rivers slamming into Northern California, triggering flooding and landslides, the jet stream has shifted the latest blast of subtropical moisture toward Southern California, forecasters said.

But it won’t be a complete miss on Tuesday. The northern edge of the river will bring moderate rain to parts of the Bay Area and 2 inches or more to the waterlogged Santa Cruz Mountains and the flooded communities in Monterey County.

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El Niño Expected to Develop Later in the Year, NOAA Says

/in , , /by /ABC 10 Newsby Brody Adams and Brenden Mincheff

La Niña is finally over after three years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This winter has not acted like a typical La Niña winter with California getting drenched, especially in Southern California where La Niña typically signals a drier than average winter.

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NOAA Spring Outlook: California Drought Cut by Half with More Relief to Come

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby NOAA

NOAA’s U.S. Spring Outlook indicates the abnormally wet winter will further improve drought across much of the western U.S. as the snowpack melts in the coming months. Winter precipitation, combined with recent storms, wiped out exceptional and extreme drought in California for the first time since 2020, and is expected to further improve drought conditions this spring.

Significant flooding in the western U.S., especially in California, followed another series of strong Pacific storms that battered the region in March, and piled on to an already historic snowpack.

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Scripps Institution Researchers Visit Bakersfield College for Ag and Water Study

/in , , /by /Bakersfield.comby Steven Mayer

A changing climate in California could very well mean longer periods of drought, then wetter and more intense storms when the rains finally arrive.

It’s not an ideal scenario when trying to manage precious water in the Golden State.

Learning how to manage California’s water for the greatest benefit — even as these new challenges come to the agriculture-intense San Joaquin Valley — is one of the reasons Tom Corringham led a team of researchers to Bakersfield College on Thursday and Friday.

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Another Atmospheric River Will Thrash Storm-Ravaged California, Threatening More Flooding and Hurricane-force Wind Gusts

/in , /by /CNNby Nouran Salahieh, Rob Shackelford and Holly Yan

Swaths of California still saturated by ruthless storms will get walloped by another atmospheric river, spawning fears of renewed flooding and forcing some residents to flee.

The state has already been hammered by at least 11 atmospheric rivers this season. An atmospheric river is like a fire hose that carries saturated air from the tropics to higher latitudes, dumping relentless rain or snow.

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Scientists: Largest US Reservoirs Moving in Right Direction

/in , , /by /ABC Newsby Susan Montoya Bryan

Parts of California are under water, the Rocky Mountains are bracing for more snow, flood warnings are in place in Nevada, and water is being released from some Arizona reservoirs to make room for an expected bountiful spring runoff.

All the moisture has helped alleviate dry conditions in many parts of the western U.S. Even major reservoirs on the Colorado River are trending in the right direction.

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Southern Sierra Has Biggest Snowpack Ever, Runoff Under Control for Now

/in , , /by /The Sentinel

The southern Sierra now has the largest snowpack in recorded history (as measured by snow water equivalent). Not just for March 15, but at any time.

As of Wednesday, the snowpack is 271% of normal and 260% of April 1 average.The Kings River Water Association confirms that is likely true for the upper Kings watershed as well.

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What California’s Excessive Snow, Rain Mean for State’s Reservoirs

/in , /by /Fox Weatherby Andrew Wulfeck

A series of atmospheric river events with heavy rain and snow have caused California water regulators to open flood gates on water storage facilities, but the uncertainty of when Mother Nature’s faucet will shut off has experts weighing the advantages and disadvantages of letting the precious resource run free.

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Storms End Southern California Water Restrictions for 7M

/in , , /by /AP Newsby John Antczak and Stefanie Dazio

California’s 11th atmospheric river left the storm-soaked state with a bang Wednesday, bringing flooded roadways, landslides and toppled trees to the southern part of the state as well as drought-busting rainfall that meant the end of water restrictions for nearly 7 million people.

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