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Was California Consulted in Recent Colorado River Negotiations?

/in , , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

States that use water from the Colorado River are caught in a standoff about how to share shrinking supplies, and their statements about recent negotiations send mixed messages. California officials say they were not consulted as other states in the region drew up a letter to the federal government with what they called a “consensus-based” set of recommendations for water conservation. Leaders in states that drafted the letter disagree with that characterization.

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La Niña, Which Worsens Hurricanes and Drought, is Gone

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Seth Borenstein

After three nasty years, the La Niña weather phenomenon that increases Atlantic hurricane activity and worsens western drought is gone, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

That’s usually good news for the United States and other parts of the world, including drought-stricken northeast Africa, scientists said.

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Has Rain Helped Lake Mead Water Levels?

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Robyn White

A particularly wet season has swept across the southwestern U.S., a region that has suffered under a severe megadrought for over two decades. But what has this meant for Colorado River reservoir Lake Mead?

Storms of rain and snow have hit California particularly badly in recent months, and have spread into neighboring states like Nevada. Reservoirs like Lake Mead rely on seasonal snowmelt and rainfall.

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Navajo Nation is Taking on Three States and the Federal Government for the Right to Colorado River Water

/in , , /by /The New Republicby Matt Ford

The Supreme Court is extremely strict about what can be brought into its chambers during oral arguments. In addition to obvious items like guns and knives, visitors must leave just about every other personal item outside when they enter. Cameras, cell phones, laptops, and the like are left outside—even if you’re a reporter. No snacks or drinks can be brought in. Not even water.

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Raw Sewage Continues to Flow From Tijuana Into San Diego County

/in , /by /The Hillby Sharon Udasin

Some 22 billion gallons of raw sewage have flowed from Mexico into San Diego County since the end of December, the International Boundary and Water Commission reported on Wednesday.

“Transboundary flows continue down the Tijuana River from recent rains,” the IBWC, a binational entity responsible for shared water resources, said in a statement on Twitter.

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New Storm Could Bring More Peril to California Rivers Already Hit by Deadly Flooding

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

A powerful storm barreling toward California from the tropical Pacific threatens to trigger widespread river flooding throughout the state as warm rain melts a record accumulation of snowpack and sends runoff surging down mountains and into streams and reservoirs.

Although state officials insist they are prepared to manage runoff from what is now the 10th atmospheric river of a deadly rainy season, at least one expert described the combination of warm rain, epic snowpack and moist soils as “bad news.”

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How California Atmospheric River Will Impact Snowpack in Sierras

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Robyn White

An atmospheric river is set to descend on California in coming days, following a spate of wet weather across the state.

An atmospheric river is a corridor of concentrated, tropical moisture traveling through the atmosphere. The river has raised an alert for significant flooding throughout California, and experts have warned of severe disruption.

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California Braces for Flooding, Snowmelt From a Warm Atmospheric River Set to Slam State

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

Another atmospheric river system has set its sights on California, raising considerable concern about flooding and structural damage as warm rain is expected to fall atop the state’s near-record snowpack this week, forecasters say.

“It now appears increasingly likely that a potentially significant and very likely warm atmospheric river event will probably affect some portion of Northern or Central California sometime between about late Thursday and Saturday,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said during a briefing Monday.

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Snowpack Update: Water Stored for Colorado River at 134% of Normal With a Month to Go

/in , , /by /8 News Nowby Greg Haas

Snow scientists identify April 6 as the typical date to best evaluate the snowpack levels for the runoff to the Colorado River each year.

This year, with a month to go, things are looking good. And it’s about a lot more than just how deep the snow is right now.

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Despite Storms, Water Challenges Persist

/in , , /by /Ag Alertby Christine Souza

New snow blankets the landscape of Shasta Lake, California’s largest reservoir. Last week, California water officials announced that the statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack was recorded at 190% of seasonal average on March 3. Meanwhile, at a water conference, state officials warned they expect warming conditions to persist and called for partnering on water supply solutions.

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