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California Sets Initial State Water Project Allocation at 10% After Beneficial Rainfall

/in , /by /CBS Newsby Carlos E. Castañeda

California is beginning the annual water planning process for the upcoming year with a conservative estimate of the water it will deliver across the state, while noting that the recent wet weather is helping out, authorities said Monday.

The state Department of Water Resources announced an initial allocation of 10% of requested supplies for the State Water Project in the new water year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sep. 30, saying the low starting percentage reflects current hydrological conditions, existing reservoir storage, and an assumption of dry conditions through the rest of the year.

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Experts Issue Warning as Major Us Lakes Plunge Toward Historic Lows — Here’s What’s Happening

/in , /by /The Cool Downby Nicole Westhoff

Experts are sounding the alarm as Texas enters yet another year of punishing drought — pushing major lakes toward historic lows and raising concerns for communities across the Hill Country.

South-Central Texas has been stuck in a rainfall deficit since 2022, with San Antonio hit especially hard. According to a report from the San Antonio Express-News, the city is now short nearly 45 inches of rain. That kind of prolonged dry spell doesn’t just wilt lawns — it drains the region’s lifelines: its lakes.

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Nearly 5.5 Billion Gallons of Water Captured From Recent Storms, LADWP Says

/in , /by /NBC Los Angelesby Jonathan Lloyd

Nearly 5.5 billion gallons of water were captured during one of the wettest Novembers on record in Los Angeles, the LADWP said.

After a dry start to the water year, November brought several days of rain. The city captures water through its stormwater system, residential rain barrels and cisterns, and expansive spreading grounds where water collects to recharge underground aquifers. That groundwater can be pumped and treated to meet water quality standards for homes and businesses.

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Researchers Discover Concerning Phenomenon That Could Impact Water Supply: ‘Helps Us Understand’

/in , /by /The Cool Downby Alyssa Ochs

A new scientific study found that boulders in mountain ecosystems are changing how snow melts.  As glaciers rapidly melt and expose what lies beneath, those rocks actively alter snow behavior.

Led by a McGill University team, researchers studied the Yukon’s Shár Shaw Tagà Valley and took detailed measurements of snow melt around boulders. They used 3D laser scanning, infrared cameras, and drone photogrammetry and published their findings in the journal Cold Regions Science and Technology.

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Drought Killer: California Storms Fill Reservoirs, Build Up Sierra Snowpack

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Alex Wigglesworth

A string of early-season storms that drenched Californians last week lifted much of the state out of drought and significantly reduced the risk of wildfires, experts say.

It’s been the wettest November on record for Southland communities such as Van Nuys and San Luis Obispo. Santa Barbara has received an eye-popping 9.5 inches of rain since Oct. 1, marking the city’s wettest start to the water year on record.

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California Reservoir Water Level Update: ‘Incredible’

/in , /by /Newsweekby Anna Skinner

California reservoir water levels are in “incredible shape,” with all of the state’s major reservoirs at or above 100 percent of historical average for this time of year, according to data from the state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR).

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A Drying-up Rio Grande Basin Threatens Water Security on Both Sides of the Border

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Susan Montoya Bryan

One of North America’s longest rivers, the Rio Grande — or Rio Bravo as it’s called in Mexico — has a history as deep as it is long. Indigenous people have tapped it for countless generations and it was a key artery for Spanish conquistadors centuries ago.

Today, the Rio Grande-Bravo water basin is in crisis.

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The Water Infrastructure Investments States Will Need

/in , /by /Governingby Carl Smith

Publicly owned systems deliver more than 80 percent of the water that is a survival necessity for homes and industry. Their general reliability masks long-term neglect.

Much of the country’s water infrastructure was built in the 1970s and ’80s. Years of deferred maintenance for many systems have created serious problems — the American Civil Society of Engineers this year gave the country’s water infrastructure grades ranging from a C- to a D. At the same time, states have become increasingly responsible for funding water systems. In 1981, the federal government provided more than $25 billion in capital investment for water infrastructure, almost half of the total for the year. By 2021, this had decreased to $4 billion, 7 percent of total funding.

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Arizona Water Board Approves Desalination Plants in California, Mexico

/in , /by /KAWCby Bob Christie

Arizona will provide taxpayer money to help private companies develop plans for at least two and possibly three desalination plants in California or Mexico under proposals approved by a state agency’s board on Wednesday.

The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority board also approved initial development of several other projects from the two applicants that proposed new Arizona water supplies and made it past a lengthy review process. Those proposals would rely on treating wastewater, capturing storm water and storing it underground or making agricultural irrigation more efficient, with the projects located in California, Colorado, Utah or Mexico.

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Maui Water Department Begins Initial Planning for West Maui Desalination Plant

/in , /by /Maui Newsby Brian Perry

The Maui County Department of Water Supply is taking the first steps toward developing its first publicly owned desalination facility in West Maui. The project would extend the arid region’s water resources beyond current ground and surface water limitations that currently force the department to cope with a Stage 2 water shortage.

With a desalination plant, the department would have additional water resources to meet growing demand including direly needed housing developments, such as the 500-home Pulelehua project, which is currently stalled without available water.

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