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Rohnert Park Company Working On More Efficient and Earth-Friendly Ways to Get the Salt Out of Sea Water

/in , , , /by /The Press Democratby Mary Fricker

As the current drought stretches into its third year, demands to desalinate ocean water rise, especially in such places as Sonoma County and its more than 55 miles of coastline. But putting a desalination plant on the Sonoma County coast seems unlikely, especially after the California Coastal Commission in May rejected construction of a desalination plant in Huntington Beach that had been studied for more than 15 years, said entrepreneur John Webley.

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Napa County’s Famed Wine Country Prepares for Climate Change

/in , , /by /CBS Bay Areaby Elizabeth Cook

Drought, heat, and wildfires all threaten Wine Country grape harvests, but growers are getting creative to defend their crops.

Climate change is endangering California’s wine industry. Just ask some of the industry’s titans.

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California’s Climate Makes It Especially Vulnerable to Global Warming

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Soumya Karlamangla

The allure of California has long been its almost unbelievably good weather: predictably dry summers and pleasant, if occasionally rainy, winters. Who wouldn’t want to escape swampy heat for this temperate paradise? Our typically agreeable weather (current heat wave notwithstanding) is officially called a Mediterranean-type climate, defined as having cool, wet winters and dry, warm summers.

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California is Throwing Some Shade at Its Water Crisis

/in , , /by /AXIOSby Alex Fitzpatrick

An innovative plan to conserve water by covering aqueducts with solar panels is about to undergo testing in drought-stricken California.

Why it matters: Water is becoming more precious by the day in the Golden State and the Western U.S. more broadly, in part due to climate change.

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Dissecting the Use of Water Management Plans in California

/in , /by /California Water Blogby Nicola Ulibarri

California uses plans as a primary tool for managing water throughout the state. Regulations like the Urban Water Management Planning Act of 1983, Regional Water Management Planning Act of 2002, Water Conservation Act of 2009, and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 require local water agencies to write plans documenting their available water supplies and develop approaches to use water more sustainably and/or ensure a secure supply.

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Help Paying Water Bills May Be on Way for Low-Income Californians

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

María Dolores Díaz sighs when she opens her water bill every month because she knows what she’ll see: another bill that she’ll struggle to pay.

Diaz looks at the envelope and doesn’t want to open it because she wonders: How much, this time? “Ya nomás miro la carta y ‘aí ya no lo quiero abrir!’ Porque yo digo ‘¿ahora cuánto?’”

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Water Agency Experts Predict a Fourth Year of Drought, Urge Bay Area Residents to Conserve More

/in , , /by /CBS Bay Areaby Max Darrow

California water conservation experts sounded an alarm on Tuesday. They warned Bay Area residents to brace for a fourth dry year in a row, as the drought persists.

“We are making investments across the state and in the Bay Area to help build our resilience to drought and to climate change,” said Wade Crowfoot, the California National Resources Agency Secretary. “The conservation actions we take now will pay off in water reliability later in the future.”

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How (and When) To Plant a Winter Garden During the Worsening Drought

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Jeanette Marantos

When Yvonne Savio talks, savvy SoCal gardeners listen. And her message for fall is big: Despite a long tradition of planting during the “mild” days of September, her counsel this week is to put off any planting — even starting seeds — until late October or November, because folks, it’s just too darn hot these days, especially with the drought-induced restrictions on outdoor watering.

“We may or may not have enough water to keep them sufficiently watered to thrive. I’m talking thrive, not survive,” said Savio about cool-season plants, such as leafy greens, arugula, broccoli and peas. “It’s basically a waste for you to start seeds this month or next month, since you can’t put them outside, so I’m giving you a good excuse to put it off until November.”

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Opinion: California Can’t Waver on Water Regulation

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Samantha Arthur and Ngodoo Atume

Over the past decade, California has gone from being the state with the least groundwater regulation to adopting a law that serves as an international model. How the state implements its landmark groundwater law during California’s worst drought on record could inform global climate change adaptation practices for generations.

The Golden State has one shot over the course of the next 20 years to bring its depleted aquifers into balance and achieve sustainability. Californians are counting on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to get the state there.

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‘Weather Whiplash’ Withers, then Drowns Areas Worldwide

/in , /by /Scientific Americanby Chelsea Harvey

The Dallas area is still reeling from record-breaking downpours that triggered flash floods across northeastern Texas last week. The event swamped houses, submerged vehicles and prompted hundreds of emergency rescues. At least one death has been reported so far.

The sheer volume of rain was stunning, with some locations receiving more than a foot. But the deluge was all the more surprising because Dallas has been choked by severe drought for months.

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