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At Lake Powell, a ‘Front-Row Seat’ to a Drying Colorado River and an Uncertain Future

/in , , /by /Arizona Republicby Brandon Loomis

At his office whiteboard on this dam town’s desert edge, the water utility manager recited the federal government’s latest measures of the colossal reservoir that lay 4 miles down the road, then scrawled an ominous sketch showing how far it has shrunk.

In his stylized drawing of Lake Powell, the surface lapped just above where he marked his town’s drinking water pipe, bringing the Colorado River drought crisis uncomfortably close to home.

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California Set To Become First in Nation to Test Drinking Water for Microplastics

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

Microplastic is everywhere.

The tiny particles that shed from clothing, food packaging and tires are in the air, the soil, the ocean and, almost certainly, your drinking water.

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When It Comes to Fighting Climate Change, California Says Consider the Beaver

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Nathan Solis

As California grapples with drought, a record heat wave and persistent wildfires, one state agency is turning to the beaver in its battle against climate change.

The large rodents, according to researchers, are resourceful engineers capable of increasing water storage and creating natural firebreaks with their dams.

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California’s Water Year is Nearly Over. Here’s Where Our Reservoirs Stand Amid Drought

/in , , /by /Sacramento Beeby Michael McGough

With California about to experience perhaps the hottest and driest start to September in its modern history, 16 of the state’s 17 major reservoirs entered the month below their historic average levels — several of them well below average, in another daunting reminder of California’s extraordinary ongoing drought and water concerns.

 

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State Lawmakers Reject Bill to Curb Farms’ Water Pumping

/in , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

California lawmakers punted on a proposal to rein in agricultural groundwater pumping as drought continues to grip California and more than a thousand domestic wells have run dry.

A bill by Assemblymember Steve Bennett, a Democrat from Santa Barbara, would have added hurdles to obtain a permit to drill an agricultural well. Though the bill cleared the Senate on Monday, Bennett elected to not bring it up for a final vote in the Assembly before the Legislative session timed out Wednesday night. He said California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told him the bill was no longer viable because of changes made.

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Parched: California’s Climate Crisis

/in , , /by /CBS Stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Parched: California’s Climate Crisis

A special report on California’s changing climate and the ongoing drought by CBS stations across the Golden State: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/video/parched-californias-climate-crisis/

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San Diego County Showing Way Forward in Beating Back Water Shortages

/in , , , /by /KPIX-TVby Reed Cowan Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

More than 30 years ago, if you were to visit San Diego County, you would be struck by the lush green lawns, beautiful gardens, and many folks washing their cars.

The county alongside the Pacific Coast appeared to be flush with water. But in all actuality, a major water catastrophe was already in the works.

From 1987-1992, California was hit with a megadrought, and San Diego, which was at the end of the fresh water pipeline, was in deep trouble.

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In Boulder Visit, Nancy Pelosi Calls on Western States to Lead the Charge on Colorado River Issues

/in , , /by /CPR Newsby Andrew Kenney

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the National Center for Atmospheric Research — the campus in Boulder that’s a hub for scientists studying climate change and water — on Wednesday. Speaking on a plaza with a sweeping view toward the plains, she and Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse promoted Democrats’ recent climate and tax package.

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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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