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Colorado Hits a “Hard Pause” on Water Demand Management as It Waits for Other States to Catch Up

/in , , /by /The Colorado Sunby Chris Outcalt

Colorado is taking a “hard pause” on investigating the viability of demand management, a program that would allow the state to pay water users to temporarily and voluntarily conserve water and store what’s saved in Lake Powell for future use.

“No more energy spent on this right now,” Colorado Water Conservation Board chair Jaclyn Brown said this week. “Until the facts change; until someone brings us new information.”

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Newsom Broadens Drought Order – But Again Stops Short of Mandatory Urban Water Cutbacks

/in , , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow

Gov. Gavin Newsom, acknowledging the severity of the drought, ordered California cities and other local water agencies Monday to reduce their water usage and tighten their conservation rules.

Newsom, however, continued to resist mandatory statewide cutbacks in urban water use, just as he did last year during the recall campaign. Instead, he ordered urban water agencies to implement the second stage of their water shortage contingency plans — protocols that are to take effect when water shortages approach 20%.

 

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Opinion: Pages From a Farmer: And Then the Rain Never Came

/in , /by /Napa Valley Registerby Carine Hines

Bombtober” some called it, when an incredible atmospheric river drenched the drought-stricken soils and mountains of California. We all danced and rejoiced, and much thought, and may still think, that we made it through the recent stretch of drought. Was it realistic to believe that a few days of heavy rain could undo the harm of months and years of drought? Only if it continued to rain, but it never did.

This winter we experienced the driest January and February in recorded history, which are typically our wettest. And we will not have a “Miracle March”.

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Newsom Calls for More Aggressive Water Conservation Amid Third Year of Drought

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith and Jonah Valdez

On the heels of the driest ever start to the year in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday issued a sweeping executive order calling on local water suppliers to implement more aggressive conservation measures as reservoirs dwindle and residents backslide in their efforts to cut back.

Specifically, the order requires that urban water suppliers activate “Level 2″ of their locally customized contingency plans, meaning they must prepare for a shortage of up to 20%.

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California’s Snowpack Is ‘Roasting in the Dry and Sunny Conditions’

/in , , /by /SF GATEby Amy Graff

California’s winter snowpack is suffering after the state saw historically dry weather in January and February, and March is headed down the same track. An early spring heat wave this week brought record-breaking temperatures that accelerated snowmelt. On Friday, the snowpack — which historically has provided about a third of the state’s water supply — stood at 46% of its average for this time of year.

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Study Previews How Climate Change May Alter Rain-making Atmospheric Rivers by 2100

/in , , /by /NOAA Research News

The people, economy, and ecosystems of the Pacific coast states of California, Oregon and Washington are highly dependent on cool-season atmospheric rivers for their annual water supply. These long, narrow flows of saturated air can transport enormous amounts of water vapor – roughly equivalent to the flow at the mouth of the Mississippi River. They can unload  heavy precipitation on the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges, but their annual yield regularly swings between boom and bust.

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Strong Front Is Soaking Southern California, Triggering Flood Alerts

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Jason Samenow and Mike Branom

Flood advisories and warnings are up for parts of Southern California as a vigorous storm system from the Pacific Ocean sweeps across the region. The rain is welcome news given the drought conditions, but the intense downpours could prove disruptive.

The National Weather Service is predicting widespread rainfall of 2 to 4 inches through Monday in much of southwest California, with locally higher amounts possible. Snowfall of 8 to 18 inches is predicted in the mountains above 6,000 feet, where winter storm warnings are in effect.

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No March Miracle: Bay Area, California Remains In Drought As End Of Rainy Season Arrives

/in , , /by /CBS SF BayAreaby Wilson Walker

Approaching rain this weekend is something of an ironic twist to a very disappointing winter, as California will end its rainy season, deep in drought. This year, there will be no miracle.

“That’s right, we do have a miracle Marches,” said Nelsy Rodriguez with the East Bay Municipal Utility District. “Every few years we do get a big downpour in March.”

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New Book Explores Relationship of Salton Sea and People Throughout History

/in , , /by /The Press-Enterpriseby Ruth Nolan

The Salton Sea: The very name conjures images of a one time dazzling inland Riviera and beachy playground of the Rat Pack situated in the depths of eastern Riverside and Imperial counties’ remotest deserts. It also brings to mind, for some, images of a curious, modern-day wasteland, rife with the ruins of old trailers spray-painted with graffiti art, abandoned ski boats and a rapidly receding shoreline.

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Why Californians Have Been Saving Less Water in 2022

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

The latest figures on California’s water conservation are in, and they’re pretty dismal.

Despite calls to reduce consumption during our punishing drought, Californians used 2.6 percent more water in January compared with the same month in 2020, according to state data. The figures for February and March are unlikely to be much better.

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