You are now in California and the U.S. Home Headline Media Coverage category.

Opinion: Farms, Fish and the Future: State Water Board Must Balance the Needs of All Californians

/in , , /by /The Fresno Beeby Mike Wade

On Wednesday, March 16 the State Water Resources Control Board will meet to discuss Sacramento River temperature management and its impact on salmon for 2022 and beyond.

Salmon, salmon fishermen, and all Californians, are struggling with drought impacts. And as we work toward long-term solutions, that doesn’t make this year easier for anyone.

However, it is important to maintain balance between all water users and observe the California Water Code, which requires “reasonable” decisions among competing water uses. And while some may want to define “reasonable” solely on the basis of an amount of water allocated to each user, it’s clearly not that simple.

Full Story

Between a Rock and a Dry Place: Effects of Drought on Stream Drying Patterns in California’s Intermittent Streams

/in , , /by /California WaterBlogby Hana Moidu, Mariska Obedzinski, Stephanie Carlson, and Ted Grantham

You may have heard the saying from the Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “No man steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” If you walk along a coastal stream in California at the end of the summer, you will understand the dynamic nature of these systems. In a wet year, such as 2017, you might find a stream that is fully connected with flowing water. But in a dry year, like 2021, you might walk miles of dry stream channel before discovering an isolated pool. Many of California’s streams naturally become intermittent at some point in the dry season. However, when and where stream channels go dry is highly variable year-to-year and difficult to predict (van Meerveld et al., 2020).

Full Story

Opinion: With Another Drought, Water Conservation and Reclamation Projects Are Vital

/in , , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinel

On the day we spring forward, actual springtime is only a week or so off. And with it, the chances of winter-like storms drift away like spring blossoms on flowering trees.

Except we haven’t had any winter storms since December, thereby missing out on any appreciable rainfall for more almost three months, which historically are three of the four wettest months.

And that’s a problem for Santa Cruz County and for California.

Full Story

Opinion: Amid growing water shortages, Colorado’s agricultural scene must change

/in , /by /The Colorado Sunby Trish Zornio

Two weeks ago, experts predicted that Lake Powell — the second-largest man-made reservoir in the nation — will soon drop below critical water levels. With over three million people in danger of losing hydropower, it’s yet another bleak reminder that the Colorado River is drying up.

The Colorado River, which flows into Lake Powell on the Arizona and Utah border, originates at 10,184 feet above sea level on La Poudre Pass in the southern Rocky Mountains. In total, 40 million people gain water access from the river, and countless farms are irrigated along the way.

Full Story

Size of Drought in US Increased by the Area of California in the Past Month

/in , , /by /CBS Sacramento 13

The West is far from the only region experiencing remarkably dry weather so far this year. According to Thursday’s report from the US Drought Monitor, more than 61% of the contiguous US is in some classification of drought. It is the largest portion of the country in a state of drought since 2012, the year when the continental US saw an all-time record of 65% during September.

Full Story

2022 Water Year Looks Dismal as Snowpack Melts

/in , , /by /Imperial Valley Pressby Christine Souza (California Farm Bureau Federation)

The optimism spurred by heavy snowstorms in December has melted away, and the 2022 water year is now looking bleak.

After facing the driest recorded January and February in state history, California Department of Water Resources reported that statewide, the snowpack stood at 63% of average for the date last week after conducting the agency’s third manual snow survey of the year.

Full Story

Opinion: California Has Work to Do to Provide Clean Water for All

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Robert Rivas and Cristina Garcia

On the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, we should celebrate its successes. San Francisco has stopped the dumping of raw sewage into the Bay. Rivers no longer catch on fire due to flammable contaminants. Wildlife has returned to once abandoned estuaries and wetlands. California has made great strides in protecting our waters for swimming, fishing, and other human activities — in affluent areas.

Full Story

Lake Powell’s Levels Projected to Drop Below Critical Threshold

/in , , /by /12 News

Lake Powell’s water levels are on the cusp of dropping below a critical benchmark and federal officials don’t expect the reservoir’s supply to be replenished until May.

As of Thursday, the lake’s levels were hovering inches above 3,525 feet, which is the threshold local officials set as the “target elevation” while drafting the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan Agreements.

Full Story

Water Board Looks to Raise Fees Again

/in , /by /Agri-Pulseby Brad Hooker

The State Water Resources Control Board has given an early forecast of fee increases for the next fiscal year based on current state budget projections.

While spending is expected to change little, staff are hoping to reach a 5% fund reserve for water quality programs, which could translate to a 5% increase in Irrigated Lands fees and more in other programs. Water board fees have already risen about 130% over the past decade for some programs.

Full Story

Snow Drought Expands as Western U.S. is Running Out of Time to Replenish Water Supplies

/in , , /by /National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

February total precipitation was record low at over 200 Snow Telemetry sites, leading to continued expansion of snow drought conditions across the West. Fifty percent of the SNOTEL sites now have snow water equivalent that is less than one-third of historical conditions, up from 22% in early February.  In California, the driest January and February in state history has led to a March 1 statewide snowpack of less than 70% of average, down from 160% at the start of the new year.

Full Story