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Snow Shuts Off in West as Drought Recovery Hopes Dim

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Diana Leonard and Ian Livingston

Winter whiplash has hit California and the West. Doused in epic snow and rain in December, the region has just experienced one of the driest Januaries on record in many locations, and there are no storms in sight for at least the first half of February.

The weeks-long dry spell, in the midst of what should be the wettest two months of the year, is dashing hopes of meaningful drought recovery this winter. Water-year surpluses are sliding into deficits, and fire danger is on the rise in California. The reversal may soon emerge in drought maps.

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California ISO Sketches $30.5B Draft Transmission Plan to Meet State’s Clean Energy Goals

/in , , /by /Utility Diveby Kavya Balaraman

California is aiming to supply 100% of its electric retail sales with renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045, a target that — along with the electrification of transportation and other sectors — is driving the need for rapid development of renewable resources and energy storage over the next couple of decades.

This build-out will also necessitate significant transmission additions to connect out-of-state energy, as well as other generation pockets, CAISO noted in the draft outlook. The system operator has a 10-year transmission planning process; however, given that transmission requires long lead times thanks to permitting processes and right-of-way acquisitions, it concluded that a longer-term blueprint is essential.

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Concern Over Utah’s Drought High as Snowpack Diminishes During Dry Spell

/in , /by /KSLby Amy Joi O'Donoghue

A new poll shows an overwhelming majority of Utah residents are concerned about the drought and a mostly dry January isn’t doing much to ease those worries.

The Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics survey tapped 815 registered voters from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28, finding 82% of respondents are concerned over current drought conditions in Utah in contrast to 17% who said they are not worried. Another 1% said they didn’t know.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.43 percentage points.

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Credit Agencies Cite Water Authority Diversification, Reliability for Strong Ratings

/in , , /by /yahoo!finance Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The three major U.S. rating agencies reported strong credit ratings and credit quality for the San Diego County Water Authority kicking off 2022. Newly released analysis by Fitch Ratings, S&P Global, and Moody’s allow the Water Authority to optimize its debt portfolio and minimize the cost of financing vital water reliability projects.

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Dry January Portends More Drought Ahead for Northern Arizona

/in , /by /Arizona Daily Sunby Sean Golightly

“Dry January” usually means abstinence from alcohol following the excesses of the holiday season, but this year it took on another meaning as well.

While December storms brought more than double the normal level of precipitation, January saw Arizona and other Western states return to drought conditions.

According to a Jan. 21 report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the overall area of the West in drought has increased from 77% to 88%. Despite this general increase, the percentage of areas experiencing exceptional drought dropped from 22% to 3%.

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This S.F. Bay Area City Just Had Its Driest January on Record

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Jessica Flores

Last month was among the driest Januaries on record, according to data collected in cities across the Bay Area, with one South Bay city recording an almost immeasurably small amount of precipitation.

The uniquely dry start to 2022 is expected to continue, according to National Weather Service meteorologists, with little chance of rain expected until mid-February.

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Long-Duration Storage Projects Gaining Steam

/in , , /by /California Currentby Elizabeth McCarthy Mentioned: San Diego Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Just days after the California Energy Commission announced the first application in the state for storage using compressed air, another long-term storage proposal advanced: a 500 MW project that would use pumped storage at the San Vicente Reservoir in eastern San Diego County.

The City of San Diego and the San Diego Water Authority board have begun negotiations with BHE Kiewit, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, on the financing and building terms for the estimated $1.5 billion pumped storage facility. The city and the water agency also approved two contracts totaling $6.2 million for an environmental impact analysis and for preparation of an interconnection agreement with the grid operator plus a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, all on Jan. 27.

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California Snowpack Dwindles After a Dry January

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

California’s second snow survey of the season arrived on the heels of one of the state’s driest Januarys on record, and officials are warning that a third dry year is possible unless more rain and snow arrive soon.

Surveyors from the California Department of Water Resources gathered Tuesday at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe to announce their latest findings. Statewide snowpack has dwindled to 92% of average for the date, they said.

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California Ballot Measure to Build More Reservoirs, Water Projects Dies Due to Lack of Signatures

/in , , /by /The Mercury Timesby Paul Rogers

Supporters of a proposed November ballot measure to provide billions of dollars to build new dams, desalination plants and other large water projects in California announced Tuesday they are ending their campaign due to lack of signatures and funding.

“Despite crafting an initiative that would solve California’s challenge of chronic and worsening water scarcity, and despite recent polling that indicates over 70% of California’s voters support increased state spending on water infrastructure, the campaign has been unable to attract the financial support necessary to gather the required 1 million signatures,” the campaign said in a statement.

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Marin Water District Proposes Prohibiting Decorative Turf

/in , , /by /Marin Independent Journalby Will Houston

The Marin Municipal Water District is proposing a ban on decorative grass at commercial and municipal properties to reduce demand on local reservoir supplies.

The proposal would require most nonfunctional turf be removed over several years. Under the proposal presented by staff last month, commercial properties would be barred from installing new decorative turf beginning in March.

The prohibition would not affect residential properties, churches, homeowners association common areas, sports fields, golf course greens and play areas such as in schools and parks.

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