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From Killer Heatwaves to Floods, Climate Change Worsened Weather Extremes in 2021

/in , , /by /Reutersby Lisa Shumaker and Andrea Januta

Extreme weather events in 2021 shattered records around the globe. Hundreds died in storms and heatwaves. Farmers struggled with drought, and in some cases with locust plagues. Wildfires set new records for carbon emissions, while swallowing forests, towns and homes.

Many of these events were exacerbated by climate change. Scientists say there are more to come – and worse – as the Earth’s atmosphere continues to warm through the next decade and beyond.

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Opinion: Governor’s Drought Solutions: Too Little, Too Late

/in , /by /The Mercury News

Four words sum up Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest effort to ease the impact of the drought: too little, too late.

California needs to take far more aggressive action to ensure a reliable source of water for 2022 and beyond. Newsom’s administration is targeting unreasonable waste by urban users, who consume 20% of the state’s water. It’s time for him also to get aggressive with Big Ag, which sucks up the other 80%.

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A Colorado River Veteran Takes on the Top Water & Science Post at Interior Department

/in , /by /Water Education Foundationby Douglas E. Beeman

For more than 20 years, Tanya Trujillo has been immersed in the many challenges of the Colorado River, the drought-stressed lifeline for 40 million people from Denver to Los Angeles and the source of irrigation water for more than 5 million acres of winter lettuce, supermarket melons and other crops.

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How San Diego County’s Water Conservation Efforts Have Prepared Them for Severe Drought Conditions

/in , , /by /ABC 7 Los Angeles by Reporter: Phillip Palmer and Videographer Darryl Kim Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

California will soak up some much needed rain this week on the heels of a sobering decision from the state to drastically reduce water distribution to the Los Angeles area due to our ongoing drought.

Meanwhile, the San Diego County Water Authority gets less than 1% of its water from the state, a remarkable difference from the 95% the agency received from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in the early 1990s. Conservation became a way of life in San Diego. Water use per day has been reduced by 50% since 1990 and remains consistent with levels seen during our last drought between 2012 and 2016.

Conservation a way of life in San Diego County

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10 Minutes With Sandra Kerl

/in , , /by /BC WaterNews (Brown and Caldwell)by Wendy Broley and Mike Puccio Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl recently sat down with Brown and Caldwell’s Wendy Broley, director of technical practices, and Mike Puccio, Southern California operations director, to talk about her experience dealing with unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, and drought.

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Daily Showers Paving The Way For Heavy Rain Next Week

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

Light to moderate precipitation in Southern California on Thursday may pave the way for a much stronger Pacific storm early next week, forecasters said.

Thursday’s drizzle is expected to deliver about a quarter-inch of rain to the Los Angeles area — only slightly more than the rainfall totals earlier this week — and taper off by the early evening.

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With The Colorado River in Crisis, Those Who Decide Its Future Gather Under One Roof

/in , , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

The river that supplies water to about 40 million people is getting worryingly dry. Since the federal government officially declared a water shortage this summer, the Colorado River has been thrust into national headlines, and so have the scientists and decision makers who track and shape its future.

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EPA Invites 39 New Projects to Apply for Water Infrastructure Loans

/in , , /by /Water & Wastes Digestby Cristina Tuser

Four projects are being added to a waitlist as well. According to the EPA, as funds become available, $6.7 billion in WIFIA loans will help finance over $15 billion in water infrastructure projects to protect public health and water quality across 24 states.

“Far too many communities still face significant water challenges, making these transformative investments in water infrastructure so crucial,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in the EPA news release. “The WIFIA invited projects will deliver major benefits like the creation of good-paying jobs and the safeguarding of public health, especially in underserved and under-resourced communities. This program is a shining example of the public health and economic opportunities that will be achieved under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

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Some In California Have to Limit Their Daily Water Usage to 55 gallons. Here’s What That Means for Everyday Activities

/in , , /by /CBS Newsby Carter Evans

Extreme drought in California is forcing drastic measures on the 200,000 residents in Marin County. They have been told to cut their water usage to just 55 gallons a day.

A 10-minute shower uses about 25 gallons. A load of laundry uses 40 gallons of water. A single sprinkler head can spray out 15 gallons per minute.

The new restrictions mean no refilling swimming pools or fountains. Residents can’t wash their car in their driveways, and outdoor irrigation is prohibited.

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Opinion: Dick Spotswood: Group Behind Water Pipeline Lawsuit Should Exhibit Transparency

/in , /by /Marin Indepedent Journalby Dick Spotwood
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone filed a lawsuit to stop the Marin Municipal Water District’s proposed water pipelines across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

This is another example that in America — alone in the developed world — when anyone is displeased with decisions made by elected officials they instantly go to court. The result is inevitable whether or not the disgruntled claimants ultimately lose their case. Taxpayers and water users will pay more to fund the litigation and endure cost increases resulting when projects are interminably delayed.

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