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

Valley’s Westside Farmers are Angling for a Water Lifeline. Federal Water Officials Could Cut it Off.

/in , , /by /The Sunby Alex Tavlian

As farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley struggle to irrigate crops and weather an ever-worsening historic drought, a bit of relief could be on the horizon courtesy of farmers in the north Valley.

But it could be all for naught if Federal water managers don’t sign-off.

What’s at stake? A proposed transfer of 100,000 acre-feet of water from the Southern San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) and Oakdale Irrigation District to farmers utilizing water from the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority.

Full Story

Tulare County Takes Over East Orosi Water System

/in , , /by /The Sun Gazetteby Ben Irwin

Help may be on the horizon for the about 700 residents of East Orosi dependent on bottled water. The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has directed county staff to begin negotiating the scope of work and a budget with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water for the county to take control of the East Orosi Community Services District public water system.

Of the thousands of water systems in the state, East Orosi CSD is one of just seven California water systems under a mandatory consolidation order by way of Senate Bill (SB) 88, which enables the state water board to order consolidations for water systems in disadvantaged communities that are consistently out of compliance.

Full Story

San Jose: New Drought Rules Limit Lawn Watering to Two Days a Week

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

San Jose’s largest retail water provider on Tuesday announced new rules aimed at increasing water conservation as the state’s drought worsens and reservoir levels drop — chief among them a limit on watering lawns and landscaping to no more than two days a week.

San Jose Water Company, which serves 1 million people who live in San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, parts of Cupertino and Redwood Estates, said the new rules take effect immediately.

Full Story

Water Shortages: Why Some Californians are Running Out in 2021 and Others Aren’t

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

In Los Angeles, people have been hearing about the dangers of drought for decades. But in this land of infinity pools and backyard putting greens — better suited for rattlesnakes and scrub — water never seems to run out.

Yet little Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, which gets a bountiful 38 inches of rain in an average year and sits near the headwaters of the Russian River, has been devastated by this year’s drought. Each resident has been told to use no more than 55 gallons per day — enough to fill a bathtub and flush a toilet six times.

And in San Jose, where less than half of its usual rain has fallen this year, people have been asked to cut water use by 15% — a target that could become mandatory if locals fail to comply.

When it comes to the impact of drought, location is key. Rain and snow vary greatly across California’s myriad microclimates, leaving some towns, mostly in the north, accustomed to yearly refills of their rivers, reservoirs and aquifers. Others farther south have fewer natural supplies of their own, and in parts of the Central Valley, the drought never really left.

Full Story

NASA Images Show Effects of Drought on California’s Largest Reservoirs

/in , , /by /The Press Democratby Elissa Chudwin

Satellite images recently released by NASA show how drought has affected Northern California’s Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, the largest reservoirs in the state. NASA compared images taken earlier in June with images taken in the summer of 2019 to illustrate how water levels have declined over the two-year period.

Full Story

Where Did Sierra Snow Go this Spring? Not Into California Rivers and Water Supplies

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

California’s severe drought was made worse this year by a shocking surprise.

Every year, much of the drinking water that flows through the taps of millions of Californians begins in the Sierra Nevada. Snow and rain fall on the vast mountain range during the winter months, and the water moves downhill into streams, rivers and reservoirs in the spring and summer.

But this year, in a trend that startled water managers, much of that runoff simply vanished.

Full Story

These Parts of California are Most Vulnerable to Drought

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Yoohyun Jung

As California’s drought continues to intensify, thousands of water agencies across the state are now facing restrictions. For many large water districts, like those serving San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, this isn’t a huge problem, as they have ample water reserves. But many rural areas of the state and smaller water systems are more vulnerable, and the drought could have devastating consequences.

California’s last drought, which lasted from 2011 to 2017, was particularly hard on rural communities and small water suppliers, state officials say. In 2016, the California legislature passed a law tasking the state’s Department of Water Resources to identify the most vulnerable communities and make recommendations to help them plan for emergencies.

Full Story

Against Expectations, Southwestern Summers Are Getting Even Drier

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Henry Fountain

The Southwest, already the driest region in the United States, has become even drier since the mid-20th century, particularly on the hottest days, according to new research. Humidity has declined in summers over the past seven decades, the research showed, and the declines have accelerated since 2000, a period of persistent drought in the region. Extreme heat coupled with lower humidity increases wildfire risk, said Karen McKinnon, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, and lead author of a paper in Nature Climate Change describing the research and findings.

Full Story

City Approves Purchase of Desalination Unit

/in , /by /Fort Bragg Advocate-Newsby Robin Epley

The Fort Bragg City Council’s special meeting on Monday went fairly quickly — all of 10 minutes — and unanimously approved the purchase of a desalination and reverse osmosis machine for no more than $335,818.50.

At the last city council meeting, city staff requested the council set aside $600,000 to pursue various options during this summer’s expected drought, including hurdles with sourcing and permitting.

The flow in the Noyo River, which is the city’s primary water source in summer and fall months, is at levels below the worst drought year on record, 1977.

Full Story

Opinion: Farmers and Ranchers Need Support During Drought

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Karen Ross and David Shabazian

While California is known for its world-famous entertainment industry and ever-transforming tech sector, agriculture is the often-overlooked backbone of our diverse state and one of its earliest economic engines.

Our state’s multigenerational farmers and ranchers not only feed Californians, but also supply one-third of our country’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts, while also leading the nation in milk production.