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Water Shortages and Fires Loom After a Dry Winter

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Vindu Goel and Jill Cowan

Good morning.

The weather forecast today calls for sunshine across the state, with barely a cloud on the horizon for the next week or so.

Pour yourself a nice, cool glass of water — and then think about how you’re going to start conserving it.

The lack of rain and snow during what is usually California’s wet season has shrunk the state’s water supply. The Sierra Nevada snowpack, a crucial source of water as it melts over the spring and summer, is currently at 65 percent of normal. Major reservoirs are also low.

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Southwestern US Experiencing Warmest Weather in Months

/in , , /by /AccuWeatherby Jessica Storm

The warm air that moved into the Southwestern states over the weekend will stick around on Monday, with temperatures soaring to their highest levels since 2020.

Some cities are forecast to come as close as 5 degrees Fahrenheit from record high temperatures.

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Utah is a Leader in Cloud Seeding. Is it Working?

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Zac Podmore

Utah’s winter sports industry may claim the greatest snow on Earth, but for skiers and water watchers alike, there is hardly ever enough powder.

For nearly 50 years, the second-driest state in the nation has been giving natural winter storms an engineered boost to help deepen its snowpack through a program largely funded by state taxpayers, local governments and water conservancy districts.

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Early Indicators of Drought Surface in Santa Cruz County

/in , , /by /The Santa Cruz Sentinelby Hannah Hagemann

As cherry blossoms and calla lilies spring to life, the sun shines and rain showers begin to seem like a distant memory. Spring is here, and with it Santa Cruz County has begun to show early indications of drought, with little reprieve in sight.

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Industry Eyeing EPA’s Hustle to Control ‘Forever Chemicals’

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Pat Rizzuto

Industry attorneys say they’re bracing for a wave of corporate liability and litigation as the Biden administration works swiftly to fulfill a campaign promise to control “forever chemicals.”

The Environmental Protection Agency this month announced it’s working on three water-related regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. It sent a fourth chemical data-collection proposal to the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, for approval.

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California Weighs Changes for New Water Rights Permits in Response to a Warmer and Drier Climate

/in , , /by /Western Water (Water Education Foundation)by Gary Pitzer

As California’s seasons become warmer and drier, state officials are pondering whether the water rights permitting system needs revising to better reflect the reality of climate change’s effect on the timing and volume of the state’s water supply. A report for the State Water Resources Control Board recommends tailoring new water rights permits to California’s increasingly volatile hydrology. And it warns that the increasingly whiplash nature of California’s changing climate could require existing rights holders to curtail diversions more often and in more watersheds — or open opportunities to grab more water in climate-induced floods.

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America’s Obsession With Wipes is Tearing Up Sewer Systems

/in , , /by /Bloomberg CityLabby Gerald Porter Jr.

Across the U.S., cities and towns are being forced to throw more money at solving blockages as consumers buy (and flush) more wipes than ever. Even before the pandemic, Americans were already flushing far too many wipes into the sewer system. After a year of staying at home, the pipe-clogging problem has gotten worse.

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Opinion: Too Many in Arizona Lack Water Security. It’s Time to Rethink How We Manage It

/in , , /by /AZ Centralby Chris Kuzdas and Haley Paul

The past year has shown Arizonans how critical water is to all we hold dear. It’s a pillar of public health, a precious and finite resource, and the lifeblood of our economy and food production.

Water is essential for life, and climate change is shrinking already scarce supplies. Fortunately, we also know what we can do now to help safeguard our water.

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The Water Tap: Utah’s Exceptional Drought Calls for Exceptional Measures. Or Does It?

/in , /by /The Spectrumby Joan Meiners

Last week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order declaring a statewide drought emergency. In the press release that followed, he urged Utahns to “evaluate their water use and find ways to save not only because of current drought conditions but also because we live in one of the driest states in the nation.”

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Ban On U.S. Water Shutoffs Could Have Prevented Thousands of Covid Deaths – Study

/in , , /by /The Guardianby Nina Lakhani

A national moratorium on water shutoffs could have prevented almost half a million Covid infections and saved at least 9,000 lives, according to new research. Good hygiene is essential to preventing the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. Amid pressure from public health experts and rights groups, hundreds of utilities and states suspended disconnections for overdue bills to ensure households kept running water for hand-washing and sanitation.

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