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When Water is Scarce, Some Researchers Go Underground to Find Out Why

/in , , /by /KAWCby Alex Hager and Aspen Public Radio

When it comes to water in the West, a lot of it is visible. Snow stacks up high in the mountains then eventually melts and flows down into valleys. It’s easy to see how heavy rains and rushing rivers translate into an abundance of available water. But another important factor of water availability is much harder to see. Beneath the surface, the amount of moisture held in the ground can play a big role in how much water makes it down to rivers and reservoirs – and eventually into the pipes that feed homes and businesses.

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Imperial Valley Farmer Michael Abatti Hoping to Take IID to the U.S. Supreme Court

/in , /by /Desert Sunby Mark Olalde

The fight between Imperial Valley farmer Michael Abatti and the Imperial Irrigation District over control of the district’s massive allotment of Colorado River water could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court if Abatti gets his way.

He and his lawyers have announced that they have petitioned the nation’s highest court to take up the litigation that has dragged on since 2013.

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Opinion: With San Francisco Bay On Life Support, Newsom Withholds the Cure

/in , /by /CalMattersby Jon Rosenfield

San Francisco Bay’s life support systems are unravelling quickly, and a wealth of science indicates that unsustainable water diversions are driving this estuary’s demise.

Yet, with another drought looming, federal and state water managers still plan to divert large amounts of water to their contractors and drain upstream reservoirs this summer. Meanwhile, the state’s most powerful water districts are preparing yet another proposal to maintain excessive water diversions for the long-term.

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Drought Takes Hold in West After Second Dry Winter

/in , , /by /Western FarmPress by Tim Hearden

Dry conditions in the Southwest, largely associated with La Niña, have intensified what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling the most significant U.S. spring drought since 2013, affecting an estimated 74 million people.

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Lessons Learned from Previous California Drought Helpful in ‘Dry Years’

/in , , /by /KCRA3by Melanie Wingo

As the rain season comes to a close across Northern California, water districts are keeping a close eye on rain totals that are below average, and water managers are explaining what another “dry water year” means for our region. According to California’s Department of Water Resources, or DWR, the state is well into its second consecutive dry year. That causes concern among water managers. However, it comes as no surprise.

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Opinion: The 2021 Drought is Already an Emergency

/in , , /by /Bakersfield Californianby Royce Fast

The 2021 drought is quickly becoming an emergency. Kern County’s supply from the State Water Project has been reduced to just 5 percent of a full allocation. Rainfall is about half of average. And with each passing dry day, the drought gets worse.

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Colorado River Tribes Aim to Establish ‘One Unified Voice’ in Policy Talks

/in , , /by /KUNCby Luke Runyon

The Fort Yuma-Quechan Indian Tribe is situated at a nexus in the Colorado River Basin. That’s true in a geographic sense. The tribe’s reservation overlays the Arizona-California border near Yuma, Arizona. The two states are heavily reliant on water from the Colorado River. The reservation also abuts the U.S.-Mexico border where the river flows into Mexico for use in cities and on farms. One of the river’s largest irrigation projects, the All-American Canal, was dug through the tribe’s land, and flows from the reservation’s northeastern boundary to its far southwestern corner, on its way to irrigate crops in California’s Imperial Valley.

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6 Alarming Facts About America’s Water Industry

/in , , /by /GOBankingRates by Andrew Lisa

America is one thirsty country. The U.S. consumes 322 billion gallons of water every single day, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The most, 133 billion gallons, goes to thermoelectric power. Next is irrigation at 118 billion gallons a day. The last big category is the 39 billion gallons of water that go to personal consumption. That’s the stuff that cooks the pasta and wets the washcloths and cleans the car tires and pours down the drains of millions of showers, sinks and toilets every second of every day. And the following is just one little drop in that great, big bucket.

In the early 1990s, most bottled water came from small, regional companies. In the ensuing years, control of the market has become concentrated among just a few giant corporations. Today, No. 1 Aquafina and No. 2 Dasani each do more than $1 billion in sales.

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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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