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Forty Atmospheric Rivers Have Hit West Coast Since October

/in , , /by /The Weather Channelby Chris Dolce

More than three dozen atmospheric rivers made landfall on the West Coast from fall through early spring, but a lack of strong events in California led to the development of drought conditions in parts of the state.

An atmospheric river is a thin, but long plume of moisture in the atmosphere that stretches from the Pacific Ocean tropics or subtropics into higher latitudes. They provide a boost to the rain and snow totals produced by storm systems taking aim at the West Coast, mostly from late fall into early spring. Although these events can bring hazardous impacts, they are also beneficial since they help replenish the water supply in the West.

atmospheric rivers-SIO-graphic 2020

The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography studies atmospheric rivers and other extreme weather. Graphic: CW3E Scripps/UC San Diego

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Water Utilities May Face Virus-Linked Protective Gear Shortages

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environmentby Amena H. Saiyid

Nearly three in four water and wastewater treatment plants are worried about running out of masks, gowns, and gloves to protect workers from the deadly coronavirus, according to a survey of utilities.

The survey, released late Tuesday, reveals that the same proportion of utilities are also concerned about being able to keep workers 6 feet apart at all times to prevent transmission of the virus that causes Covid-19.

The findings are a snapshot of the concerns a subset of the nation’s water and wastewater utilities shared with the nonprofit American Water Works Association, which conducted the survey March 25-30. Responses came from 532 utilities, and the margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

With the nation grappling to keep the coronavirus pandemic in check, clean and safe running water for washing hands and other cleaning has been deemed an essential service.

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Cities are Flouting Flood Rules. The Cost: $1 Billion

/in , /by /The New York Timesby Christopher Flavelle and John Schwartz

It’s a simple rule, designed to protect both homeowners and taxpayers: If you want publicly subsidized flood insurance, you can’t build a home that’s likely to flood.

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California Greenlights Massive Klamath River Dam Removal

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Jeremy P. Jacobs

The largest dam removal project in U.S. history came one step closer to fruition this week, as California issued permits for breaching the four dams on the Klamath River.

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Lawsuits Vowed as Feds, California Take Divergent Water Routes

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Emily C. Dooley

California’s decision to depart from federal regulations when managing its water supplies is causing strife across the water world.

The state recently got a new permit for water delivery operations from its wildlife agency. In the past, that kind of authority came from adhering to federal rules. Now, with a dispute between the state and federal government over water management and endangered species act protections, the state issued its own permit.

Critics of the state’s move say they plan to file lawsuits. Different detractors say the rules are too stringent, or too weak.

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April Rains Have Put a Dent in the Drought, at Least in Southern California

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

U.S. Drought Monitor data released Thursday show that less of California is abnormally dry, and more of the state is drought-free.

The improvement is mostly in Southern California and along the Central Coast, while data for Northern California show little change.

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One Way to Potentially Track Covid-19? Sewage Surveillance

/in , /by /Wiredby Gregory Barber

How many people have been infected with the new coronavirus? A group of Bay Area researchers aims to find out—by tracking what’s in the local wastewater.

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Lawmakers Urge Governor Newsom to Reconsider Incidental Take Permit

/in , , /by /AGnet Westby Brian German

Several Congressional leaders sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom expressing disappointment in the decision to issue an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for long-term operations of the State Water Project.  The six Members of Congress who represent a large portion of California noted that the ITP will have a detrimental impact on cooperative efforts to govern California waterways.

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Record-Setting Storm to Continue Crawl Over California into Friday

/in , , /by /AccuWeatherby Renee Duff

A nearly stationary storm will be slow to wring out all of its moisture over central and Southern California into the end of the week.

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Opinion: Essential or Not, All Construction Requires Enhanced Safety Protocols

/in , /by /Construction Diveby Greg Sizemore

Across the United States, communities are working diligently to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. From healthcare to food distribution and other essential services, all industries are assessing ways to keep their workforce healthy and safe while meeting the needs of our nation during this time of crisis.

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