The battle over whether California should build a $20-billion water tunnel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is escalating, with Gov. Gavin Newsom pushing to lay the groundwork for the project before his term expires and state water regulators considering whether to grant a key authorization.
Central Iowans should feel safe drinking tap water. That’s the message behind a new information campaign, Water for All, which seeks to give immigrants and refugees reliable and science-based information about tap water in Polk County. The campaign, a joint $150,000 project between Polk County, Des Moines Water Works and the University of Iowa, is based on a study that found low-income and refugee residents are more likely to drink and spend money on bottled water instead of tap water.
Some measure the year by calendar, by birth dates or by tax returns. For California water managers, the key date is April 1. That’s when researchers push their trusty tubes down into the snow covering the Sierra Nevada to see how much has accumulated just as the wet season typically peaks. How’d we do this water year?
California isn’t recycling nearly enough water, according to a new report by UCLA researchers, who say the state should treat and reuse more wastewater to help address the Colorado River’s chronic shortages.
Project Nexus: California’s first solar-covered canals.
The initiative that’s been years in the making is now generating electricity while conserving the state’s water supply.
California’s snowpack has hit a 25-year milestone, reaching 96 percent of the historical average.
The accumulation of snow in the Sierra Nevada and other high-altitude regions serves as a critical water source for the state.
Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, over opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warn the move will lead to medical problems and disproportionately affect low-income communities.
The Kern County Water Agency voted Thursday to pony up its $32.6 million share of planning and pre-construction costs for the so-called delta tunnel after its member districts gave a somewhat grudging go-ahead.
Significant snow falling in the Sierra Nevada over the next few days could be the region’s last big snow dump of the season, showcasing a dramatic rebound for the snowpack that provides a significant portion of California’s water reserves through the rest of the year.
Despite some heavy rainstorms and squalls of snow in recent months, the Sierra Nevada snowpack today stands at 90% of average, according to state officials.
This year’s measurements mark the first below-average snowpack since 2022, when it dropped to a dismal 38% of the historical average.
