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California’s Drought Largely Wiped Out After Winter Of Soaking Rain, Heavy Sierra Snowpack

/in , /by /The Weather Channelby Jonathan Belles

Years of drought have been nearly wiped out by an active storm track in California this winter and drought conditions have dramatically improved across the West, and this trend is expected to persist into the spring. A dominant weather pattern featuring a southward dip in the jet stream over the West has allowed a series of precipitation-rich storm systems to track through the region, especially over the last two months.

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DWR Increasing Hyatt Powerplant Releases, Water Reaches Oroville Dam Spillway Gates

/in , /by /Oroville Mercury-Registerby Risa Johnson

The state Department of Water Resources plans to increase releases from Hyatt Powerplant to prepare for forecasted weather and water storage considerations. Lake Oroville was at 817 feet elevation, about 67.6 percent of its total capacity, on Wednesday afternoon. DWR said in a press release Tuesday that 10-day projections showed the lake reaching 835 feet on March 15. DWR plans to increase outflows from Hyatt Powerplant from 5,000 cubic feet per second, or cfs, to 7,000 cfs. “As updated forecasts are issued, DWR may consider increasing or decreasing outflow by using Hyatt Powerplant and/or the main spillway, to manage lake levels,” the department stated in a press release.

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Trump Pressure On California Water Plan Excludes Public, Rushes Science, Emails Show

/in , /by /KQED (San Francisco)by Lauren Sommer

The Trump Administration has ordered federal biologists to speed up critical decisions about whether to send more water from Northern California to farmers in the Central Valley, a move that critics say threatens the integrity of the science and cuts the public out of the process. The decisions will control irrigation for millions of acres of farmland in the country’s biggest agricultural economy, drinking water for two-thirds of Californians from Silicon Valley to San Diego, and the fate of endangered salmon and other fish.

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Skiing In July? Squaw Valley Extends Season Amid Record Snowfall Near Tahoe

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Michael McGough

Ready to hit the slopes in Tahoe? You’ve got plenty of time. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has announced it will extend its ski season through July 7 this year due to record-setting snow totals. As of Wednesday, the resort had seen 596 inches on the season, with 315 falling in February alone, according to a news release. As late as July 7 may sound, it’s not a record for Squaw Valley. Just two years earlier, the resort stayed open until July 15, which remains the Alpine Meadows record.

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Federal Efforts To Raise Shasta Dam By 18.5 Feet Spark Conversations About Environmental Impacts

/in , /by /The Daily Californian (Berkeley, Calif.)by Emily Hom

Recent plans to enlarge California’s Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet have raised concerns over possible cultural and ecological implications on wildlife among the Winnemem Wintu people and environmental groups alike. Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River is run by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which has been evaluating its potential raise for more than 20 years. After a 2015 feasibility report and environmental impact statement, the bureau determined that an 18.5-foot raise would cost about $1.3 billion.

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OPINION: Groundwater Aquifers: Unseen And Underappreciated

/in , /by /Sonoma West Times and News (Sonoma, Calif.)by Ann DuBay

You can’t see them. You can’t swim in them. But groundwater aquifers are one of the most important sources of water in the North Coast. Aquifers are water-rich underground areas. They aren’t like lakes or pools but are composed of water-filled areas between rocks, sands and gravels. Plants and animals benefit from groundwater when it’s near the surface, and feeds creeks and streams. Humans tap into aquifers through wells used for drinking, irrigating crops and operating businesses. People who live in rural areas rely almost exclusively on groundwater, and while cities in Sonoma County get most of their water from the Russian River, groundwater provides a critical back-up source that is used during droughts or in emergencies.

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Valley Water Agencies Say They’re Prepared To Handle This Year’s High Rainfall

/in , /by /ABC 30 (Fresno, Calif.)by Reuben Contreras

Our above-average rainfall is a concern for several water agencies in the Central Valley. While the high rainfall totals are a good thing, there is the task of how to manage and store all that water. The California Water Institute at Fresno State does just that. They say a valuable lesson was learned during the wet year of 2017. “A lot more of the agricultural entities in particular and even some cities are using a lot of their facilities for recharge this year to get much of that water into the ground,” said Sarge Green, Water Management Specialist.

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Live Oak Site Prioritized For New Water Purification Plant

/in , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinelby Jessica A. York

The Soquel Creek Water District board members on Tuesday said they were convinced the planned Pure Water Soquel plant should be split into two sites — partly in the city of Santa Cruz and partly in Live Oak. When approving the Pure Water Soquel project in December, board members prioritized building a final-stage purification plant at a lot at the corner of Chanticleer Avenue and Soquel Drive and an initial “tertiary” treatment facility at the city of Santa Cruz’s Wastewater Treatment Facility on California Street. At the same time, the board told district staff to undertake a parallel investigation of building a two-story full purification and tertiary treatment plant at the wastewater facility — so long as the effort did not delay the overall project.

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PART 6: Southern Nevada Water Agency Intensifies Turf War

/in , /by /Las Vegas Review-Journalby Henry Brean

Saving water in Las Vegas is an all-out turf war, and the campaign is far from over. Since 1999, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has overseen the removal of more than 187 million square……We hope you’re enjoying our content. Subscribe today to continue reading this story, and all of our stories, for just 99 cents.

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Water Seeping Down Reconstructed Oroville Dam Spillway

/in , /by /Redding Record Searchlightby David Benda

Water is starting to seep down the rebuilt Oroville Dam spillway. California Department of Water Resources officials said Wednesday this is common and will not affect the operation of the dam’s gates, which are not watertight. “Once the lake reaches or exceeds the elevation of the entrance gates (813 feet) a small amount of water is expected to seep through the gates as they are not watertight,” water resources spokeswoman Erin Mellon said. “This is common and does not affect the operation of the gates nor the spillway.”

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