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As Winter Arrives, Rain Ignites Waterfalls Across Northern California

A late arrival to winter is taking hold, and every creek, river and waterfall is acquiring its own personality. Some, like Silver Falls in the remote Santa Cruz Mountains, are roaring, having been jump-started by 7 inches of rain in the past week. Others, like Carson Falls in the Marin Watershed, have been brought to life in recent days, including 5.7 inches of rain a week ago Monday, with more on the way Thursday, Friday and early next week.

OPINION: How to Decide if a Single Delta Tunnel Makes Sense

One of Jerry Brown’s biggest failures as governor has been his stubborn, foolhardy approach to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that provides a portion of the drinking water for 25 million Californians, including more than 5 million South Bay and East Bay residents. The news Friday that the Brown administration is reportedly scaling back his $17 billion, twin-tunnel plan to a single tunnel at slightly more than half the cost is a relief for Northern Californians fearing a massive Southern California water grab at the expense of the health of the Delta.

Why Millions Of Dead Trees In The Sierra May Have Helped Save Water During The Drought

The millions of trees that died in the Sierra Nevada during California’s five-year drought may have actually helped the state’s water supply once the historic dry spell finally ended, according to a new study. Scientists led by UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute examined how much water was being absorbed by plant life in 1 million acres of Sierra forest along the watershed that feeds into the Kings River east of Fresno. The study, published Friday in the journal Scientific Reports, spanned the years before, during and after the drought, which officially ended last year.

OPINION: Dan Walters: Forensic Report Confirms Oroville Dam Lapses

The verdict is in and California stands convicted of gross negligence in the construction and maintenance of the nation’s highest dam, Oroville. The dam on the Feather River came very close to failing last year, forcing the evacuation of a quarter-million people living downstream. Heavy outflows revealed structural flaws in the dam’s concrete spillway and when dam operators switched to an auxiliary spillway that dumped water onto an “unarmored” earthen hillside, it quickly eroded, threatening the entire structure with collapse.

Illegal Meetings In Delta Tunnels Case, Opponents Claim

A state agency that is supposed to independently judge the merits of Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed Delta tunnels has simultaneously been holding meetings illegally with project proponents, critics allege in a pair of motions filed this week. The State Water Resources Control Board on Thursday is scheduled to resume lengthy public hearings that could result in a permit that would allow the $17 billion project to move forward.

State Moves Step Closer To Downsizing Delta Tunnels Project

California officials have moved closer to scaling back the troubled Delta tunnels project, officially notifying potential construction contractors that they’re considering limiting the project to one tunnel. In a memo to engineering firms and other contract bidders last Friday, the Department of Water Resources said it is considering building the tunnels project in phases, with the first phase consisting of “one main tunnel instead of two.”

Calif. Shifting to ‘More Agreeable’ Delta Tunnel Plan

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is working to scale back his signature infrastructure proposal: a $17 billion plan to build a pair of water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Three Fresh Storms Aimed at Sacramento, Sierra

Three more rainstorms took aim at the Sacramento area Monday, as the region’s dry spell continued to gradually give way to more normalized winter conditions. The National Weather Service said Monday’s foggy conditions were expected to turn rainy as the day wore on, with most of the rain not forecast until late in the evening. The rainy weather was expected to let up shortly after the Tuesday morning commute.

VIDEO: Take a Captivating Aerial Tour of California’s Massive Water System

The Department of Water Resources has released a fly-over video of the State Water Project, the water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants and pumping plants serving 25 million Californians and 750,000 acres of irrigated farmland. The video begins in Northern California.

Three Fresh Storms Aimed At Sacramento, Sierra

Three more rainstorms took aim at the Sacramento area Monday, as the region’s dry spell continued to gradually give way to more normalized winter conditions. The National Weather Service said Monday’s foggy conditions were expected to turn rainy as the day wore on, with most of the rain not forecast until late in the evening. The rainy weather was expected to let up shortly after the Tuesday morning commute.