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Statewide Water Savings Down To Single Digits In October
Water conservation statewide dipped into single digits during October according to a report issued last week by the State Water Resources Control Board. The water board said on average Californians used 8.5 percent less water than in October 2013, the benchmark pre-drought year. Mandatory water conservation targets and penalties for excessive use were dropped this spring, and the conservation numbers have declined pretty steadily since then.
Pay To Fix Dams Or Pay More In A Catastrophe
California’s dam inspectors appear to be doing their jobs well. Unfortunately, too many dam operators aren’t, and could be placing the public at risk. That’s the conclusion we reached after reading a report by The Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, we’ll be left with no choice except to invest in flood control and other water-related public works – including better maintaining the levees that keep our rivers in their channels and out of our homes.
3 Ways The Course Of Water Sustainability Changed In 2017
It is always difficult to reflect back on a year and identify the most notable annual events on any given issue. Water is no different and perhaps more challenging. Progress in the water sector, for the most part, seems at times to move at a glacial pace with a few exceptions. As I look back on 2017, these three issues are worth highlighting.
Lake Tahoe Weather: No Snow In Forecast; Low Temperatures To Reach Single Digits
Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will continue to see dry conditions for the next week, and possibly longer, according to the National Weather Service. Sunshine and clear skies are in the forecast for the Tahoe Basin through the week. Some clouds could move into the region Friday evening, but they are not expected to bring precipitation. Low temperatures in the region will range from single digits to the high teens, with the exception of Friday, when the low could range from 20 to 30 degrees. High temperatures will range from the mid 40s to low 50s.
Second La Niña Winter Could Extend Drought Across the West
Winter is off to a dry start across the West, raising the specter of ongoing drought in many locations. The culprit could be La Niña – a periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator that often brings drought. And not just any La Niña, but a “double whammy” effect, which latest research concludes may cause even worse water shortages.
State Releases Analysis of Oroville Spillway Cracks
The California Department of Water Resources has released a technical memorandum laying out its detailed explanation for widespread cracking that has appeared in concrete placed this year during the Oroville Dam spillway rebuilding project. The report, embedded below recounts measures taken to prevent cracking in the massive slabs intended to serve as the final, finished concrete surface in two large sections of the spillway. The document was compiled after an Oct. 2 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission letter asked DWR to explain the cracks and document their extent.
OPINION: California Dam Repairs Will Cost Billions. Can We Afford Not To Spend It?
California’s dam inspectors appear to be doing their jobs well. Unfortunately, too many dam operators are falling down on the job, and could be placing the public at risk. That’s the message of a report by The Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler. It’s also a part of life in California. As vast swaths of Southern California smolder from the unusual late-season fires this dry December, people naturally are focusing less on rain, potential flooding or dam safety.
Progress on New Binational Drought Plan in Colorado Basin Slow Going
States, federal and Mexican officials hailed a binational agreement this fall that they said could lead to a radical shift in how the region prepares for and responds to drought. But three months later, they appear no closer to a drought contingency plan, as negotiations have pitted states and water districts against one another, as the U.S. tries to hammer out details of the plan.
There’s No Rain in Sight. So Why is Southern California Bracing For Floods, Mudslides?
Even as charred hillsides smoldered from a series of wildfires that tore through Los Angeles County, state and local officials were planning last week to head into burn areas to assess slopes and culverts, in an effort to prevent flash floods and mudslides that can occur after a massive blaze.
