The water content of California’s mountain snowpack was just over half of the normal average on Tuesday, a modest increase from Jan. 1 but still far below the usual, state officials said.
Officials say they expect to release some water from the Oroville Dam’s main spillway on Wednesday. The operation comes as a strong atmospheric river sets its sights on Northern California.
A pair of atmospheric rivers is expected to hit the Western United States and Canada in the coming days.
California is no stranger to drought, and for decades, the state’s governors have been urging residents to conserve water. About 20 years ago, Assembly Bill 2572 was signed, requiring water suppliers to install water meters on all water connections by 2025. However, a water meter shortage is getting in the way of meeting that deadline.
California ushered in the New Year with a dry and disappointing snowpack in the Sierra Nevada — just 25% of the historical average. But in the month since, like the stock market and the 49ers playoff hopes, the picture has improved significantly.
In the latest episode of Dropping By from Stormwater Solutions, Joe Mouawad, general manager of the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) talks about EMWD’s emphasis on groundwater desalination.
Tearing out your lawn can be a tough decision, especially if you have children or dogs who love to roll and play. Or — no judgment here — maybe you just enjoy the visual serenity of a swath of green in a region where the hills go brown in the summer.
The Western United States and Canada are likely to see excessive rain and heavy snowfall from a sequence of back-to-back atmospheric rivers beginning this weekend and continuing into next week.
A Tulare County official who’s faced multiple droughts and devastating floods over the past decade appreciated the California Water Commission’s latest “policy paper” on how best to respond to such calamities but she had some advice of her own for the state.
All aboard the Pineapple Express this week in California as some coastal ranges could see up to 8 inches of rain before the end of the week, and Los Angeles and San Diego could be in for more monumental flooding.
