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Migration From Sea-Level Rise Could Reshape Cities Inland

When Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana in 2005, cities inland saw an influx of evacuees escaping the storm and its aftermath. Now, a new University of Georgia study predicts that this could happen again as a result of sea-level rise. In a paper published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers estimate that approximately 13.1 million people could be displaced by rising ocean waters, with Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix as top destinations for those forced to relocate.

Without A Drought, California Takes Stock

In response to this year’s wet winter weather and effective water conservation, California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared the Golden State’s more than 5-year-long drought over, for the most part. With the exception of four counties, Brown lifted the official drought emergency on April 7. Even as he did so, however, he emphasized the importance of preparing for future droughts — and dealing with the fallout from the one that just ended. “This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner,” Brown said in a statement. “Conservation must remain a way of life.”

BLOG: Water Transfers: Crucial to Western Rivers, But State Programs Lacking

Oregon and Washington lead the way in state programs that facilitate environmental water transfers. A new Stanford study concludes Colorado Basin states, including California, have lots of catching up to do. Water transfers are an important way to share a limited resource, especially to help fish and habitats that were historically left with scraps when water rights were parceled out around the West. The water for such transfers usually comes from farmers, who free up water through some kind of conservation measure. By transferring the saved water, a farmer can help imperiled fish and make some money.

State Awards $275 Million Contract For Oroville Dam Repairs

Kiewit Corp., a construction giant with extensive experience in dam projects, was awarded the massive repair job at troubled Oroville Dam on Monday. The California Department of Water Resources announced that Kiewit, based in Omaha, Neb., beat two competitors for the job with a $275.4 million bid. Kiewit had the low bid, although its offer was still higher than DWR’s internal estimate that the project would cost $231 million. (DWR said on Saturday that it estimated the project would cost $220 million, but released a corrected estimate Monday.)

 

More Rain For The Central Valley

Another storm system will pass through the Central Valley on Tuesday, bringing light, scattered showers. Rain will start developing around midnight on Tuesday and will continue into the afternoon. The bulk of the system will pass through between 7 a.m. and noon, said Scott Borgioli, WeatherAg chief meteorologist. Scattered showers will bring less than a quarter-inch of rain. Tuesday’s high temperatures upper 60s, but a warming trend could push the mercury above 85 this weekend.

Lake Powell to Release Above-Average Amount of Water to Lake Mead

The federal government said Monday it plans to release an above-average amount of water from a major reservoir in the Southwestern U.S. this year, but it’s less than many hoped after a healthy snow season across much of the West. The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages dams and reservoirs on the Colorado River, said it will release 9 million acre-feet from Lake Powell, sending it down the Colorado into Lake Mead, where it will be tapped by Arizona, California and Nevada. An acre-foot can supply two typical homes for a year.

 

Water Transfers: Crucial to Western Rivers, But State Programs Lacking

Water transfers are an important way to share a limited resource, especially to help fish and habitats that were historically left with scraps when water rights were parceled out around the West. The water for such transfers usually comes from farmers, who free up water through some kind of conservation measure. By transferring the saved water, a farmer can help imperiled fish and make some money. Such arrangements are especially important on the Colorado River, which is oversubscribed to serve human demands and also feeds a vast international ecosystem.

Water Again Flowing Through Damaged Oroville Spillway

As construction bids came in to fix the damaged spillway at Oroville Dam, a new round of storms sent water out through the partly collapsed concrete chute over the weekend. State officials expect water to pour through the spillway for up to two weeks, depending on rainfall levels.State officials have reopened the damaged spillway at Oroville Dam as another set of rainstorms began moving across Northern California. Water resumed gushing through the partly collapsed concrete chute Friday morning.

Unofficial Map Shows Potential Flooding From Spillway Failure

According to informal surveys following the February evacuations ordered in response to the Oroville Dam crisis, a large segment of the local population said they stayed at home rather than leave for higher ground. From the looks of an inundation map created by graduate students at the UC Irvine Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, those residents who stayed behind might have wanted to rethink things. The recent study conducted by the graduate program forecasts the potential destruction that could have followed a complete failure of the emergency spillway at Lake Oroville.

A Dried-Up Calif. Lake Makes A Comeback – And So Do The Species It Sustains

Carrizo Plain National Monument is a place of extremes. The grassland, the largest of its kind in California, stretches across over 250,000 acres of unforgiving wilderness. Caliente Mountain and the Temblor range border the plain, while the San Andreas Fault cuts it down the middle. Surface fractures are visible across the dry landscape. The species that call home to the Carrizo Plain don’t just survive, but thrive in its acute conditions.