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Storms Force California to Look Harder at Capturing Rainfall to Ease Drought

After the driest three years in the state’s modern history, California suddenly has a different problem on its hands: too much water.

An ongoing series of storms drenching the state has forced officials to take measures unfathomable just a month ago, like releasing excess water from reservoirs and pumping surging river flows into storage.

Los Angeles County Collects 33 Billion Gallons of Rainwater in Recent Storms

Good news has surfaced in Los Angeles County’s ongoing battle with water scarcity.

The Los Angeles County Public Works Department announced Monday that more than 33 billion gallons of stormwater have been captured in the early months of the California winter storm season.

It will be used as drinking water and is enough to supply 816,000 people with enough water for an entire year, according to Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella.

WaterSmart Makeover: Seasoned Landscape in Chula Vista a Standout for Fullness, Color

When the matriarch of the neighborhood decides with her husband that it’s time to renovate the front yard’s landscaping, you know it’s going to have to be something special. A WaterSmart contest winner in the Sweetwater Authority district showcases success of nearly 10 years with low-water use.

(Editor’s Note: About the series- This is the third in an occasional series on winners of the annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest, conducted in partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority. To learn about entering the next contest, visit landscapecontest.com. For details on classes and resources through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program, visit landscapemakeover.watersmartsd.org. Landscape rebates are available through the Socal WaterSmart Turf Replacement Program at socalwatersmart.com.)

In One of the Snowiest Places in the West, A Scientist Hunts for Clues to the Sierra Snowpack’s Future

Growing up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Andrew Schwartz never missed an opportunity to play in – or study – a Colorado snowstorm. During major blizzards, he would traipse out into the icy wind and heavy drifts of snow pretending to be a scientist researching in Antarctica. Decades later, still armed with an obsession for extreme weather, Schwartz has landed in one of the snowiest places in the West, leading a research lab whose mission is to give California water managers instant information on the depth and quality of snow draping the slopes of the Sierra Nevada — snow that is crucial for the state’s water supply.

Water Managers Across Drought-Stricken West Agree on One Thing: ‘This is Going to be Painful’

Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.

If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region’s vitality — there won’t be enough water for anyone.

Opinion: Storms Tell California to Upgrade its Plumbing

The rain and snow storms that have pummeled California for weeks have taken nearly two dozen lives and caused billions of dollars in damages to public and private property.

The flip side, however, is that they dropped immense amounts of water on a state that has suffered through severe drought for several years. At one point this month, an astonishing 160,000 cubic feet of water – 1.2 million gallons – was flowing through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta every second. That’s enough water to fill a reservoir the size of Folsom Lake, about 1 million acre-feet, in three days and doesn’t count water falling on other regions, such as Southern California.

Why Amospheric Rivers Could Become More Frequent as World Transitions out of La Niña

As critical areas of the Pacific Ocean warm and the world marches out of a La Niña towards neutral status, North America might be in store for changes in weather patterns not seen in several years.

A rare triple-dip La Niña has been in place since 2020 and was one of the main driving forces behind megadroughts, severe weather outbreaks and hurricanes.

New Director Appointed to Santa Fe Irrigation District Board

Last month the Santa Fe Irrigation District swore in incumbent board members Michael Hogan, Sandra Johnson and Andy Menshenk, who all ran unopposed in the November election, and welcomed an additional new board member, Ron Magnaghi. Director Magnaghi was appointed by San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to represent Division 1, which includes areas of east Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe.

Magnaghi replaces Ken Westphal, who was appointed by the board last February to fill the remainder of Frank Creede’s term.

Director Jim Madaffer Elected Vice Chair of the Colorado River Board of California

San Diego County Water Authority Board Member Jim Madaffer has been elected vice chair of the Colorado River Board of California. The CRB represents California in river management discussions with other Basin states, federal agencies, tribes, and Mexico.

Madaffer, the Water Authority’s CRB representative since 2019, will serve a four-year term as vice chair following his election on January 11 during the CRB meeting in Ontario, Calif. He will serve alongside Imperial Irrigation District Board Vice President JB Hamby, who was elected chair.

Opinion: The Healthy Snowpack is an Upside of Recent Storms. But the Drought is Far From Over

The powerful storms that have pounded California for the past two weeks have disrupted life statewide, leaving at least 19 dead, causing widespread flooding and closing or destroying iconic piers from Ocean Beach to Capitola. The precipitation has also done some good. Wednesday, the Sierra Nevada snowpack — which provides about 30 percent of the state’s water supply — was 226 percent of normal, the highest in at least 20 years. With two more storms looming, the snowpack is expected to keep growing ahead of an important April 1 measurement date for forecasters when it tends to peak.