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Lower Colorado River Reservoir Evaporation the Focus of New Analysis

/in , , /by /KUNCby Luke Runyon

A Nevada water agency has taken the first concrete step toward accounting for evaporation and other losses in the Colorado River’s Lower Basin. The new analysis attempts to pinpoint exactly how much water is lost, and who should cut back to bring the system closer to a balance between supply and demand. An analysis compiled by the Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates the total amount of water lost in the river’s lower reaches. If implemented in its current form, the proposal would translate to significant cutbacks for users in Nevada, Arizona and California.

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Experts Predict Bay Area Will See Extremely Rare La Niña Event This Winter

/in , , /by /SFGATEby Amy Graff

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its U.S. winter weather outlook that La Niña will make an appearance December through February for the third year in a row. It’s not unusual to see two consecutive winters marked by La Niña, but what U.S. forecasters are calling a “triple dip” is uncommon. Going back some 70 years, this has occurred only two other times.

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Water News Network Best Public Service Website 5th Time at SD Press Club Awards

/in , , /by /Water News Network

The Water News Network was awarded first place as the Best Public Service or Consumer Advocacy Website in the 49th annual San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. It’s the fifth consecutive year the WNN website has won first place in that category. The award for best public service website is one of seven awards the WNN received during a ceremony October 25 at Balboa Park.

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Water Recycling Projects Expanding in San Diego County

/in , , /by /Water News Network

A proactive approach to developing diversified water sources, including water recycling projects and conservation efforts, are helping the San Diego region weather the current drought. The Olivenhain Municipal Water District is working on multiple projects to expand the use of recycled water.

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Recycled Water May Prove Crucial for Northern California Amid Ongoing Droughts, Climate Change

/in , , /by /KQEDby Ezra David Romero

The San Francisco Bay Area is far behind Southern California in reusing water. Policy experts say it could take decades for the state’s second-most populous region to catch up — the lower half of the state recycled 83% more water than the Bay Area last year.

Standing outside Google’s Bay View campus in Mountain View in early August, wearing a pool-blue collared shirt and a gray blazer, California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot pressed the state’s northern region to do more.

“If you spend time in Orange County, there’s a chance that you’re consuming purified water that’s been recycled,” he said. “We need to expand water recycling throughout the Bay Area.”

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Western States Propose Deal Over Beleaguered Rio Grande

/in , , /by /Associated Pressby Susan Montoya Bryan

New Mexico, Texas and Colorado have negotiated a proposed settlement that they say will end a yearslong battle over management of one of the longest rivers in North America, but the federal government and two irrigation districts that depend on the Rio Grande are objecting. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas on Tuesday announced that the states had brokered a deal following months of negotiations. While the terms remain confidential, his office called it “a comprehensive resolution of all the claims in the case.”

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California Water Crisis: In-Depth Look at Colorado River Water Use

/in , , /by /ABC7by Rob McMillan

Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States and a critical source of water for Nevada, Arizona and California. But right now, it’s at only about 25 percent of total capacity.

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Sen. Kelly Asks Feds to Halt Salton Sea Project Funding Until California Gives Up More Colorado River Water

/in , , /by /12NEWSby Hunter Bassler

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is calling on federal officials to halt funding for California’s Salton Sea project until the state gives up more of its Colorado River Water, a letter from the senator said Tuesday. The letter, sent to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, said that the Department of the Interior needs to step in to secure the river’s water and ensure that the 40 million people who rely on its waters don’t go thirsty.

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UC San Diego Launches Two Projects on the Impact of Climate Change on Coastlines and People

/in , , /by /UC San Diego Today

The University of California San Diego has received two five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling $6.6 million to fund research hubs in Southern California and Puerto Rico.

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United States of Megadrought

/in , , /by /Politicoby Arianna Skibell

Drought has engulfed large swaths of the country, threatening parts of the nation’s food and power supply. And it’s getting worse.

More than 80 percent of the continental U.S. is experiencing unusually dry conditions or full-on drought, which is the largest proportion since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began tracking 20 years ago.

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