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U.S. Megadrought is Worst for Over 1,000 Years: How Long Could It Last?

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Aristos Georgiou

Droughts are periods characterized by abnormally dry conditions. But what are megadroughts, and how bad is the one currently affecting parts of the United States?

While there are no clear definitions of what a megadrought is, in general these events are defined as droughts that last for multiple decades, i.e. two or more, according to Ashok Mishra, a professor in the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering at Clemson University.

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In Wake of Poseidon Plants Denial South Coast Water Looks to Fill Hole in County’s Water Portfolio

/in , , /by /Dana Point Timesby Breeana Greenburg

As the State of California faces a record drought, ocean desalination has been highlighted as a potentially more reliable alternative to imported water.

Following the California Coastal Commission’s unanimous vote to deny permits for the Brookfield-Poseidon Desalination plant in Huntington Beach last month, the South Coast Water District is working to obtain all major permits for its own desalination plant near Doheny by the end of the year.

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Feds Seek Ideas on How to Manage a Drier Colorado River

/in , , /by /Tuscon.comby Tony Davis

For many decades, the Colorado River was managed with the attitude that its water levels would remain roughly stable over time, punctuated by alternating wet and dry periods.

But in the face of possibly the river’s driest period in 1,200 years, a new approach is now needed to managing the river’s reservoirs — one that can account for “deep uncertainty” about future climate and runoff conditions, says the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

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California’s Drought Means Less Water to Go Around. Who is Winning the Pursuit for Water — and Who is Losing?

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander and Yoohyun Jung

After three years of drought, the massive state and federal water projects that serve California’s cities and farms have less water to distribute, forcing water managers to increasingly ration supplies.

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California’s ‘Broken’ Water Supply Forecast to Be Audited

/in , , /by /ABC 10

There’ll be an audit of California’s water supply forecast after the state overestimated and prematurely released 700,000 acre-feet of water last year, officials announced Monday.

A news release from Assemblymember Adam Gray (D-Merced) announced that Gray’s request for audit was approved. It aims to examine the impacts of the flawed forecasts and the Department of Water Resources and State Water Board.

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Summer of Water Conservation in California

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

State, regional, and local leaders are joining forces to urge water conservation across San Diego County and statewide at the start of summer. With drought conditions worsening in every corner of the Southwest, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called on residents and businesses to take additional conservation measures to help ease the effects of extreme drought during the hot summer months.

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Designing Your WaterSmart Living Landscape to Fit Your Life

/in , , /by /Water News Network

When designing your WaterSmart Living landscape, you want your new outdoor space to fit your house, your neighborhood, and your lifestyle. Finding that fit begins by asking a few basic questions.

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From The Sewage To Your Cup. Can Recycling Water Save Southern California?

/in , , /by /LAistby Erin Stone

To state the obvious: California has a water problem. That’s why more than 6 million Southern Californians can water outside only once or twice a week as of June 1.

But experts say conservation alone can’t solve our water woes. So what does water security look like in a drier future? This story focuses on one piece of the puzzle: recycling wastewater. Let’s dig in.

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Major Water Reductions Cause Major Concern For Locals

/in , , /by /Imperial Valley Pressby Joyce Lobeck

Farmers in Imperial County feel like they’ve borne the “lion’s share” of cutbacks in use of water from the Colorado River as the megadrought gripping the West the last couple of decades continues to diminish that vital resource for the Southwest.

With elevations of the river’s reservoirs having now fallen to the point that significant additional cuts to the water supplied to the states that rely on the river are a grim likelihood next year, the Imperial Valley farmers are resigned to seeing further cuts in their water delivery. But they fear those cuts will adversely impact their farms, their lifestyle, their businesses and their communities.

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San Diegans Praised For Saving Water But Urged To Do More

/in , , /by /KPBSby Kitty Alvarado Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

“We are navigating across the American West with unprecedented drought, uncharted conditions.”

That was the dire warning from California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot during a news conference Thursday at the headquarters of the San Diego County Water Authority. He said federal water officials were worried too.

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