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Colorado Outlines Its Plan for How the State Will Deal With Water Shortages Worsened by Climate Change and Population Growth

/in , , /by /CPR Newsby Michael Elizabeth Sakas

Colorado’s water leaders have released an updated blueprint detailing how the state will manage and conserve water supplies as climate change and population growth strain the system in unprecedented ways.

The first Colorado Water Plan was released in 2015 after back-to-back years of historic drought and sought to address the possibility that the state might not have enough water in the next few decades.

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The Importance of Watering Trees During the California Drought Seasons

/in , , /by /Spectrum News 1

Trees are a very essential part of California’s infrastructure, with some of them taking 20 to 30 years to mature. Despite the drought, watering these important resources remains vital.

“We don’t want to put them at risk for various diseases because they’re not getting enough water. The tree tends to get used to the amount of water that’s there in the area. So as we dial back watering our lawns, we have to be aware that we might be stressing the tree that’s gotten used to the watering that we previously were doing,” Chief Sustainability Officer of StreetsLA Greg Spotts told “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen.

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Two LA Cities Are Innovating Their Way Out of Severe Drought Restrictions

/in , , /by /KCRWby Caleigh Wells

There are two schools of thought on how to navigate the West’s historic drought: Use less water or find new ways to make more of it usable. A few cities are trying to do both, and so far, it’s spared them from some of the most stringent drought restrictions.

In the last drought, Santa Monica used to rely heavily on water imported from Northern California. But now less than half of Santa Monica’s water is imported, which spared them from the mandatory outdoor water restrictions that began at the beginning of June.

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California Is Missing an Entire Year of Rainfall Since Mid-2019, New Figures Show

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

California’s water issues may be complicated. But the rainfall shortage driving the state’s current drought comes down to basic math.

“In most places we are missing an entire year of rain over the past three years,” said Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services in Half Moon Bay. “It’s like if you worked three years but only got paid for two. You are going to be hurting.”

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The Southwest Is Bone Dry. Now, a Key Water Source Is at Risk

/in , , /by /Politicoby Lara Korte

California and six other Western states have less than 60 days to pull off a seemingly impossible feat: Cut a multi-way deal to dramatically reduce their consumption of water from the dangerously low Colorado River.

If they don’t, the federal government will do it for them.

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Opinion: State’s Leaders Must Change Water Agreements to Reflect Climate Realities

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Tom Stokely

California’s once-abundant salmon runs are on the verge of collapse. That’s a tragedy, but this story is bigger than the extinction of an iconic fish that once fed millions of people and was the basis of thriving commercial, tribal and sport fisheries. Salmon (to mix zoological metaphors) are the canary in the coal mine for California’s water and power ratepayers.

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Utah’s Great Salt Lake Hits New Historic Low Amid Drought in Western US

/in , , /by /The Guardian

The Great Salt Lake has hit a new historic low for the second time in less than a year, a dire milestone as the US west continues to weather a historic mega-drought.

The Utah department of natural resources said in a news release on Monday that the Great Salt Lake dipped over the weekend to 4,190.1ft (1,277.1 meters).

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Chandler Approves Construction for Water Facility Supporting Drought Prevention

/in , , /by /KTAR Newsby Suelen Rivera

The Chandler City Council approved construction last month for a reclaimed water facility supporting drought prevention.

Through agreements made between the city and Intel, construction of a Reclaimed Water Interconnect Facility was approved on June 23 to begin immediately at the RWIF located near Queen Creek and McQueen roads which is set to be completed in 2024, the city said in a press release.

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Is Poseidon’s Huntington Beach Desal Plant Proposal Gone for Good?

/in , , /by /Voice of OCby Brandon Pho

After more than 20 years, a June letter to Southern California water officials might spell the end for the Poseidon Water company’s desalinated dreams in Huntington Beach, once and for all.

The fatal blow came in May, from within the Hilton in Costa Mesa, where California Coastal Commissioners unanimously rejected Poseidon’s bid to build a desalting plant by the AES generating station in the city’s south end.

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How to Pick Your Plants for a Successful WaterSmart Landscape

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Once your WaterSmart Living Landscape design starts coming together, pick your plants for each water-use category to ensure you meet your WaterSmart water conservation goals. Focus on local native plants or plants from similar climate regions.

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