A new science report from the United Nations spells out in excruciating detail the pain of climate change to people and the planet with the idea — the hope really — that if leaders pay attention, some of the worst can be avoided or lessened.
One scientist calls it the “Your House is On Fire” report.
While these reports often can come across as depressing, to scientists and world leaders, the idea isn’t to lower people’s spirits.
A new era of groundwater management in California continues to take shape as local agencies develop and implement plans that identify how they intend to achieve groundwater sustainability goals over the next 20 years.
“The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, if you haven’t heard about it, it’s knocking on your door and will soon be pretty much a part of your life if you’re trying to farm,” said Cordie Qualle, professional engineer and faculty fellow at California State University, Fresno.
Climate scientists working on the latest international assessment of rising threats to society say it’s imperative that communities adapt now.
Their warning touches on several fields that Arizona and its neighbors in the Southwest are now attempting to tackle, from drought mitigation and wildfire management to the dangers of urban heat.
It is not every day that a story comes along that makes you stand up and cheer. As a reporter I was contacted about such a story and feel grateful I was able to meet everyone involved and share their story. Aaron Byzak, Chief External Affairs Officer – Tri-City Medical Center, commented, “I’m sure you are aware that this story is remarkable in many ways, but also emblematic of just how amazing our health system is when everything lines up.”
Seventy-six-year-old Temecula resident Steve Kissick had been staying in his RV for a few days, as he was assisting daughter Morgan and her husband Garron Alexander in some projects at their new home in Vista at 2392 Mira Sol Drive.
Less than a month before Poseidon Water was expected to appear before the California Coastal Commission in hopes of moving forward with its controversial desalination plant in Huntington Beach, the company asked that the scheduled March 17 hearing be postponed to give its staff more time to thoroughly review documents.
“In order to accommodate the California Coastal Commission’s staff and their diligent review of our application, Poseidon Water made the decision to voluntarily delay the hearing on the Coastal Development Permit until later this spring,” Jessica Jones, Poseidon director of communications, said in a statement issued this week.
In January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began testing a process to determine which reservoirs within its South Pacific Division are possible candidates for the use of forecast-informed reservoir operations. Relying on advancements in weather and hydrologic forecasting to improve reservoir management, FIRO offers a method for optimizing operations. Ultimately, the Corps intends to assess all its reservoirs nationwide to see whether they might make good candidates for FIRO.
Typically, reservoirs designed for purposes of flood control and water supply are operated in accordance with guide curves that are designed to ensure adequate storage capacity in advance of flood events and maximize storage for later uses.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the cost of water — and that makes sense given the economic realities faced by many residents, farmers, and businesses. But it also seems that newer generations of San Diegans do not know there was a time when we didn’t have water when and where we needed it.
Thankfully, that’s not a problem in San Diego County today, even though elsewhere drought-stricken communities face the potential of only having enough water to meet basic health and safety needs. Due to investments we’ve collectively made in seawater desalination, conserved water, reliable infrastructure, and increased storage capacity, the San Diego region has transformed its water supplies from highly insecure to some of the most reliable in the nation.
(Editor’s Note: Gary Croucher is chair of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors.)
With California entering a third year of drought and its reservoirs at low levels, the federal government has announced plans to deliver minimal amounts of water through the Central Valley Project, putting many farmers on notice that they should prepare to receive no water from the system this year.
The federal Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the project’s dams and canals, announced a zero-water allocation for irrigation districts that supply many farmers across the Central Valley. Cities that receive water from the project in the Central Valley and parts of the Bay Area were allocated 25% of their historical water use.
Educating employees about how to manage their personal finances is paying big dividends for the San Diego County Water Authority.
The wholesale water supplier received a $24,884 grant in 2020 to develop a financial wellness program for its staff and the more than 16,000 employees at its 24 retail water agencies, which include cities, special districts and a military base in the San Diego region.
The water level in Lake Powell was at a record low when rain and snow began to fall across the Colorado River Basin in October, soaking dry soils ahead of the winter season.
Water managers, who hoped the trend would build into an above-average snow year that might delay a looming water crisis in the Southwest, watched the snowpack drop to near zero in November. Then, after a massive storm cycle brought six feet of snow to parts of the Rockies around the New Year, they again breathed a sigh of relief.
