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Why California Should be Preparing for Floods, Even in the Midst of Drought

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Stuart Leavenworth

The explorer John Wesley Powell once poked fun at the professional rainmakers of his time, writing, “Years of drought and famine come and years of flood and famine come, and the climate is not changed with dance, libation or prayer.”

As we now know, humans can change the climate — one reason the current drought is so intense, sparking what could be a record wildfire season and depleting mighty reservoirs such as Mead and Oroville.

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Valley’s Farm Organization Execs Look Ahead

/in , , /by /Calexico Chronicleby Darren Simon Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

With 500,000 acres of farmland in the Imperial Valley, agriculture continues to not only be vital to the economy of the region, but now perhaps more than ever the crops grown on that land are critical to the entire country and a world that is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Considering just how essential Imperial Valley agriculture is, strong voices ready to advocate on behalf of the farming community are pivotal — especially considering the ongoing challenges farmers face, like increasing costs of production and an ongoing need to protect the Valley’s water rights during this time of drought, as they work to get their crops from the fields to dinner tables.

 

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Drought-Stricken California Hasn’t Mandated Statewide Water Restrictions. Here’s Why

/in , , /by /KQEDby Ezra David Romero

After two consecutive dry winters and a series of early summer heat waves, the vast majority of California is gripped by drought.

Water levels in reservoirs like Lake Oroville, Shasta Lake and Lake Mendocino are dangerously low. Wells in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and along the Russian River are drying up, and local water officials have mandated water restrictions up to 40% in some areas.

Already, more than 85% of California is experiencing extreme drought conditions, according to the latest drought monitor released on July 15, and experts forewarn a third year of drought could be on the horizon if the state doesn’t see significant winter rain storms.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown required Californians to conserve 25% of their water during the third year of the last major drought. State leaders have not yet taken that step during this year.

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California Drought: La Niña Could Dash Hopes of Desperately Needed Rain This Winter

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicle by Omar Shaikh Rashad

The punishing drought conditions afflicting most of California are expected to endure for months, climate experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association said Thursday.

There is a 60% chance, NOAA experts said, of a La Niña event this winter — conditions that would likely bring about a cool and very dry winter.

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The Energy Transition: ‘The Days When People Couldn’t Pay Attention to Their Electricity Supply are Over’

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

California is going through a dramatic energy transition. The state has set a goal to derive 100 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045 and last week Gov. Gavin Newsom directed state agencies to look at moving the target up to 2035.

That means finding a way to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s power grid while at the same time ensuring the power system remains reliable and affordable.

It’s a balancing act.

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Amid Escalating Drought, Bay Area Residents Slow to Cut Back on Water Use

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

As the sun began to rise over Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village neighborhood, the headlights of a city work truck brought into view utility official Shiloh Jones’ target: wasted water.

Jones, part of Santa Rosa’s newly formed “water waste patrol,” had spotted a puddle on the sidewalk and traced it to a runaway irrigation system in a bed of pink roses.

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Contouring Tips Help You Make the Grade

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Moving both irrigation and our limited natural rainfall through your yard into storage areas via the use of various landscaping features borrow Mother Nature’s engineering. This is especially important during hot, dry summer months. If your yard is perfectly flat, you must move soil and features around to create more water-retaining contour areas.

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The Government Cut Off Water to Farmers in the Klamath Basin. It Reignited a Decades-Old War Over Water and Fish

/in , , /by /Inside Climate Newsby Anne Marshall-Chalmers

Drought has long fueled tensions between growers, who depend on the water for irrigation, and the Klamath Tribes, who hold two protected fish species as sacred.

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East San Diego’s Approach to Water Resiliency

/in , , /by /Water Worldby Kyle Swanson

Building a legacy of water innovation takes years of planning, determination, leadership, partnerships — and funding. These elements have coalesced in East San Diego County, Calif., for an innovative and collaborative water reuse project.

Scheduled to be complete in 2025, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) will create a new, local, sustainable and drought-proof potable water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify the area’s recycled water. The program will generate up to 11.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of new water — meeting approximately 30 percent of current drinking water demands for East San Diego County residents.

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CWA Approves Two-Month Extension of PSAWR Eligibility Transition

/in , , /by /Village Newsby Joe Naiman

When the San Diego County Water Authority adopted the Permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate, the SDCWA also adopted eligibility criteria but allowed previous Temporary Special Agricultural Water Rate customers a six-month grace period to establish eligibility. The CWA extended that transitional eligibility period by an additional two months June 24. The unanimous CWA board vote extends the temporary eligibility period to Aug. 31. Although the six CWA member agencies who requested an extension of the eligibility period sought a six-month extension, the CWA’s Financial Strategy Working Group recommended the two-month extension which was approved by the CWA board.

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