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Washington Lawmakers Open Groundwater Fight Against Bottled Water Companies

/in , , /by /The Columbian by Alex Brown

Washington state, land of sprawling rainforests and glacier-fed rivers, might soon become the first in the nation to ban water bottling companies from tapping spring-fed sources.

The proposal is one of several efforts at the state and local level to fend off the fast-growing bottled water industry and protect local groundwater. Local activists throughout the country say bottling companies are taking their water virtually for free, depleting springs and aquifers, then packaging it in plastic bottles and shipping it elsewhere for sale.

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Will California Get Another Wildflower Super Bloom? Here’s What the Experts Predict

/in , , /by /The Tribune by Lindsey Holden

A lackluster winter rain season has left much of California on the cusp of a drought — so what does that mean for the state’s much-Instagrammed wildflowers?

Particularly rainy winters yielded super blooms throughout the state in 2017 and 2019, from the Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County all the way down to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park east of San Diego.

In spring 2019, photo-seeking visitors packed places like Walker Canyon near Lake Elsinore just south of Los Angeles, where a California poppy bloom drew “Disneyland-size crowds.”

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Bacteria at the Water Fountain: How San Diego Scientists Use E. Coli to Test for Toxins in Water

/in , , /by /KPBSby Shalina Chatlani

It’s not always easy to tell if the water you’re drinking is safe. Some ways to check include lab testing and filters. And soon it could include E. coli bacteria. San Diego scientists are developing a new bacteria-based water sensing technology.

At Edison Elementary School in City Heights on a December afternoon, excited school children are grabbing their favorite foods and drinks.

It is well known that what children consume here impacts their brains and bodies. From the teriyaki chicken to the drinking water at the nearby fountain.

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Salton Sea Partners Get a Bird’s-Eye View of Lake’s Condition

/in , , /by /Imperial Valley Press

IMPERIAL — Representatives from Imperial Irrigation District and Imperial County took to the air Friday to get a keen view of California’s largest and most troubled lake.

Coordinated by Audubon California, the flights took off from Imperial County Airport Friday morning, flying over the perimeter of the Salton Sea. Passengers witnessed the decline of the receding lake and viewed the IID’s and the state’s dust mitigation projects and Audubon’s proposed new project, Bombay wetlands.

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Otay Water District Instagram Contest Winners Get Social About Water

/in , , /by /Water News Network

The Otay Water District named eight winners of its first Instagram photo contests, asking customers to depict two distinct themes.

In the first contest, four Otay Water District customers were selected winners of the agency’s first Instagram photo contest, “Thankful for Water.” During the 2019 holiday season, Instagrammers were invited to submit photos reflecting their appreciation for water.

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How is Climate Change Affecting Winter in My Region?

/in , , /by /Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Peach

Winters are getting warmer and shorter. Here’s the impact in your area.

“Dear Sara,

I would like to read your prediction of the effects of climate change on the traditional four weather seasons.”

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Rockies Snowpack Good, but Dryness Could Threaten Colorado River Flow

/in , , /by /Las Vegas Review-Journalby Blake Apgar

The snowpack in the Rocky Mountains is currently 14 percent above average for this time of year, but last year’s dry summer could reduce runoff to the Colorado River.

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New Online Interactive Tool Helps Californians Prepare for Future Drought

/in , , /by /KSBW 8 (Salinas, Calif.)by Alani Letang

This rain-year has brought an alarmingly dry winter in California so far, according to climate change experts.

Now, there’s a new tool to help Californians navigate your water supply. It’s an online toll that allows a person to see the groundwater levels in their area. The tool then gives a representation of what could be at risk or impacted if a drought hits.

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LA River Restoration Effort Lands $1.8 Million

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Daily Newsby City News Service

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded more than $1.8 million to help fund a cleanup and revitalization effort for 700 acres of open space along the Los Angeles River from Griffith Park to downtown, local officials announced today.

The funding will go toward pre-construction engineering and design for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Project. The project received $400,000 in 2016 and $100,000 in 2017.

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IID Prevails Against Farmer Michael Abatti’s Contempt of Court Complaint

/in , , /by /The Desert Sunby Mark Olalde

The Imperial Irrigation District has been found not guilty of a contempt of court complaint brought against it by farmer Michael Abatti as part of his contentious fight over water rights in the Imperial Valley.

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