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Bureau of Reclamation Advances Long-Term Planning Efforts to Protect the Colorado River System

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The Biden-Harris administration October 19 announced next steps in the formal process to develop future operating guidelines and strategies to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River system and strengthen water security in the West. The guidelines under development would be implemented in 2027, replacing the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which are set to expire at the end of 2026.

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Nevada, Arizona and California Commit to Record-Setting Conservation to Protect Colorado River

/in , , /by /Fox 5 Vegas by C.C. McCandless

The Southern Nevada Water Authority announced that the state will continue to collaborate with Arizona and California on a long-term sustainable plan for the stability of the Colorado River.

According to a media release, the Bureau of Reclamation is moving the process forward to develop new operating guidelines for the Colorado River that will be in effect after 2026. To that end, the Lower Colorado River Basin states— water users in Nevada, Arizona and California—are contributing record volumes of water to Lake Mead.

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A Warm, Wet El Niño Winter is in Store for California and Much of the U.S.

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

After a blistering summer of record heat, raging wildfires and unpredictable storms, federal scientists on Thursday said a warm, wet winter driven by El Niño is in store for California and much of the rest of the country.

The first winter outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that a strong El Niño will remain in place through at least the spring, with further strengthening possible over the next couple of months.

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Survey Work Begins on Salton Sea Restoration Project

/in , , /by /KESQby Marco Revuelta

Engineers are busy studying the soil near the Salton Sea.

This is where they’re planning on transforming more than  150 acres into a modern nature habitat.

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Governor Signs Water Shutoff Protection Bill Into Law

/in , , /by /KEYTby Andrew Gillies

Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 3 into law in October to expand due process protections for those unable to pay their bills and ensure access to safe sources of water.

Existing water protection laws, such as the Water Shutoff Protection Act of 2018, created a 60-day grace period to cover past debt as well as established a payment system for those served by water companies with 200 or more customers.

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Lake Shasta Water Level Healthy as New Water Year Begins. Trinity Lake? Still Recovering.

/in , , /by /Record Searchlight by Jessica Skropanic

Thanks to a stormy winter and spring, Lake Shasta’s water level is almost a third higher than it usually is in mid-October.

The state’s largest reservoir at Shasta Dam, nine miles north of Redding, was 71% full on Monday, according to the California Department of Water Resources. That’s 130% of what the lake usually holds on that date, according to the state.

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Major Earthquake in the Delta Could Be Disastrous for California’s Water Supply

/in , , /by /CBS Newsby Wilson Walker

While the earthquake that struck near Isleton Wednesday morning wasn’t strong, the location did raise questions about the possible risk to an area that is critical to the state’s water supply.

The Delta region in Sacramento County relies on more than 1,000 miles of aging levees to protect local farms and communities that could be vulnerable in a more powerful quake.

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New Colorado River Rules Will Be Hard to Agree On. A New Report Shows Just How Tricky It Could Be

/in , , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

States that use water from the Colorado River are drawing nearer to an important deadline for negotiating the river’s future. A new report from the federal government shows states are aiming to agree on a plan to cut back on water, but still remain divided about how to share the shrinking supply that flows to tens of millions across the Southwest.

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Water Usage on the Colorado River is Way Down as the West Begins Planning for a Future With Less

/in , , /by /CNNby Ella Nilsen

As the Biden administration kicks off a years-long negotiation process to divvy up the shrinking water supply of the Colorado River, there are finally some signs of optimism after several bleak years.

A record-breaking winter snowpack last year halted a precipitous downward spiral on the river and raised water levels at the nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lakes Mead and Powell.

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City of Escondido Approves Water Rate Increases for Five Years

/in , , /by /Fox 5 by Kasia Gregorczyk Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Escondido City Council approved new water rate increases set to begin Jan. 1 and will increase each year for the next five years.

Residents had been outspoken about the possibility of a nearly 20% increase next year alone.

“It is by far the highest hike proposed over the past 12 years,” Sandra Otteson said.

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