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With Water Conservation Lagging, State Regulators Could Return To Mandates

Statewide water conservation has continued its trend of lagging behind last year’s efforts as numbers released by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) today revealed that California urban water users saved 18.8 percent of the water it used in November compared to the baseline year of 2013, a figure that has been outpaced by 2015 figures for a fourth consecutive month. November’s savings are down from the 19.6 percent mark seen in October but slightly higher than the savings seen statewide in September (18.3 percent) and August (17.7 percent).

Five Feet Of Snow And Counting — California Fire Hose Continues Through The Weekend

Two storms aimed at California are lined up back to back this week — the first is ongoing, and the second more significant storm is slated to arrive this weekend. On the one hand, wet and snowy weather is “normal” for winter in California. On the other, the state is still struggling with a historic drought, and it hasn’t seen storms like these in years.

 

Monster Storm Could Bring State’s Worst Flooding In Over A Decade

A menacing storm taking shape over the Pacific is poised to pound California this weekend, causing what could be the worst flooding in parts of the state in more than a decade, forecasters said. The atmospheric river of warm and highly concentrated water will begin to deliver its payload across the northern two-thirds of California on Saturday, overwhelming rivers, drenching urban areas and likely eviscerating much of the Sierra snowpack. But while drought-stressed California has begged for such soaking storms in recent years, the rain may do more harm than good — especially in the mountains — when it surges Sunday.

Obama Says Full Speed Ahead On Delta Tunnels Project

Two weeks before President Barack Obama leaves office, his administration vowed to move full speed ahead on California’s controversial Delta tunnels project, calling it essential for the state’s water supply as well as its environment. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell issued an order Wednesday directing federal officials to complete a preliminary environmental review this month of the massive twin tunnels proposed for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Obama Administration Aids Giant California Water Project

The outgoing Obama administration on Wednesday tried to nudge forward Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to build two giant north-south water tunnels for California. In an executive order, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell directed federal wildlife officials on Wednesday to release by Jan. 17 a preliminary environmental opinion that directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to assist as the $15.7 billion project seeks state and federal permits and other approvals. Brown welcomed Jewell’s move, saying in a statement “it commits the federal government to a timely review” of the proposed tunnels.

Mammoth Mega-Storm Expected To Drop Up To 20 Feet; ‘God Help Us’

An other blizzard swept Mammoth Mountain on Wednesday, the precursor to a string of storms expected to bring up to 20 feet of fresh snow in the next 10 days, the resort says. Since Tuesday, 26 to 48 inches of fresh snow had fallen, with the deepest totals at the summit. Plows were working furiously to keep lots and streets clear. Normal resort operations could be affected as personnel struggle to deal with the snow.

Californians Saved Less Water In November Than Previous Year, Water Board Report Says

California water conservation took a slight step backward in November, officials announced Wednesday, possibly due in part to an unusually wet fall and months of successful conservation efforts. Californians used 18.8% less water this past November compared with November 2013, the benchmark year for state conservation measurements. In November 2015, residents statewide cut back usage 20.2% compared with 2013.

Obama Speeds Up Review Of Twin Delta Tunnels

In its last weeks in power, the Obama administration is helping speed up environmental review of California’s plan to build twin tunnels through the Delta in an effort to overhaul the state’s water delivery system. U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Wednesday issued an executive order directing federal wildlife regulators to issue an initial opinion by Jan. 17 on whether the $15.7 billion tunnels would harm endangered fish species — a key ruling in the future of the project.

California Today: What The Snow In The Sierra Nevada Tells Us

On Tuesday, state water officials trudged into the Sierra Nevada for the first snowpack survey of 2017. Snowpack levels are crucial indicators of whether California will have enough water after the winter, as the melting snow flows into the state’s reservoirs. The reading at Phillips Station, near Lake Tahoe, however, is a largely ceremonial exercise, attracting attention in part for its visual interest. (See photos below.) After dipping poles into the snow, surveyors said the snowpack there was at roughly half the historical average.

Incoming Storms, Sierra Snow Expected To Help California Battle Drought

The several feet of snow expected in the Sierra this week is expected to considerably change the look of California’s drought map. At this time last year, 45 percent of the state was in an exceptional drought, which is the worst possible rating. Officials said only 18 percent of California currently remains dry. “Our biggest reservoir is all the snow that falls during the winter because when it melts it can fill all the big reservoirs throughout the state,” said Marty Grimes, spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.