You are now in San Diego County category.

White House Is Leery Of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s California Water Plan

/in /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sarah D. Wire

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday that the Obama administration was still reviewing the California water policy included in the proposed Water Resources Development Act on Monday by California’s senior senator and Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation. “Based on what we know so far, we don’t support the kinds of proposals that have been put forward to address some of the water resources issues in California right now,” Earnest told reporters Tuesday.

Full Story

California Water Conservation Slips Again. Here’s How Much

/in /by /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Phillip Reese

Urban Californians used about 1.8 percent more water in October compared with a year earlier, state officials said Tuesday. It marked the fourth straight month in which conservation has slipped following the state’s decision to relax drought mandates.The State Water Resources Control Board said, however, that conservation was better in October than in September, and that it was largely pleased with the efforts Californians were making. “Californians’ continued commitment to conservation shows they don’t take water for granted anymore,” said board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus in a prepared statement.

 

Full Story

Jerry Brown Predicts ‘Negative, And Very Powerful’ Reaction If Donald Trump Halts Climate Change Action

/in /by /The Sacramento Beeby Christopher Cadelago

In his global evangelism about the threat of climate change, Gov. Jerry Brown has dismissed skeptics as “troglodytes” and “deniers of the obvious science.” But Brown, who in recent years has emerged as a premier climate warrior, has refused to ascribe those characteristics to Donald Trump since his election as president, despite the Republican businessman’s support for fossil fuels and repeated dismissals of climate change as a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. In brief remarks about the subject, Brown said Monday that it would be difficult for the U.S. to “go rogue” on climate change.

Full Story

Californians Did A Slightly Better Job Saving Water During An Unusually Wet October

/in /by /Los Angeles Timesby Matt Stevens

California enjoyed one of its wettest Octobers in recent history and its residents responded by reducing their water use, state officials announced Tuesday. People in cities and towns cut their water consumption by 19.5% during the first month of the “water year,” compared with the same month in 2013. The savings marked an improvement from September, when urban Californians saved 18.3%, compared with 2013. “Californians’ continued commitment to conservation shows they don’t take water for granted anymore,” said State Water Resources Control Board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus.

Full Story

Possible Water Resources Development Act and Energy Bills This Week

/in /by /The National Law Review (Western Springs, Ill.)

After the House proposed a narrow version of the energy bill to the Senate, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) proposed a broader bill once again. After a meeting last week with House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), Chairman Murkowski appeared confident she will get a bill during the Lame Duck session.

Full Story

Salk Researchers Say Plant May Hold Key To Drought Resistance

/in /by /KPBSby Erik Anderson

The small green trays of plants in this Salk Institute greenhouse are far more captivating to these researchers than the ocean view. Carol Huang reaches out for a tray. “Can we get the seeds?” she asks as she examines the flat of maturing Arabidopsis plants. “These are too young,“ Huang says. Huang and fellow Salk Institute for Biological Studies researcher Liang Song are picking apart the insides of this hardy, quick growing relative of the mustard plant.

Full Story

BLOG: Better Forecasts Ahead for Western Weather and Natural Disasters

/in /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt Weiser

A new satellite parked 22,000 miles (35,000km) over the United States promises to deliver better storm forecasting for California and other Western states plagued by drought, floods and other weather extremes. The GOES-R satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral on Nov. 19. It is the first in a new generation of weather satellites that will be able to scan the planet five times faster and offer four times better imaging resolution than the current technology.

 

Full Story

Is Algae in Soils a New Frontier in Plant Health and Yield?

/in /by /California AG Today (Sacramento)by Patrick Cavanaugh

Could applying microalgae to the soil boost yield and strengthen plants? We spoke to Lance Smith, chief business office, Heliae Development LLC., based in Gilbert, Arizona, in the southeast Phoenixmetropolitan area. “Heliae is a company that is dedicated to unlocking the potential of microalgae,” said Smith. “We’ve been in business now for over eight years. We hope to be able to deliver microalgae products in a lot of areas, including in plant agriculture.” “While we work with hundreds of algae species, the algae we are currently marketing for plant agriculture is a green algae.

Full Story

BLOG: How Engineers See the Water Glass in California

/in /by /California WaterBlog (Davis)by Jay R. Lund

Depending on your outlook, the proverbial glass of water is either half full or half empty. Not so for engineers in California.

Full Story

What Does a Weak La Niña Mean for Southern California?

/in /by /89.3 KPCC (Pasadena)by Sanden Totten

Right now, the globe is in the grips of a La Niña, a weather phenomenon that occurs when a patch of the Pacific Ocean near the equator cools down below average.

Typically, La Niña means plenty of rain for the Pacific Northwest and a warm, dry winter for Southern California. That’s the pattern the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is predicting for this winter. However, this year’s La Niña is very weak compared to previous ones, said Bill Patzert, a climate scientist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Full Story