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Groundwater Declines Seen, Even in Wet Climates: Studies

Water availability in the U.S. characterized by four years of drought in the West and more rainfall in the East reflects the nation’s geographic extremes from deserts and mountains to low-lying almost tropical swamplands. Even where water seems abundant, increasing demand is stressing the ability to re-charge groundwater supplies everywhere. From all appearances, the West Coast in 2015 was thirsting for more water with its parched lands and dried up lakes and rivers, while most of the Southeast was wetter than average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

California’s Ocean Waters Due For a Cooling Trend After Period of Damaging Heat, Scientists Say

As a series of marine heat waves linked to climate change has thrown ocean ecosystems out of whack from Australia to the coast of California, a cooling trend called La Niña has given scientists hope that water temperatures could come back into balance. But so far, the cooling weather pattern — predicted to follow as a result of last winter’s El Niño — remains squeezed by warmer ocean temperatures along a narrow stretch of the Earth’s equator.

Explosive Blue Cut Fire Fully Contained as Other Wildfires Continue to Rage

Exactly one week after the Blue Cut blaze first exploded in the Cajon Pass, fire officials declared the devastating wildfire fully contained Tuesday. The fire destroyed an estimated 105 homes and 213 other structures in San Bernardino County and now ranks as the 20th most destructive wildfire in state history, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Backers Drop Plan to Allow Delta Anglers to Keep More Striped Bass

The state Fish and Game Commission on Thursday will no longer consider a controversial proposal to allow anglers to catch and keep more nonnative Delta bass. On Tuesday, backers pulled a petition that sought to increase the size and daily bag limits for nonnative striped and black bass in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Michael Boccadoro, a spokesman for the Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, said supporters were frustrated that they would only be allowed 10 minutes at Thursday’s meeting to make their case to the commissioners.

California Drought’s Impact on Health to be Revealed

THE CALIFORNIA DROUGHT is now in its fifth year, but we still know little about how it has affected public health.

A half-million acres of farmland were fallowed in 2015, leaving thousands of agricultural workers jobless. More than a thousand families saw their drinking water wells go dry. Many more were forced to ration water, either because their well production slowed down, or because a local agency imposed rationing. Many lakes and ponds are experiencing toxic algae blooms, which can lead to sickness in people and pets.

Climate Change Could Cost Millennials Trillions of Dollars in Lifetime Income

Americans in their 20s and 30s could lose trillions of dollars in potential lifetime earnings as climate change disrupts the global economy and weakens U.S. productivity, according to a new report by NextGen Climate said. If countries fail to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the amount and pace of global warming, a 21-year-old college graduate today could lose $126,000 in lifetime wages and $187,000 in long-term savings and investments, the report found. This would outrank the lost income due to student debt or wage stagnation.

OPINION: Climate Change is Real to Farmers in California

Many farmers regard themselves as the original land stewards. For us, it is especially stressful to watch the planting and harvesting seasons change, for reasons out of our control. In 2015, drought and irregular weather brought my pistachio crop nearly to disaster. It’s clear that for us to remain resilient in the face of uncertain new weather patterns, we need to invest in new systems that will alleviate drought, heat and severe storms. Already, California makes a suite of programs available to the state’s farmers through existing climate policies.

 

Poseidon Working on Interagency Agreement to Streamline Permitting for Huntington Beach Desalination Project

Poseidon Water has announced it is working on an agreement with state permitting agencies to streamline the approval process for the proposed Huntington Beach Desalination Project. The Coastal Commission originally planned to consider the Project’s Coastal Development Permit on September 9; however, Poseidon and Commission staff agreed to defer consideration of the Project’s CDP in order for an interagency agreement clearly defining the remaining permitting process to be finalized.

 

California Professor Launches Study on Drought’s Health Impact

The California Drought is now in its fifth year, but we still know little about how it has affected public health. A half-million acres of farmland were fallowed in 2015, leaving thousands of agricultural workers jobless. More than a thousand families saw their drinking water wells go dry. Many more were forced to ration water, either because their well production slowed down, or because a local agency imposed rationing. Many lakes and ponds are experiencing toxic algae blooms, which can lead to sickness in people and pets.

Delta Fishermen Gear up for Another Fight

The latest controversial proposal to weaken protections for the striped bass, a popular Delta sport fish, is scheduled to be heard on Thursday by the California Fish and Game Commission.Water users mostly south of the estuary asked the commission earlier this year to allow more of the fish to be caught, in order to reduce their numbers. The water users argue that stripers — which were introduced to the Delta in the late 1800s — chomp down on native fish species, which in turn reduces the amount of water that can be pumped south.A similar proposal was rejected in 2012. Now the battle is on again. State officials say they have received nearly 3,500 comments opposing the changes, and fishermen are expected to attend Thursday’s meeting in large numbers.