You are now in California and the U.S. Media Coverage category.

Southern California Rainfall Totals Drop By as Much as 75%

/in , /by /SFGateby Farley Elliott

While Southern California has managed to escape the worst of the summer heat (so far), mild June and July temperatures have probably helped obscure the region’s single biggest issue: water, or the lack thereof. Despite the easy weather, this part of the world has been hurtling deeper into drought conditions since early spring, and new data shows just how bad things have gotten from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Recent statewide precipitation data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows just how little rainfall Southern California has received since Oct. 1, the start of the state’s formal water year. Monitors in Santa Barbara have only collected 7.09 inches of rain in that time, compared to last year’s giant tally of 25.16 inches during that period. Historically, Santa Barbara would have received 17.17 inches by now, meaning the Central Coast city’s rainfall totals are down by nearly 60%. Things aren’t much better elsewhere, either.

Full Story

Extreme Heat Coming to San Diego County’s Backcountry and Deserts This Week

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

Extreme heat will settle over San Diego County’s inland foothills, mountains and desert areas this week, leading the National Weather Service to urge people to reschedule strenuous activities for the early morning and evening.

The most intense heat will occur Wednesday through Friday, when temperatures will rise into the mid-90s in such communities as Ramona and Escondido, 99 to 100 in Campo near the U.S.-Mexico border and into the 113-to-115 range in Borrego Springs.

Full Story

Officials Frightened by Drastic Transformation in Los Angeles Water Source: ‘Not in Good Shape’

/in , /by /The Cool Downby Daniel Gala

State officials and nonprofit groups have sounded the alarm on the City of Los Angeles’ failed promises to restore water levels at California’s Mono Lake, citing massive harms being done to the local ecosystem, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“It’s not in good shape right now,” said Barthshé Miller, policy director of the nonprofit Mono Lake Committee, per the Times. “There is a systemic illness in the lake in terms of the health of the ecosystem, and it needs more water to recover to full health and vitality.”

Full Story

‘It Needs More Water’: Calls Grow for Boosting Mono Lake by Easing L.A.’s Water Reliance

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

The picturesque tufa towers on the shores of Mono Lake, formed over centuries by underwater springs and left high and dry as Los Angeles diverted water from nearby creeks, have long been a symbol of the saline lake. Visitors who stroll beside the lapping water take photos of the craggy calcium carbonate formations as flocks of migratory birds soar overhead.

But residents, local officials and environmentalists say the lake’s level should be much higher than it is today, and that the fully exposed tufa spires show L.A. remains far from meeting its obligation to restore the lake’s health.

Full Story

OPINION: Want Food Security? Keep Water on Western Farms

/in , /by /The Desert Sunby Mike Wade and Dan Keppen

In the distant past, hunters and gatherers relied on what nature provided. Today, farmers grow food for billions of people around the globe—and that takes water.

Yet there’s a growing drumbeat about the amount of water agriculture consumes in the Colorado River Basin and beyond. Critics say farmers use a disproportionate share compared to cities and if farmers would simply use less, there would be plenty for everyone else.

Full Story

Heat Wave to Raise Temperatures, Fire Danger and Health Concerns This Week

/in , /by /NBC 7by M.G. Perez

A heat wave is expected to grip San Diego County this week, which is elevating wildfire danger and prompting Cal Fire crews to take action.

The heat will take hold from Wednesday through Saturday, with Thursday likely to be the hottest day, according to forecasters.

Full Story

The Price of Water Just Got More Complicated: San Diego’s Legal Battle Over Tiered Rates

/in , /by /JD Supraby Dean Atyia and Lutfi Kharuf Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

On July 30, 2025, a divided California Court of Appeal issued its long-awaited opinion in Patz v. City of San Diego, affirming the trial court’s judgment that the City’s tiered residential water rates violated Proposition 218 of the California Constitution. The ruling reinforces the strict interpretation of cost-of-service requirements previously articulated in Coziahr v. Otay Water District. However, given the nearly 70-page dissenting opinion, the California Supreme Court may take up the case if the City seeks review.

Full Story

OPINION: Logging Saves Species and Increases Our Water Supply

/in , /by /California Globeby Edward Ring

There are obvious benefits to logging, grazing, prescribed burns, and mechanical thinning of California’s forests. When you suppress wildfires for what is now over a century, then overregulate and suppress any other means to thin the forest, you get overcrowded and unhealthy forests.

California’s trees now have 5 to 10 times more than a historically normal density. They’re competing for an insufficient share of light, water and nutrients, leading to disease, infestations, dehydration and death. Up through the 1980s, California harvested 6 billion board feet per year of timber; the annual harvest is now 25 percent of that. We have turned our forests into tinderboxes, and that is the reason fires turn into superfires.

Full Story

In the Central Valley, a First-Of-Its-Kind Project Is Proving That With a Little Innovation, Water and Energy Can Work Together

/in , /by /Spectrum Newsby Sarah Pilla

In Hickman, solar panels are going up over the Turlock Irrigation District’s main canal. For Solar AquaGrid co-founder Jordan Harris, seeing it covered in solar panels is the realization of a decade-long vision.

“It’s been a crazy journey, this last decade, and it’s a big deal for me to stand here and see that we’re making shade, and electrons,” said Harris.

Full Story

Progress Made on Genesee Ave Construction in University City as San Diego’s Pure Water Plan Continues

/in , /by /CBS 8 San Diegoby Vanessa Paz

If you live in or drive through UTC, chances are you’ve felt the frustration, heavy traffic and daily bottlenecks along Genesee Avenue near State Route 52.

Drivers and businesses alike are feeling the impact.

“Customers get lost trying to get into the center,” said Ethan Stern, whose family owns Lorna’s Italian Kitchen. “You have to go all the way down Genesee, make a U-turn, and come back. I’m sure people get frustrated trying to get here.”

Full Story