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Feds Propose Cuts to California, Other States’ Water Supply From Colorado River

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Elizabeth Ireland

Southern California and the state as a whole could see dramatic reductions in allocations of Colorado River water under proposals released Tuesday by the federal government aimed at protecting a system that provides water to 40 million people in multiple states along with critical agricultural irrigation.

The river also provides hydroelectric power to millions of customers, generated by dams at Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

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California Braces for Historic Snowmelt After Record-Breaking Winter

/in , , /by /Courthouse News Serviceby Natalie Hanson

In what is expected to be one of the biggest snowmelt events in its history, California could see some 277 billion gallons of water flowing from the Sierra during the month of May alone.

Experts said Tuesday that the state’s biggest snow year since 1950 could result in a dangerous spring, as warming temperatures push high volumes of snowmelt downstream.

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Interior Offers Extremes on Colorado River Cuts to Spur Compromise

/in , /by /E&E News by Jennifer Yachnin

The Interior Department on Tuesday shared its proposal for expected cuts to Colorado River water allocations but acknowledged that the most extreme options — including a plan that would slash water deliveries to Arizona and Nevada — are unlikely to be included in a final decision this summer.

Instead, agency officials presented their emergency plan — which includes contrasting proposals that would either force California to forfeit a significant portion of its flows or concentrate the pain of cuts on Arizona and Nevada — as a set of “bookends” to motivate state officials to collaborate.

“I would not think about either of these three alternatives as something we’re asking people to choose, but rather, they’re models and alternatives and ways of defining the problem,” said Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, referring to an update of the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines.

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Why California Can’t Catch a Break

/in , , /by /The Atlanticby Caroline Mimbs Nyce

This winter, storm after storm after storm dumped rain and snow on California, and now, as the spring poppies bloom, the state is lush. Hillsides once prickly with dry vegetation have softened. Ski resorts, once thawed out and closed by late spring, are buried under record snow and planning to stay open into July. Satellite photos show a state transformed from brown to green, streaked from top to bottom with bright-emerald patches.

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Encinitas Opens New Water Pipeline Reducing Drinking Water Demand by 27 Million Gallons Per Year

/in , /by /CBS 8by Danamarie McNicholl-Carter

 A new water pipeline project recently finished construction in Encinitas. On Tuesday local and congressional leaders held a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of the pipeline.

The Manchester Avenue Recycled Water Pipeline Project involved the construction of approximately 1.4 miles of six-inch diameter recycled water pipeline. According to a press release, customers connecting to this new pipeline will now irrigate with recycled water, reducing the demand for imported drinking water by more than 27 million gallons per year.

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U.S. Presents Proposals for Major Water Cuts on Colorado River

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

The federal government on Tuesday laid out two options for preventing the Colorado River’s depleted reservoirs from falling to critically low levels, saying it could either impose cuts across the Southwest by following the water-rights priority system or by using an across-the-board percentage.

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US Unveils Options for Cutting California’s Colorado River Water

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Alastair Bland

The Biden administration today proposed alternatives for cutting Colorado River water allocations for Southwest states, including one that would substantially reduce the amount of water delivered to Southern California.

One of the three options would retain California’s historic, century-old senior water rights, while another would override them and split the cuts in water deliveries evenly between California, Nevada and Arizona. The even-split option would be a big blow to Imperial Valley farmers while benefiting the other states.

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US Floats Options to Reduce Water Pulled From Colorado River

/in , /by /AP Newsby Ken Ritter and Suman Naishadham

The Biden administration released an environmental analysis Tuesday that outlined two ways that seven Western states and tribes reliant on the overtapped Colorado River could cut their use, but declined to publicly take a side on the best option.

One option would be more beneficial to California and some tribes along the river that have high-priority rights to the river’s water.

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Feds May Cut Supply Across Seven States to Keep Colorado River Afloat

/in , /by /Desert Sunby Janet Wilson

The U.S. Department of Interior announced Tuesday that it could ― and possibly would ― impose cuts to Colorado River deliveries starting next year if necessary, ignoring historic water rights held by the powerful Imperial Irrigation District and other rural farming districts.

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An Epic 31 Atmospheric River Storms Transformed California. The Mystery Remains: Why?

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

As winter approached, few anticipated what was about to hit California.

Mired in a serious drought, the state was suddenly battered by an onslaught of 31 atmospheric river storms in a matter of months. While the number alone isn’t exceptional, the location, intensity and duration of these storms had a transforming effect on California’s climate. Record snowfall. Deadly flooding. The end of many drought restrictions.

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