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Near Miss; Atmospheric River Shifts Toward Southern California

After weeks of atmospheric rivers slamming into Northern California, triggering flooding and landslides, the jet stream has shifted the latest blast of subtropical moisture toward Southern California, forecasters said.

But it won’t be a complete miss on Tuesday. The northern edge of the river will bring moderate rain to parts of the Bay Area and 2 inches or more to the waterlogged Santa Cruz Mountains and the flooded communities in Monterey County.

El Niño Expected to Develop Later in the Year, NOAA Says

La Niña is finally over after three years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This winter has not acted like a typical La Niña winter with California getting drenched, especially in Southern California where La Niña typically signals a drier than average winter.

NOAA Spring Outlook: California Drought Cut by Half with More Relief to Come

NOAA’s U.S. Spring Outlook indicates the abnormally wet winter will further improve drought across much of the western U.S. as the snowpack melts in the coming months. Winter precipitation, combined with recent storms, wiped out exceptional and extreme drought in California for the first time since 2020, and is expected to further improve drought conditions this spring.

Significant flooding in the western U.S., especially in California, followed another series of strong Pacific storms that battered the region in March, and piled on to an already historic snowpack.

Scripps Institution Researchers Visit Bakersfield College for Ag and Water Study

A changing climate in California could very well mean longer periods of drought, then wetter and more intense storms when the rains finally arrive.

It’s not an ideal scenario when trying to manage precious water in the Golden State.

Learning how to manage California’s water for the greatest benefit — even as these new challenges come to the agriculture-intense San Joaquin Valley — is one of the reasons Tom Corringham led a team of researchers to Bakersfield College on Thursday and Friday.

Another Atmospheric River Will Thrash Storm-Ravaged California, Threatening More Flooding and Hurricane-force Wind Gusts

Swaths of California still saturated by ruthless storms will get walloped by another atmospheric river, spawning fears of renewed flooding and forcing some residents to flee.

The state has already been hammered by at least 11 atmospheric rivers this season. An atmospheric river is like a fire hose that carries saturated air from the tropics to higher latitudes, dumping relentless rain or snow.

The Price of San Diego’s ‘Drought-Proof’ Water Could Spike a Whopping 14 Percent

San Diegans are facing a tidal wave of rate increases in coming years for so-called drought-proof water — driven in large part by new sewage recycling projects coupled with the rising cost of desalination and importing the Colorado River.

While many residents already struggle to pay their utility bills, the situation now appears more dire than elected leaders may have anticipated.

Your Water Bill Could Go Up 14% | Here is How It is Affecting San Diego Farmers

According to Public Information Officer Noelle Denke for the Fallbrook Utility District, over the last decade, the San Diego County Water Authority has raised water costs for the Fallbrook and Rainbow Municipal Water Districts by an average of 8% per year.

As a result, the region has lost an estimated 10,000 acres of groves and 1 million trees. And now, water rates could go up 14%.

Rainbow Approves Additional LAFCO Deposit

San Diego County’s Local Agency Formation Commission requires a deposit to process applications to LAFCO for jurisdictional changes, and the Rainbow Municipal Water District approved an additional deposit amount during the Tuesday, Feb. 28, Rainbow board meeting.

The board’s 5-0 vote approved the additional payment of $32,648.91, bringing the total Rainbow payment to $245,932.10. Rainbow and the Fallbrook Public Utility District are sharing the processing costs.

Recycled Water Pipeline Benefits Olivenhain Municipal Water District Customers

A new recycled water pipeline is being tapped by Olivenhain Municipal Water District customers for landscape irrigation.

Olivenhain Municipal Water District has successfully converted Westmont of Encinitas to recycled water for landscape irrigation. The assisted living facility is the first of many customers along the Manchester Avenue and South El Camino Real corridor to tap into the newly installed recycled water pipeline.

Water Restrictions Lifted for Millions in SoCal, but Region Still Urged to Conserve

Mandatory water restrictions are being lifted for nearly 7 million people across Southern California following winter storms that have boosted reservoirs and eased the severe shortage that emerged during the state’s driest three-year period on record.

Citing improvements in available supplies, the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has decided to end an emergency conservation mandate for agencies in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties that rely on water from the State Water Project.