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California Faces Catastrophic Flood Dangers — and a Need to Invest Billions in Protection

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

The storms that have been battering California offer a glimpse of the catastrophic floods that scientists warn will come in the future and that the state is unprepared to endure.

Giant floods like those that inundated the Central Valley in 1861 and 1862 are part of California’s natural cycle, but the latest science shows that the coming megafloods, intensified by climate change, will be much bigger and more destructive than anything the state or the country has ever seen.

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Here’s Where These Northern California Reservoirs’ Levels Stand After Weeks of Rain

/in , , /by /KCRAby Jonathan Ayestas

Without a doubt, weeks of rain and snow since late December are absolutely helping with California’s water supply.

But how much help exactly is a question many have been asking. KCRA 3 Chief Meteorologist Mark Finan goes over where water reservoirs in Northern California stand. Spoiler alert: It’s a lot of good news.

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500 Mudslides, Flooded Communities, Broken Bridges: California Faces Long, Costly Storm Recovery

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Summer Lin

A pier in Santa Cruz split in half. Extensive flooding in Soquel Village, Capitola and Planada. Vital bridges badly battered or closed. More than 500 reported mudslides across California in the last few weeks, including some that damaged homes and cars in L.A. hillside communities.

The atmospheric river storms that pummeled California for weeks inflicted “extensive” damage to as many as 40 of the state’s 58 counties, and total repairs could reach as much as $1 billion, according to authorities.

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Storms Force California to Look Harder at Capturing Rainfall to Ease Drought

/in , , /by /Politicoby Camille Von Kaenel

After the driest three years in the state’s modern history, California suddenly has a different problem on its hands: too much water.

An ongoing series of storms drenching the state has forced officials to take measures unfathomable just a month ago, like releasing excess water from reservoirs and pumping surging river flows into storage.

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Los Angeles County Collects 33 Billion Gallons of Rainwater in Recent Storms

/in , , /by /KTLA 5by Travis Schlepp

Good news has surfaced in Los Angeles County’s ongoing battle with water scarcity.

The Los Angeles County Public Works Department announced Monday that more than 33 billion gallons of stormwater have been captured in the early months of the California winter storm season.

It will be used as drinking water and is enough to supply 816,000 people with enough water for an entire year, according to Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella.

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WaterSmart Makeover: Seasoned Landscape in Chula Vista a Standout for Fullness, Color

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Caron Golden Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

When the matriarch of the neighborhood decides with her husband that it’s time to renovate the front yard’s landscaping, you know it’s going to have to be something special. A WaterSmart contest winner in the Sweetwater Authority district showcases success of nearly 10 years with low-water use.

(Editor’s Note: About the series- This is the third in an occasional series on winners of the annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest, conducted in partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority. To learn about entering the next contest, visit landscapecontest.com. For details on classes and resources through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program, visit landscapemakeover.watersmartsd.org. Landscape rebates are available through the Socal WaterSmart Turf Replacement Program at socalwatersmart.com.)

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In One of the Snowiest Places in the West, A Scientist Hunts for Clues to the Sierra Snowpack’s Future

/in , , /by /Water Education Foundationby Nick Cahill

Growing up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Andrew Schwartz never missed an opportunity to play in – or study – a Colorado snowstorm. During major blizzards, he would traipse out into the icy wind and heavy drifts of snow pretending to be a scientist researching in Antarctica. Decades later, still armed with an obsession for extreme weather, Schwartz has landed in one of the snowiest places in the West, leading a research lab whose mission is to give California water managers instant information on the depth and quality of snow draping the slopes of the Sierra Nevada — snow that is crucial for the state’s water supply.

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Water Managers Across Drought-Stricken West Agree on One Thing: ‘This is Going to be Painful’

/in , , /by /Nevada Current / AZ Mirror by Jennifer Solis

Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.

If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region’s vitality — there won’t be enough water for anyone.

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More Rain, Snow in California From Ninth in Series of Storms

/in , /by /AP Newsby Christopher Weber

The ninth atmospheric river in a three-week series of major winter storms was churning through California on Monday, leaving mountain driving dangerous and the flooding risk high near swollen rivers even as the sun came out in some areas.

Heavy snow fell across the Sierra Nevada and the National Weather Service discouraged travel. Interstate 80, a key highway from the San Francisco Bay Area to Lake Tahoe ski resorts, reopened with chain requirements after periodic weekend closures because of whiteout conditions.

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Opinion: Storms Tell California to Upgrade its Plumbing

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Dan Walters

The rain and snow storms that have pummeled California for weeks have taken nearly two dozen lives and caused billions of dollars in damages to public and private property.

The flip side, however, is that they dropped immense amounts of water on a state that has suffered through severe drought for several years. At one point this month, an astonishing 160,000 cubic feet of water – 1.2 million gallons – was flowing through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta every second. That’s enough water to fill a reservoir the size of Folsom Lake, about 1 million acre-feet, in three days and doesn’t count water falling on other regions, such as Southern California.

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