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

A California Tunnel Could Save Stormwater for Millions. Why is It So Divisive?

/in , /by /The Washington Postby Scott Dance

As drought-weary Californians watched trillions of gallons of runoff wash into the Pacific Ocean during recent storms, it underscored a nagging question: Why can’t we save more of that water for not-so-rainy days to come?

But even the rare opportunity to stock up on the precious resource isn’t proving enough to unite a state divided on a contentious idea to siphon water from the north and tunnel it southward, an attempt to combat the Southwest’s worst drought in more than a millennium.

Full Story

‘Weather Chaos’ Brings Enough Snow to Fill Verde River Reservoirs, Ease Drought Conditions

/in , /by /AZ Centralby Brandon Loomis

Meteorologist Bo Svoma hopped down into the 4-foot-deep pit he had shoveled and grinned like a school kid on a snow day.

“Bo is happy!” shouted one of his Salt River Project colleagues working snow survey duty on Tuesday.

There’s a lot for the metro Phoenix water supplier to be happy about this winter. What was supposed to be an unusually dry winter because of the return of the ocean and atmospheric phenomenon known as La Nińa has instead shaped up as the Arizona rim country’s second-snowiest season in 30 years.

Full Story

Metropolitan Hires Brown and Caldwell for Drought Study

/in , /by /Water Finance and Management

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan or MWD) has hired Brown and Caldwell to study alternative water conveyance options to provide supply diversity to the region during severe droughts.

MWD’s mission is to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the 19 million people in Southern California in the face of climate change and extended drought.

Full Story

Helix Water District Completes Tunnel Hills Water Tank Rehab Project in Lakeside

/in , /by /NBC 7 San Diegoby Jeanette Quezada

The Helix Water District just wrapped up its Tunnel Hills water tank restoration project, ensuring thousands of East County residents’ drinking supply.

“Water tanks are an essential part of any potable water system,” Tim Ross, Director of Engineering with the Helix Water District said.

The Tunnel Hills water tanks are two of 25 water tanks the Helix Water District manages across San Diego County. They serve about 55,000 customers.

Full Story

Current Rainy Season Could Be a Drought Buster, Forecaster Says

/in , , /by /KPBSby Thomas Fudge

This weekend brought San Diego county one of the season’s biggest winter storms.

A cold storm from the north on Thursday brought low temperatures and snow levels down to 2,000 feet of elevation. Then conditions warmed as an atmospheric river brought tropical moisture to the region.

Full Story

Is California’s Drought Finally Over? Here’s the Impact of the Latest Storms

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Kurtis Alexander

If there’s concern about California’s wet winter turning dry, consider it shushed.

The heaps of snow over the past week on top of the parade of deluges in early January have been extraordinary and left much of the state with well-above-average precipitation for the season. The winter storms, which account for the bulk of the state’s rain and snow, are forecast to continue into next month, virtually ensuring a good water year for California.

Full Story

‘A Nice Sign’: Big Rockies Snowpack May Boost Lake Mead

/in , , /by /Las Vegas Review-Journalby Colton Lochhead

It’s not even March yet, but the mountains that feed the Colorado River already have seen more snow this winter than they normally would through an entire snow season.

And with some snow in the forecast, there’s still more time for that snowpack to grow.

Full Story

California Approaching a Record Snow Year as Yet Another Storm Hits

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey and Nathan Solis

California was hit Monday with yet another winter storm, adding to what has become an unusually cold and wet season that some experts say has the chance to become one of the snowiest on record if conditions continue.

The new winter storm is forecast to bring more rain and snow across the state through Wednesday, though forecasters say it isn’t expected to be as exceptional as the previous system, which brought snowfall to unusually low elevations almost statewide.

Full Story

Will Colorado River Return to Health This Year? Snowpack Remains a Third Above Normal

/in , , /by /8 News Nowby Greg Haas

February snowfall might have fallen behind January’s brisk pace, but the Upper Colorado River Basin will go into March still well above average snowpack levels.

With all the headlines about snow in California and Utah, the area that matters most to the Las Vegas valley and Lake Mead is the region around the Colorado River’s headwaters — where the river is born among the peaks in and around Rocky Mountain National Park.

Full Story

Santa Fe Irrigation Board to Vote on Water Rate Increases This Month

/in , /by /Rancho Santa Fe Reviewby Karen Billing Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

This month the Santa Fe Irrigation District is preparing to increase water rate charges for the next three years. The rate structure approved by the board in late 2022 was for tiered rates with a meter overlay for residential properties, an option they believe is unique to accommodate the variations in the district from small Solana Beach city lots to larger properties in Rancho Santa Fe.

Full Story