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NOAA Sees No Winter Drought Relief Across Parched West

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

Western states gripped by persistent drought are unlikely to see any relief in the coming months, as a third year of La Niña weather patterns reduces precipitation in that region, NOAA scientists predicted Thursday.

According to the agency’s 2022-23 Winter Outlook, below-average rainfall and snowpack are expected in a wide stretch of the United States including Southern California, the Southwest, the southern Rockies, the southern Plains, the Gulf Coast and much of the South.

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River District Head: California Water Cut Far From What is Needed From That State

/in , , /by /The Daily Sentinel by Dennis Webb

The general manager of the West Slope’s Colorado River District says proposed cuts by California entities in river water use are much less than is needed from that state, and their implication that other states need to step up with similar reductions fails to account for uncompensated, naturally occurring cuts that already impact users in the river’s Upper Basin.

Andy Mueller made his comments in a memo to his district’s board of directors and during the board’s meeting this week.

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Here’s Why the Desalination Plant in Doheny was Approved and Huntington Beach’s Wasn’t

/in , , /by /Long Beach Press-Telegramby Kurt Snibbe

Earlier this month, the California Coastal Commission approved plans for a desalination plant near Doheny State Beach. In May, the commission voted against a plant in Huntington Beach. Today we look at the differences.

The greenlighted $140 million desalination plant in south Orange County’s city of Dana Point includes technology preferred by environmentalists and regulators and could provide up to 5 million gallons per day. Unlike the rejected $1.4 billion plant in Huntington Beach (that would have produced 50 million gallons per day), the Doheny Ocean Desalination project location has unique hydrogeology that allows advanced slant wells (shown in graphics on the right) to draw water from beneath the ocean floor to protect marine life.

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Colorado to Reuse Water for Drinking, Creating New Supply

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Brittany Peterson

When Eric Seufert brewed a test batch of beer in 2017 with water from recycled sewage, he wasn’t too concerned about the outcome. The engineering firm that approached him about the test explained the process, and together they sipped samples of recycled water. Seufert quickly understood it wasn’t too different from how water is normally handled.

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Poseidon, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Launch Wetlands Restoration in South Bay

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Phil Diehl

Partners in a plan to restore 125 acres of degraded coastal wetlands as a mitigation project for the Carlsbad seawater desalination plant celebrated the start of construction Friday morning in Imperial Beach.

The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project in South San Diego Bay is a joint effort by the desalination plant operator Poseidon Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies to improve the habitat for native fish, plants and birds, particularly migratory shorebirds and other salt marsh-dependent species.

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Higher Prices for Ketchup and Tomatoes? California’s Drought is Hurting Tomato Farmers

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Chase DiFeliciantonio

No matter if you’re whipping up a cacciatore, amatriciana or a homemade pizza, you’re going to need one thing: tomatoes.

But while most of the tomatoes consumed in the U.S. — fresh, canned, and otherwise — come from California, factors like the ongoing drought, rising fuel prices, and a changing climate are making the fruit harder and more expensive to grow. And that’s prompting some California farmers to consider raising other, hardier crops that require less irrigation.

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Experts Warn That Third Year of La Niña Will Bring Worsening Drought Conditions

/in , , /by /CBS Los Angeles

A rare third straight year of La Niña is expected to bring warmer than average temperatures and worsening drought conditions to the Southland, also increasing the risk for fire danger.

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Joint Effort to Build Desal Facility Could Help Fight Drought

/in , , /by /The Sentinelby John Lindt

Facing a dry future, Westlands and westside towns like Avenal need each other.

Small western Fresno and Kings County towns like Coalinga, Huron and Avenal are in the same boat as Westlands Water District. They have no potable local water supply but depend on imports from Northern California.

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State Puts $100M Toward Water Conservation

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Review-Journal

More money is coming down the pipeline for Nevada’s efforts to conserve water amid a historic megadrought that has put the pinch on supplies in the Southwest.

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Drought, Fire Risk to Stay High During Third La Niña Winter

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Patrick Whittle

Drought and wildfire risks will remain elevated in the western states while warmer than average temperatures will greet the Southwest, Gulf Coast and East Coast this winter, federal weather officials said Thursday.

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