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Record Drought Conditions Across West Raise Concerns for Summer Dry Season

/in , , /by /NOAA by National Centers for Environmental Information

The current multi-year drought across the West is the most extensive and intense drought in the 22-year history of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Precipitation deficits during the first three months of 2022, across parts of the western U.S., are at or near record levels. As the climatological wet season ends across portions of the West, with below average snow cover and reservoirs at or near record-low levels, concerns for expanding and intensifying drought and water resource deficits are mounting.

During March, the average contiguous U.S. temperature was 44.1°F, 2.6°F above the 20th-century average. This ranked in the warmest third of the 128-year period of record. The year-to-date (January-March) average contiguous U.S. temperature was 36.3°F, 1.2°F above average, ranking in the middle third of the record.

The March precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. was 2.26 inches, 0.25 inch below average, and ranked in the driest third of the 128-year period of record. The year-to-date precipitation total was 5.66 inches, 1.30 inches below average, ranking seventh driest in the January-March record.

Temperatures were above average across much of the West and along the East Coast. California ranked sixth warmest for the January-March period.

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California’s Worsening Drought Could Disrupt Hydropower Electricity Generation This Summer

/in , , /by /CBS Los Angelesby Darleene Powells

California’s drought is getting worse — and the drying lakes and reservoirs could severely disrupt the state’s ability to generate electricity ahead of the hot summer months.

California’s energy commission says the state gets 10% of its electricity from power plants at dams along lakes and reservoirs. But when there’s no water, those plants are unable to generate power.

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Looking Out for Water Ratepayers in San Diego County

/in , , /by /Fallbrook Village News Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Every year at this time, water agencies launch the long and thoughtful process of setting rates for the next year. It’s always complex and challenging – and 2022 is an even more challenging year due to larger economic uncertainties that are compounded by inflation.

The good news is that the San Diego County Water Authority strategically invested in supply reliability in decades past when costs and inflation were lower – and we are reaping the benefits of those investments during the worst megadrought in 1,200 years.

Further, the Water Authority’s locally controlled sources have cost-control measures built into the contracts to help guard against sudden price increases.

 

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Assessing the U.S. Climate in March 2022

/in , /by /National Centers for Environmental Information

The current multi-year drought across the West is the most extensive and intense drought in the 22-year history of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Precipitation deficits during the first three months of 2022, across parts of the western U.S., are at or near record levels. As the climatological wet season ends across portions of the West, with below average snow cover and reservoirs at or near record-low levels, concerns for expanding and intensifying drought and water resource deficits are mounting.

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Study Examines Financial Risks of Water Resilience Planning in California

/in , /by /phys.org

Partnerships between water utilities, irrigation districts and other stakeholders in California will play a critical role in funding new infrastructure under the Water Resilience Portfolio Initiative announced in 2020 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but a new study warns that benefits might not be evenly distributed without proper structure to the agreements.

California’s initiative is a multi-billion dollar effort that encourages different water utilities and irrigation districts to work together to build shared infrastructure to ameliorate the effects of droughts, but a number of questions remain regarding how best to structure these agreements.

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California Drought Demands Statewide Water Conservation Effort

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Ed Joyce / County of San Diego Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

California is in the third year of drought and water agencies and officials statewide are urging residents and businesses to increase their water conservation. Governor Gavin Newsom has called on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15% with simple measures to protect water reserves.

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California Drought: Disappointing Rain and Snow Mean Tighter Water Rules Ahead

/in , , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Yoohyun Jung and Kurtis Alexander

California’s wet season wrapped up as a big disappointment, setting the stage for a third year of drought.

Most of the state — about 96% — was categorized as having severe drought conditions as March came to a close, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The continuing drought suggests more water restrictions are forthcoming as supplies run low.

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‘Urgency Change’ Will Allow More Water to Be Stored in Lake Oroville and Shasta Lake

/in , , , /by /Action News Nowby Kelli Saam

Federal and state water agencies have issued an urgency change to conserve more water in Lake Oroville and Shasta Lake.

District 1 Rep. Doug LaMalfa announced Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources have issued a temporary urgency change petition. It will be in effect now through June 30.

The urgency petition allows the State Water Project and Central Valley Project to release less water through the Delta, in order to conserve stored water at reservoirs including Shasta Lake, Lake Oroville and Folsom Lake.

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New Study Shows Robust Increases in Atmospheric Thirst Across Much of U.S. During Past 40 Years

/in , , /by /DRI

In arid Western states, the climate is growing warmer and drier, leading to increased demand for water resources from humans and ecosystems. Now, the atmosphere across much of the U.S. is also demanding a greater share of water than it used to, according to a new study by a team from DRI, University of California, Merced, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

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Seizing the Water Infrastructure Moment Nationally and Locally

/in , , /by /Brookingsby Joseph W. Kane and Andy Kricun

Aging and undersized sewers, contaminated drinking water, and lead-tainted pipes imperil millions of households and communities nationally. At the same time, more severe flooding and drought conditions have exacerbated the nation’s water infrastructure deficit. Decades of inaction and underinvestment—particularly at a federal level—have multiplied these and other water infrastructure challenges, but the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) holds promise to address them via an infusion of more than $57 billion to states and localities over the next five years.

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