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Sierra Snow Levels Still Above Average, More Storms Predicted First Week of February

/in , , /by /NBC Bay Areaby Bay City News

The National Weather Service in Sacramento tweeted Sunday that, despite California having a mostly dry January, snow depth and snow water content “is looking good and still running above average for this time of year.”

Currently, the Northern Sierra is at about 113 percent of what is considered the normal amount of snow for this time of year. Central Sierra snow is at about 109 percent. Overall, the state has about 111 percent of its average snowpack right now, thanks to the record-breaking storms that came toward the end of 2021.

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SWP Water Allocation Increased After December Storms

/in , , /by /AgNet Media

Last week the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it will be increasing allocations for the State Water Project. In a press release, DWR Director Karla Nemeth said that December storms have allowed the Department to convey and store water in the San Luis Reservoir. Those storms and additional water have enabled a modest increase in deliveries. The State Water Project (SWP) allocation has been increased to 15 percent of requested supplies for 2022.

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Who Governs California’s Drinking Water Systems?

/in , , , /by /California WaterBlogby Kristin Dobbin and Amanda Fencl

A key feature of California’s drinking water system is the large number of individual water systems. There are approximately 3,000 Community Water Systems (CWSs) in the state, meaning systems that serve a residential population year-round (the remaining 5,000 of the state’s 8,000 Public Water Systems are non-community systems serve places like schools, daycare, hospitals, campgrounds, or businesses that serve at least 25 people but have transient or non-residential populations).

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Supreme Court to Review Which Wetlands Get Federal Water Protections

/in , , /by /The Hillby Rachel Frazin

The Supreme Court will review the question of which wetlands get protections under the Clean Water Act, a case with implications for water pollution and business operations.

The court on Monday agreed to take up the question of what legal test should be used to determine whether certain wetlands are protected under the federal law.

At issue is the case of Michael and Chantell Sackett, who, in 2007, started to build a home on a vacant lot that they own. The Sacketts had obtained local permits for the construction, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined at the time that the activity was a violation of the Clean Water Act because the lot contains wetlands that qualify for protections.

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New Irrigation Technology Could Save Water for Arizona Farms

/in , , /by /Arizona Daily Sunby Diana Quintero

The Central Arizona Project, which delivers Colorado River water to more than 80% of Arizona’s growing population, is taking a three-pronged approach to the megadrought that has resulted in the first water cutbacks to Arizona farmers.

One of those approaches is N-Drip, which converts flood-irrigated fields into a drip system that uses gravity, with no external form of energy. Developed by an Israeli company, the system is being tested to grow sorghum in Australia, sugar cane in Thailand and now cotton and alfalfa in Arizona.

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Opinion: California’s Wildfire Warning and the Action We Need to Take

/in , /by /Cal Mattersby Ashley Conrad-Saydah and Hugh Safford

When weather patterns and conditions develop that fuel extreme fire behavior, the National Weather Service issues what it calls a “Red Flag Warning.” In response, firefighters rapidly shift resources, beef up staffing and alert nearby communities. It’s an all-hands-on-deck moment to prepare for the worst – one we’ve become increasingly familiar with, even in winter months.

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Report Says Pasadena’s Groundwater Water Needs to be “Stabilized”; City Seeks Assurance of Continued MWD Supply

/in , /by /Pasadena Now

Pasadena Water and Power will be reporting about the City’s Water Supply and Projected Water Use for the years 2025 through 2040 when they appear Tuesday at a meeting of the City Council’s Municipal Services Committee.

A preliminary PWP report showed the presentation on Tuesday will focus on residential demand and regulatory drivers for water efficiency in new and existing residential projects.

The report, from PWP Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger, said the City continues to draw 30 to 40 percent of its water supply out of local groundwater from the Raymond Basin. The remainder of the water requirement is imported from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD).

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College Scholarships Offered for Water Industry Education

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Multiple California water associations and water agencies in San Diego County are offering college scholarships to help candidates achieve their goals.

A large number of recent retirements combined with the need for a skilled workforce up to date on new technologies have resulted in a critical need to increase the talent pool of skilled individuals in the water and wastewater industry, including in San Diego County.

Scholarships are available for community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and graduate-level programs.

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New Water Restrictions in Place for Thousands in Diamond Bar, Pomona, Walnut

/in , , /by /CBS Los Angelesby CBSLA Staff

The WVWD Board of Directors declared a level 2 water shortage, which calls for a 20% drop in water use.

The Walnut Valley Water District has about 100,000 customers in parts of Diamond Bar, Walnut, the City of Industry, Pomona, West Covina and an unincorporated area of Rowland Heights.

Under the restrictions, residents are limited to watering their lawns only three days per week. There is also no watering between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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People Haven’t Just Made the Planet Hotter. We’ve Changed the Way It Rains.

/in , , /by /USA TODAYby USA TODAY Staff

You probably noticed a lot of weird weather in 2021.

From record-breaking deluges and tropical storms to drought-stricken landscapes that erupted in wildfire, the nation seemed to lurch from one weather-related disaster to the next.

You’re forgiven if you dismiss these events as unrelated, albeit unfortunate, phenomena. But they actually share a common bond – they’re all part of a new climate reality where supersized rainfalls and lengthening droughts have become the norm.

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