The Kern County Water Agency voted Thursday to pony up its $32.6 million share of planning and pre-construction costs for the so-called delta tunnel after its member districts gave a somewhat grudging go-ahead.
Significant snow falling in the Sierra Nevada over the next few days could be the region’s last big snow dump of the season, showcasing a dramatic rebound for the snowpack that provides a significant portion of California’s water reserves through the rest of the year.
Despite some heavy rainstorms and squalls of snow in recent months, the Sierra Nevada snowpack today stands at 90% of average, according to state officials.
This year’s measurements mark the first below-average snowpack since 2022, when it dropped to a dismal 38% of the historical average.
The cost of living keeps going up, and families across California are feeling the squeeze. We see it firsthand in the South Bay, where too many people have to make tough choices about which bills to pay. Water is not a luxury — it’s a basic necessity — and at Sweetwater Authority, we believe no one should have to struggle to keep it flowing.
Tariffs and immigration crackdowns have taken center stage in recent weeks as President Donald Trump pushes border tougher restrictions. But there has been another issue also playing out: water.
County water officials said Thursday that financial challenges they face may force them to substantially raise rates for wholesale water next year, a move that would lead to higher water bills across much of the county.
Colorado River states have weeks remaining to resolve deep divides over how to manage the river for years to come, officials at a water conference in southwestern Colorado said Friday.
San Diego County saw a nearly 9% decrease in acreage with “very high” fire hazard compared to 2011, Cal Fire reported this week in a release of new maps for areas under local and county fire agency jurisdiction.
According to Cal Fire data, San Diego County has 157,338 acres with “very high” fire hazard, the highest level of hazard. In 2011, that figure was more than 180,700 acres.
The CSCI aims to increase the number of solar installations on California’s canals.
The initiative is led by the University of Southern California (USC) Dornsife Public Exchange and independent advisory Solar AquaGrid, and includes faculty from seven universities, six of which are in California.
L.A.’s big plans to recycle almost all of its wastewater for drinking is likely to take a lot longer than originally proposed.
Back in 2019, former L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a goal to recycle almost all of L.A.’s wastewater by 2035. But the long-awaited plan on how to actually do that pushes the timeline back more than 20 years — to 2056, though some wastewater would be recycled for drinking by 2040.
