Precipitation is below average in California for the current water year. Despite recent storms that increased the statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack to 70% of average to date, the state is experiencing its second consecutive below average year for rain and snow.
Your landscaping soil needs three things to feed the billions of microbes within it to transform brick-hard, lifeless dirt into healthy, living soil sponges: oxygen, water, and life. Think OWL to remember these important, interconnected factors.
The start of California’s annual rainy season has been pushed back from November to December, prolonging the state’s increasingly destructive wildfire season by nearly a month, according to new research. The study cannot confirm the shift is connected to climate change, but the results are consistent with climate models that predict drier autumns for California in a warming climate, according to the authors.
For years, Southern Nevadans have watched the water level in Lake Mead inch downward and wondered how long we could avoid the federally mandated rationing that kicks in when the lake elevation hits certain thresholds.
As drought conditions intensify across Colorado, at least 14 cities in the Denver metro area say they will join forces to warn residents of looming water shortages and the need to cut back use this spring. Denver Water’s Jason Finehout said a metro drought coordination effort would help ensure a consistent message on reducing water use in what is shaping up to be another alarmingly dry year.
Recent storms have boosted California’s vital Sierra Nevada snowpack but not enough to fully compensate for a dry start to winter and residents should use water wisely, a state official said Wednesday after the season’s latest measurements.
During Imperial Irrigation District Board meeting director comments, Norma Galindo commented from her remote distancing location, and started off memorializing recently passed, former IID General Manager, Kevin Kelley, then segued into a discourse about prayer.
“We talk about prayer, I don’t believe many do, or if they do, they pray for the wrong thing. I am troubled by the hypocrisy in our leadership when we talk about praying. We aren’t willing to talk with each other to resolve issues. It is a time to reflect, let bygones be bygones. I would hope Director Hamby would have the gumption to meet with me face to face to address issues. I know we can work together, and Director Hanks.”
Samuel Coleridge’s poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” features the phrase, “Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink.”
Unlike the Ancient Mariner who was trapped on a salt-water ocean without fresh water, we in Marin County have fresh water surrounded by a salty bay and ocean.
Just as owners perform routine maintenance to keep their cars running smoothly, water systems need regular maintenance to provide reliable service. The Vallecitos Water District’s Valve Maintenance Program ensures these vital components in its water distribution remain in good working condition throughout the District.
To meet the promise of its day one executive order on Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, the Biden administration needs to provide low-income communities, communities of color and Indigenous people the same access to clean and safe water that the rest of our nation takes for granted. Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan makes a down payment on that promise by funding improved access to clean water for the overburdened communities of Indian Country.
