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State Water Officials say First Snow Survey Set for December 30th

/in , /by /KSRO Santa Rosa

State water officials say the first manual snow survey of the new season is set for December 30th. The Department of Water Resources is hoping for a wet December after seeing practically no rain in the first two months of the new water year. California recorded zero rain in October, and only 53% of the average rainfall in November.

Most of the state’s largest reservoirs are running well below their historic averages for December 1st. Lake Shasta at 75% capacity was 119% of its average this time last year. Lake Oroville at 61% capacity is down from 90% one year ago.

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Opinion: California Must Bypass Water Politics and Work Toward Solutions For Our Thirsty State

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Robbie Hunter

California’s water wars are epic. They’ve inspired Hollywood productions and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism. Water has been the source of both great wealth and great poverty in California. A fellow Irishman, James Mulholland, who was born around the corner from where I was and even baptized in the same church, delivered water to the City of Los Angeles with what was described as “chicanery, subterfuge … and a strategy of lies.”

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Upland OKs New $15.4 Million Reservoir to Replace One that Could Fail

/in , /by /Daily Bullitenby Steve Scouzillo

After four years of planning, the city of Upland soon will begin construction on a $15.4 million concrete reservoir to replace an old one in danger of failing. The new above-ground, 7.5 million-gallon reservoir will be built adjacent to the old one on the northwest corner of 17th Street and Benson Avenue that was said to be similar to one in Westminster that failed in 1989.

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California’s Oil and Gas Regulator Approved Hundreds of New Wells Without Required Oversight

/in , /by /KQEDby Nina Sparling

The agency responsible for regulating California’s oil and natural gas industry violated state rules by approving hundreds of new wells in 2019 without proper review, according to a recent audit. The state Department of Finance’s review of California’s Geologic Energy Management Division found numerous violations, including inadequate environmental and safety reviews and a failure to follow current guidelines.

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LADWP Replacing Critical Areas Along its 7,000 Miles of Water Pipeline with Earthquake Resilient Ones

/in , /by /ABC7 Los Angelesby Alex Cheney

Local utilities are looking for new ways to make Southern California earthquake safe, and one way is by replacing aging water pipes.
The new pipes could help keep the water flowing after a big one hits. LADWP is replacing critical areas along its 7,000 miles of water pipes in Los Angeles with earthquake resilient pipes to ensure water is still flowing after the shaking stops.

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Winter’s Dry Start Prompts Low California Water Allocation

/in , , /by /AP News

California’s water managers on Tuesday preliminarily allocated just 10% of requested water supplies to agencies that together serve more than 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.

The state Department of Water Resources cited the dry start to the winter rainy season in California’s Mediterranean climate, along with low reservoir levels remaining from last year’s relatively dry winter. Winter snow typically supplies about 30% of the state’s water as it melts.

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US EPA Recommends Testing Wastewater for PFAS

/in , /by /Chemical & Engineering Newsby Cheryl Hogue

Some facilities may have to test for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in their wastewater, under a new strategy from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The effort could eventually help reduce the level of environmentally persistent and toxic PFAS in drinking water drawn downstream of such facilities as well as in fish and river sediment.

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Dry Weather Mitigated by Monterey County Groundwater

/in , , /by /The Californianby Kate Cimini

The Central Coast and parts south are unusually dry, according to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s national drought monitor. That could lead to dry soil, increased irrigation, stunted germination of dryland crops and increased risk of fire, the report says.

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Opinion: After COVID-19 Ends, Will Californians Go Thirsty?

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby The Times Editorial Board

In the midst of drought yet again, and two decades into the 21st century, California continues to operate with a water infrastructure engineered and constructed for 20th century climate conditions and populations. That’s true not only of the state’s physical network of dams and aqueducts, but of its legal and financial infrastructure as well — the pricing rules that allocate the state’s precious liquid resources among its 40 million thirsty people. The coronavirus emergency has highlighted some of the most serious stresses in the system.

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How Safe is the Water Off the Coast of the San Onofre Nuclear Plant?

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

Though many may not know it, throughout its existence the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station has discharged wastewater that contains very low levels of radiation. All nuclear plants release some effluents, though the nature and amounts can vary by plant site and configuration.

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