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Q&A: La Niña May Bring More Atlantic Storms, Western Drought

/in , , /by /AP News by Seth Borenstein

La Niña — which often means a busier Atlantic hurricane season, a drier Southwest and perhaps a more fire-prone California — has popped up in the Pacific Ocean.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that a La Niña, the cooler flip side of the better known El Niño, has formed. Meteorologists had been watching it brewing for months.

A natural cooling of certain parts of the equatorial Pacific, La Niña sets in motion a series of changes to the world’s weather that can last months, even years. This one so far is fairly weak and is projected to last through at least February but may not be the two-to-three-year type sometimes seen in the past, NOAA Climate Prediction Center Deputy Director Mike Halpert said.

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San Lorenzo Valley Water District Rebuilds After ‘Most Expensive Disaster in History’

/in , , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinelby Nicholas Ibarra

Emergency repairs are underway after a historic fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains wreaked havoc on the San Lorenzo Valley’s water infrastructure

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La Niña is Back. What Does That Mean for California’s Drought?

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Paul Duginski

La Niña conditions were observed in the Pacific Ocean last month, and there is a 75% chance the weather pattern will persist through the winter, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

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Rancho Water to Refund Bonds and Cover Loss from Shelved Rate Increases

/in , /by /Valley Newsby Jeff Pack

During a joint regular meeting of the Rancho California Water District finance and audit committee and a special meeting of the board of directors, Thursday, Sept. 3, the district committee agreed to implement the 2020 Plan of Finance and authorize RCWD’s general manager to negotiate and enter into agreements for proposed bond issuances to save the district an estimated $1.3 million.

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Companies Eager to ‘Lock In’ Trump-Era Water Rule Exemptions

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Amena H. Saiyid

Coal miners, stone quarrying companies, and other businesses are rushing to lock down any exemptions to federal water jurisdiction for at least five years, under changes the Trump administration recently made to the nation’s water rule.

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City of Anaheim, Brown and Caldwell to Partner on PFAS Removal Project

/in , /by /Water Finance & Management

The City of Anaheim, California, has enlisted Brown and Caldwell to provide owner advisory services for the design-build delivery of multiple groundwater treatment plants. The new facilities will play a key role in Anaheim’s compliance with recent state Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances regulations and ensure water supplies continue to meet state and federal quality standards.

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Six Western States Blast Utah Plan to Tap Colorado River Water

/in , , /by /ABC Newsby Sam Metz (Associated Press/Report for America)

Six states in the U.S. West that rely on the Colorado River to sustain cities and farms rebuked a plan to build an underground pipeline that would transport billions of gallons of water through the desert to southwest Utah.

In a joint letter Tuesday, water officials from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming urged the U.S. government to halt the approval process for the project, which would bring water 140 miles (225 km) from Lake Powell in northern Arizona to the growing area surrounding St. George, Utah.

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Adapting to the ‘New Normal’ In a Post-COVID Water Sector

/in , , /by /Water Onlineby Pete Antoniewicz

Beyond all the health-related impacts of the coronavirus pandemic — masks, social distancing, work from home scheduling, etc. — there have been some ripple effects to the daily operations and related employment conditions for water-treatment personnel. This synopsis of experiences provides perspective and outlines some opportunities and approaches for water-industry professionals to adopt if they have not already done so as part of the post-COVID ‘new normal’.

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Have An Idea for How to Fix the Salton Sea? The State Wants Your Input This Month

/in , , /by /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Mark Olalde

Do you have an idea for how to address the public health and environmental crises around the Salton Sea? Are you concerned the state is far behind on implementing solutions? You can let them know this month.

The California Natural Resources Agency announced it will be hosting a new round of public engagement sessions in September to get input to assist in the development of wildlife habitat restoration and dust suppression projects for the Salton Sea Management Program’s 10-year plan.

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Climate Change May Bring Unexpected Benefits to San Francisco Bay-Delta

/in , , /by /Forbesby Linh Anh Cat

The San Francisco Bay-Delta is literally threatened from all sides: rising sea levels from the ocean, disruptions to sediment supply from upstream, and within the Bay-Delta itself, development and other land use changes have left only a tiny fraction (5%) of marshland untouched.

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