Los Angeles will take most or all of its allotment of water from Mono Lake through March, disappointing local environmentalists and conservation experts after raising hopes that more water would be left in the iconic alpine lake. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had indicated last spring that it might, in a rare move, substantially reduce the amount taken from Mono Lake.
With so much water in the eastern U.S., why can’t the region pipe some of it to its drought-prone neighbors in the West? This perennial question nags climate journalists and western water managers alike. We break down why building a pipeline is unrealistic right now for the Colorado River.
The California winter snowpack, which typically supplies a third of the state’s water, has declined to 65% of normal after a dry January. The state Department of Water Resources announced the new level on Friday following its second official snow survey of the season. At the first survey on Jan. 1, the snowpack was at 108%.
As downpours soak Northern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered state officials to capture and store more stormwater in San Joaquin Valley reservoirs for farmers and towns, and to “remove or minimize” any obstacles that stand in the way. If that sounds familiar, it is: The governor issued similar orders two years ago, when he waived environmental laws to store more water as storms drenched the state and caused disastrous flooding.
President Donald Trump’s obsession with California’s water comes from an often overlooked source — Golden State farmers.
Brian Caldwell has been leading photo tours on Lake Hodges for years, with many spectators drawn in by wildlife. But after an inspection in 2022, the state mandated the water level be dropped, and Caldwell noticed a change in the wildlife population.
Allocations from California’s State Water Project continue to slowly trend upwards this winter, with water managers announcing a 5 percent increase in requested deliveries compared to last month.
Southern California’s biggest water supplier replaced its general manager on Wednesday after the completion of an investigation into claims of harassment and a toxic workplace.
San Diego County wants to buy a second firefighting helicopter equipped for making water drops at night. It has nearly $4 million in hand but needs to find $14 million to pay for it. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted a unanimous 4-0 to pursue funding for the new helicopter, as well as buying four water tenders, which cost nearly $1 million each, and another $750,000 per tender a year to cover staffing costs. Finding money for the big-ticket items will be considered for the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The Trump administration’s order to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans prompted confusion across state capitols and local government offices on Tuesday, leaving them at a loss on how to even calculate its impact. Officials got a temporary reprieve late in the day when a federal judge in the District of Columbia blocked the order just as it was set to go into effect.
