As If the Pandemic Weren’t Enough, 2020 Might Be the Hottest Year Ever
Welcome back to Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in California and the American West. If this is your first edition, we’re glad to have you.
You are now in California and the U.S. Home Headline Media Coverage category.
Utah Pipeline Likely Won’t Affect Lake Mead
A proposed pipeline in Utah could divert approximately 86,000 acre feet of water annually from Lake Mead, but it will most likely not harm the overall water level in the reservoir.
Future Precipitation Increase from Very High Resolution Ensemble Downscaling of Extreme Atmospheric River Storms In California
Precipitation extremes will likely intensify under climate change. However, much uncertainty surrounds intensification of high-magnitude events that are often inadequately resolved by global climate models. In this analysis, we develop a framework involving targeted dynamical downscaling of historical and future extreme precipitation events produced by a large ensemble of a global climate model.
State Funds Expand City Water Reuse Projects
The city received $4.565 million in state grant funding to expand its water reuse efforts, with most of the funds going toward its Pure Water Oceanside Project.
The city received the money from the Department of Water Resources through the state’s Integrated Regional Water Management Program. The program supports water reuse programs like Oceanside’s to increase the state’s water sustainability.
We Now Know How Many Billions of Gallons of Water Colorado Will Save by Closing Coal-Fired Power Plants
By 2031 water use for coal-fired power plants in Colorado will drop to 3.7 billion gallons – a 68% reduction, according to the Energy and Policy Institute.
White House Loosens Environmental Law to Speed Up Infrastructure Projects
The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality today published its final rule to update the National Environmental Policy Act. The effective date is Sep. 14; however, it is subject to congressional review, which could delay or even prevent its implementation.
Research: Non-Flushable Wipes are Flooding Source Water with Microplastics
Though the public at large may continue to dispose of non-flushable wipes through their toilets, wastewater professionals are well aware of their propensity for clogging sewer systems and creating expensive issues. But even these professionals may not be aware of another water system problem that researchers are now tracing back to non-flushable wipes.
Opinion: Failure to Renew SDG&E Franchise Would Put San Diego at Risk
San Diego Gas & Electric linemen understand risk.
The women and men of IBEW Local 465 are essential workers who put their lives on the line every day. They climb electrical poles with nothing but a safety belt and steel spikes between them and a 100-foot fall. They wear protective equipment to weld and maintain the safest gas system in the nation. When a fire strikes, or a storm takes down power lines, they are first responders. Utility workers assess risks every day to keep the lights on and the gas flowing for millions of San Diego families.
Future Precipitation Increase from Very High Resolution Ensemble Downscaling of Extreme Atmospheric River Storms in California
Precipitation extremes will likely intensify under climate change. However, much uncertainty surrounds intensification of high-magnitude events that are often inadequately resolved by global climate models. In this analysis, we develop a framework involving targeted dynamical downscaling of historical and future extreme precipitation events produced by a large ensemble of a global climate model. This framework is applied to extreme “atmospheric river” storms in California.
Pipelines Assessed in Record Time with Latest Technology
The San Diego County Water Authority’s asset management team recently celebrated the completion of a comprehensive condition assessment of more than 27 miles of the agency’s oldest pipelines. The assessment was performed in record time over just 16 months.
