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Even With Pledges To Fight Global Warming, You’d Better Brace Yourself For More Extreme Weather

Scientists have some sobering news about the future of our planet: Even if humans manage to meet the temperature target set forth in the Paris climate change agreement, record-breaking weather events will become increasingly common around the world. And that’s the good part. The Paris plan seeks to keep Earth’s global average temperature within 2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels by getting people to reduce their carbon emissions. According to the United Nations, 174 countries have signed on to the agreement.

5 Things To Know About The Plan To Ship Water To Southern California

Earlier this week, KPCC learned Southern California’s largest water importer, the Metropolitan Water District, was considering more than doubling its investment in a plan to reconfigure how supplies are diverted from one of the region’s most important sources of water: the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta just east of San Francisco. Three MWD board members have floated the idea of spending an additional $6 billion to revive a plan to build two giant tunnels under the delta.

Dry, Hot California Winter Closes Ski Resorts, Stalls Wildflower Blooms And Revives Drought Fears

In the Sierra Nevada, snowpack levels are running below even the darkest days of the drought, with cross-country ski resorts closed and mountain biking becoming the sport of choice until the snow returns. In the Bay Area, cities like San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Rosa are experiencing the hottest starts to a year on record. And Southern California remains in the grip of unprecedented dry and hot conditions, despite a weak storm that moved in Monday. February is historically a wet month, but not this year. And the long-term forecast offers little hope for relief.

Sustainable Landscaping Guidebooks Available Countywide

Free copies of a popular guidebook for environmentally friendly landscaping upgrades are available to residents countywide, thanks to a second printing of the “San Diego Sustainable Landscape Guidelines” by the San Diego County Water Authority. Residents can pick up the 71-page, spiral-bound books at the front desk of the Water Authority’s Kearny Mesa headquarters, and at approximately 15 other locations in San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Oceanside, San Marcos, Bonita and Spring Valley. A list of pickup locations is at sustainablelandscapessd.org/guidelines, as is an electronic version of the guidebook.

Study: California’s Delta Tunnels Plan Makes Economic Sense

The $11 billion first leg of California’s plan to divert water from its largest delta will pay dividends for cities and farmers and improve water quality, according to a state-sponsored study released Tuesday. The long-awaited cost-benefit analysis, conducted by a University of California, Berkeley professor, concludes that it’s worth it for water suppliers to foot the bill for the ambitious public works project touted by Gov. Jerry Brown. It finds “under all scenarios analyzed” that the California WaterFix or “delta tunnels” would benefit stakeholders and provide billions in net benefits.

Dry, Hot California Winter Closes Ski Resorts, Stalls Wildflower Blooms And Revives Drought Fears

In the Sierra Nevada, snowpack levels are running below even the darkest days of the drought, with cross-country ski resorts closed and mountain biking becoming the sport of choice until the snow returns. In the Bay Area, cities like San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Rosa are experiencing the hottest starts to a year on record. And Southern California remains in the grip of unprecedented dry and hot conditions, despite a weak storm that moved in Monday.

Southern California Water Supplier Eyes Tunnel Plan Control

In a dramatic twist on the Delta tunnels saga, Southern California’s powerful water agency — the ultimate source of water for 75 percent of Ventura County residents — is exploring the feasibility of owning the majority stake in the controversial project, a move that raises fears of a “water grab.” Under the plan floated Monday by three board members, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California would pour an extra $6 billion or more into the tunnels plan beyond what it has already pledged, enabling the twin tunnels to get built at the same time.

San Diego Pursues Drought-Proof Water Supply

The desert-like grounds around the San Diego County Water Authority offices are dressed in a water-wise xeriscape of cacti and aloe. The sky is a monotone blue and — even though it’s January — the temperature is in the 80s. Dennis Cushman, assistant general manager for the Water Authority, doesn’t look very comfortable in this setting in his dark wool suit. But when asked about the county’s water supply, he said he is actually feeling pretty good, because San Diego has plenty of water for 2018.

OPINION: Californians Voted To Spend Billions On More Water Storage. But State Government Keeps Sitting On The Cash

Good signs: There’s still a lot of water stashed in reservoirs from last year’s abnormally wet winter. And we’ve become better at using less water in our homes and yards. One very bad sign: We haven’t increased our water storage capacity. Government at all levels moves at a glacial pace, especially when it’s trying to deal with the complex and contentious issue of water. Four years ago in the midst of a scary, five-year drought — one of the state’s driest periods in recorded history — voters eagerly approved a $7.5-billion water bond proposal, Proposition 1. The vote was a lopsided 67% to 33%.

Forecasters No Longer Expecting Lots Of Rain In San Diego

It appeared that San Diego would get significant rain two or three times this week, helping to ease a quickly developing drought. But the National Weather Service said Monday that its latest models show the county will remain mostly dry for the rest of the week, and temperatures will rise above average starting on Thursday. “The systems are weakening and dying out when they get down here,” said Steve Harrison, a weather service forecaster.