Despite a last-minute frenzy of deal-making, the federal government announced that it will begin taking “protective actions” on the Colorado River, where a long-running drought has put the water supply for 40 million people at risk. The seven states that use the river had been trying to broker their own solution, a collective water-sharing deal, […]
Officials will trek into the mountains on Thursday to measure California’s snowpack again, in the hopes that recent storms have added to the state’s water supply. The California Department of Water Resources will perform the second survey of the season in the Sierra Nevada. Winter snow provides drinking water for much of the state as […]
The Department of Water Resources conducted California’s second manual snow survey of the year Thursday at Phillips Station, which offered some good news for the state. DWR water resource engineer John King announced that snow water content doubled since the start of the month at the survey site near Echo Summit. “The snow depth today […]
Arizona lawmakers passed a historic Colorado River drought deal Thursday afternoon, about seven hours before a midnight deadline set by the federal government. Gov. Doug Ducey promptly signed the legislation, clearing the way for Arizona to join in the three-state Drought Contingency Plan together with California and Nevada. “There’s a lot more work to be done […]
The Bureau of Reclamation, the Interior Department’s Western water bureaucracy that saw its dam-building heyday in the 1960s, has risen in stature once again in the Trump administration. Reclamation has flexed its muscles on Colorado River drought management plans, setting a deadline for today for states to act and threatening to step in if they […]
New snow measurements to be taken Thursday are expected to confirm that snow levels in the Sierra Nevada are on par with the long-term average, thanks to a series of storms that thrashed California in January. Those results may sound pretty ho hum, but getting to average is a pretty big thing in today’s topsy […]
Federal Government Steps In to Handle Colorado River Drought Crisis
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /KQED (San Francisco)by Lauren SommerDespite a last-minute frenzy of deal-making, the federal government announced that it will begin taking “protective actions” on the Colorado River, where a long-running drought has put the water supply for 40 million people at risk. The seven states that use the river had been trying to broker their own solution, a collective water-sharing deal, […]
Second Snow Survey To Measure California Water Supply
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KDRV TV (Medford, Ore.)by Alicia RubinOfficials will trek into the mountains on Thursday to measure California’s snowpack again, in the hopes that recent storms have added to the state’s water supply. The California Department of Water Resources will perform the second survey of the season in the Sierra Nevada. Winter snow provides drinking water for much of the state as […]
California Snowpack At 100 Percent Of Average As January Ends, State Officials Say
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Michael McGoughThe Department of Water Resources conducted California’s second manual snow survey of the year Thursday at Phillips Station, which offered some good news for the state. DWR water resource engineer John King announced that snow water content doubled since the start of the month at the survey site near Echo Summit. “The snow depth today […]
Arizona Legislature Passes Historic Colorado River Drought Plan Hours Before Deadline
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)by Dustin Gardiner, Andrew Nicla and Ian JamesArizona lawmakers passed a historic Colorado River drought deal Thursday afternoon, about seven hours before a midnight deadline set by the federal government. Gov. Doug Ducey promptly signed the legislation, clearing the way for Arizona to join in the three-state Drought Contingency Plan together with California and Nevada. “There’s a lot more work to be done […]
Dusty Agency Gets Sharp Elbows Under Trump
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /E&E News (DC)by Jeremy P. JacobsThe Bureau of Reclamation, the Interior Department’s Western water bureaucracy that saw its dam-building heyday in the 1960s, has risen in stature once again in the Trump administration. Reclamation has flexed its muscles on Colorado River drought management plans, setting a deadline for today for states to act and threatening to step in if they […]
New Measurements Show Sierra Snow Levels At Long-Term Average. And That’s A Big Deal
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Peter FimriteNew snow measurements to be taken Thursday are expected to confirm that snow levels in the Sierra Nevada are on par with the long-term average, thanks to a series of storms that thrashed California in January. Those results may sound pretty ho hum, but getting to average is a pretty big thing in today’s topsy […]