California and the U.S.

The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.

It May Be Back To The Drawing Board For Jerry Brown’s Delta Tunnels

Despite a personal push from Gov. Jerry Brown, the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Board of Directors gave a resounding “no” the other day to helping to pay for his plan for two 35-mile tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to help deliver water to the Central Valley and Southern California. The district was being asked […]

What the Coming La Niña Means for California Rains

After enduring the driest stretch of years in our history, and then logging the wettest spell on record this past winter, befuddled Californians have one question on their minds these days: What’s next? In two words: La Niña. But whether the water temperature pattern hatching right now in the Pacific Ocean will leave the Golden […]

Oroville Dam: Independent Institute Report Calls for DWR to Transfer Dam Ownership

The state Department of Water Resources has received a satirical award for its management of the Oroville Dam crisis from the Independent Institute, which also recommends the department transfer dam ownership to private entities. The Oakland-based institute gives the California Golden Fleece Award quarterly to state government agencies that “swindle taxpayers or violate the public […]

OPINION: Delta Water Tunnel Vote Raises Question of What’s Next?

The East Bay and California as a whole greatly benefited Tuesday when the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board courageously stood up to Gov. Jerry Brown and rejected his $17 billion plan to build twin water tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. But the unanimous vote against the 35-mile long, four-story tall tunnels begs […]

Water Managers Seek Certainty in Colorado Basin

Bringing more certainty to an unruly and unpredictable Colorado River system was a common theme among water managers speaking at the Colorado River District’s annual seminar September 15. Although the drought that has gripped much of the Colorado River Basin for the past 16 years has eased up a bit, population growth and the long dry […]

How Las Vegas Aims to Be the Next Silicon Valley for Water Innovation

Can the city of excess teach the world to thrive on less water? That’s the new goal. In 2015, Nevada governor Brian Sandoval and his office of economic development dedicated $1.8 million to launch WaterStart, a think-tank and startup incubator organized to lure new businesses that would push the envelope on water-related technology. This year, the state […]