California and the U.S.
The latest news and analysis covering water issues in Caliornia and the rest of the United States.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Delta Tunnels: Cost Study Coming, State Says
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Record (Stockton)A long-awaited study on the costs and benefits of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Delta tunnels should be finished by next spring, a state official said Thursday after an independent audit concluded such a study should have already been done. The tunnels have been in the planning stage for 11 years, but state officials have never completed a […]
Increase In Water Replenishes Groundwater Supply
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /23ABC (Bakersfield)by Leah PezzettiThanks to a wet winter, California’s water supply is being replenished. One of the state’s crucial outlets is groundwater. The Kern Water Bank’s uses ponds to soak water into the ground, adding to the supply of groundwater. However, these ponds have been dry for the past six years because of the drought. This year, the […]
OPINION: The Unintended Consequences Of Indoor Water Conservation
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Public Policy Institute Of California (San Francisco)by Lori PottingerHigh rates of water conservation helped California manage limited supplies during the 2012–16 drought. But conservation can have a downside. New research shows that indoor water conservation can reduce the quality and quantity of wastewater, making it harder for local agencies to use treated wastewater to augment their water supply. We talked to two members […]
With Winter on the Way, Most of California’s Water Reservoirs Are Looking Good
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /NBC Los AngelesCalifornia’s wettest months of the year are still to come, but the state’s largest water reservoirs already appear to be in decent shape. As of Nov. 27, most of California’s major reservoirs were above their historical averages for this time of year, according to the Department of Water Resources. The reservoirs received a significant boost […]
Panel Recommends Changes To Two-Decade-Old EPA Water Affordability Guidelines
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Circle of Blue (Traverse City, Mich.)by Brett WaltonIn a highly anticipated report, a panel chartered by Congress to advise public agencies on effective governance recommends that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revise how it appraises financial burdens when communities are required to upgrade water and sewer systems. Observers say that the revisions, if the EPA accepts them, could change the agency’s permitting […]
Cracks Found On Oroville Dam’s New Spillway Not A Concern, State Says
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco ChronicleSeveral small cracks have been discovered on the Oroville Dam’s newly rebuilt concrete spillway, prompting federal regulators to express concern about the $500 million construction project under way at the troubled facility. But state water officials said Tuesday that the series of millimeter-wide cracks on the surface of the main spillway pose no structural problems […]