Two tunnels, one or none? The question continues to swirl around plans to perform major surgery on the sickly heart of California’s water system. Confronted with a shortage of funding, state officials announced last month that they would move ahead with the construction of one giant water tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta rather than two. But […]
A series of supercharged storms that blasted the Sierra in March has bolstered the snowpack that was alarmingly low before the start of the month. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Sacramento tweeted Saturday that the water content of the snowpack has more than tripled in the past month. On Feb. 22, an average of 4.6 inches […]
The Trump administration is pushing for a $1.3 billion expansion of the 602-foot Shasta Dam in Northern California even though state officials are dead set against it, according to the Los Angeles Times. Plans include a vertical expansion the equivalent of two stories, although California state law prohibits an increase to the dam’s current height. The […]
The State Water Board is updating the water quality plan for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. This plan sets flow and water quality standards for the Delta and its watershed, affecting water supply to more than 25 million Californians and millions of acres of Central Valley farmland. Parties that would be affected by this plan – water […]
A fierce atmospheric river blasted the northern and central Sierra overnight, dumping several feet of snow to elevations above 8,000 feet and bringing a slushy mix of rain and snow to lower elevations. On State Route 88 over the Carson Spur, Caltrans snow ploughs faced drifts that rose well above the top of their trucks. As of […]
The flows have been shut off through the Hyatt Powerhouse at the base of Oroville Dam, and the lake is beginning to rise. And that’s all by design, according to the state Department of Water Resources. The flows were shut down about 10 p.m. Wednesday and hadn’t resumed as of Thursday afternoon. But hours-long cutoffs […]
A Strong Tunnel Vision
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Bettina BoxallTwo tunnels, one or none? The question continues to swirl around plans to perform major surgery on the sickly heart of California’s water system. Confronted with a shortage of funding, state officials announced last month that they would move ahead with the construction of one giant water tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta rather than two. But […]
Sierra Snowpack Water Content More Than Triples In A Month
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SF Gateby Amy GraffA series of supercharged storms that blasted the Sierra in March has bolstered the snowpack that was alarmingly low before the start of the month. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Sacramento tweeted Saturday that the water content of the snowpack has more than tripled in the past month. On Feb. 22, an average of 4.6 inches […]
Trump Could Force $1.3B California Dam Expansion
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Construction Dive (DC)by Kim SloweyThe Trump administration is pushing for a $1.3 billion expansion of the 602-foot Shasta Dam in Northern California even though state officials are dead set against it, according to the Los Angeles Times. Plans include a vertical expansion the equivalent of two stories, although California state law prohibits an increase to the dam’s current height. The […]
OPINION: An Alternative Approach To Managing The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Jeffrey MountThe State Water Board is updating the water quality plan for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. This plan sets flow and water quality standards for the Delta and its watershed, affecting water supply to more than 25 million Californians and millions of acres of Central Valley farmland. Parties that would be affected by this plan – water […]
‘Atmospheric River’ Dumping Insane Amounts Of Snow At Elevations Above 8,500 Feet In The Sierra
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SF Gateby Amy GraffA fierce atmospheric river blasted the northern and central Sierra overnight, dumping several feet of snow to elevations above 8,000 feet and bringing a slushy mix of rain and snow to lower elevations. On State Route 88 over the Carson Spur, Caltrans snow ploughs faced drifts that rose well above the top of their trucks. As of […]
Releases Cut To Allow Lake Oroville To Fill A Bit
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Chico Enterprise-Recordby Steve SchoonoverThe flows have been shut off through the Hyatt Powerhouse at the base of Oroville Dam, and the lake is beginning to rise. And that’s all by design, according to the state Department of Water Resources. The flows were shut down about 10 p.m. Wednesday and hadn’t resumed as of Thursday afternoon. But hours-long cutoffs […]