Heavy rain in the Sierra foothills pushed a small dam within San Francisco’s Hetch Hetchy water system to the brink of failure Thursday, sending a brief scare through the rural region where roads were closed and a few dozen residents were forced to evacuate. Officials at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission said the danger […]
A company’s controversial plan to sell groundwater from the Mojave Desert ran into new opposition as a Southern California water district voted against the proposal. The board of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District decided not to approve a nonbinding letter of intent to purchase water from the Cadiz Inc.’s proposed project. The […]
For years, Colorado River states have been negotiating a plan to avoid the worst – a shortage in Lake Mead so bad it could trigger unprecedented cutbacks. With the region experiencing drought conditions since 2000, even California, which has senior rights, came to the negotiating table. State officials said they were willing to voluntarily reduce Colorado […]
It has all the earmarks of a “Miracle March” — heavy dousings of rain, intense flurries of snow in the Sierra and roadway havoc — but the showy display of stormy weather across California this week isn’t fooling the experts. Despite encouraging signs, including a Sierra snowpack that has risen to respectability from record-breakingly meager depths […]
Inclusion of money for raising Shasta Dam got the most attention in a recently released federal budget proposal, but the same package also includes money for Sites Reservoir. The Department of Interior is recommending spending $33.3 million under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, which was signed into law in December 2016. The […]
The multipurpose aspect of many reservoir projects adds an extra layer of regulation to those projects–and gives government agencies and advocacy organizations additional opportunities to seek more water and other concessions from reservoir operators. That scenario is playing out in attempts to relicense California hydroelectric projects that also provide water supplies to farms, ranches and […]
Sierra foothills Dam, Part Of SF’s Hetch Hetchy System, Pushed To Near Failure
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Michael Cabanatuan and Kurtis AlexanderHeavy rain in the Sierra foothills pushed a small dam within San Francisco’s Hetch Hetchy water system to the brink of failure Thursday, sending a brief scare through the rural region where roads were closed and a few dozen residents were forced to evacuate. Officials at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission said the danger […]
California Water District Rejects Cadiz Inc.’s Proposed Mojave Desert Water Project
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Ian JamesA company’s controversial plan to sell groundwater from the Mojave Desert ran into new opposition as a Southern California water district voted against the proposal. The board of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District decided not to approve a nonbinding letter of intent to purchase water from the Cadiz Inc.’s proposed project. The […]
Little-Known California Lawsuit Complicates Drought Plan For Lake Mead
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Daniel RothbergFor years, Colorado River states have been negotiating a plan to avoid the worst – a shortage in Lake Mead so bad it could trigger unprecedented cutbacks. With the region experiencing drought conditions since 2000, even California, which has senior rights, came to the negotiating table. State officials said they were willing to voluntarily reduce Colorado […]
Yep, It’s Nice Rain — But It’s No ‘Miracle March,’ Experts Say
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Peter FimriteIt has all the earmarks of a “Miracle March” — heavy dousings of rain, intense flurries of snow in the Sierra and roadway havoc — but the showy display of stormy weather across California this week isn’t fooling the experts. Despite encouraging signs, including a Sierra snowpack that has risen to respectability from record-breakingly meager depths […]
Federal Budget Proposal Include Sites Reservoir Study Funding
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Oroville Mercury-Registerby Steve SchoonoverInclusion of money for raising Shasta Dam got the most attention in a recently released federal budget proposal, but the same package also includes money for Sites Reservoir. The Department of Interior is recommending spending $33.3 million under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, which was signed into law in December 2016. The […]
Relicensing: Hydro Projects Face Hurdles From Agencies Says California Farm Bureau Federation – Don Pedro Hydroelectric Project
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Sierra Sun TImes (Mariposa)by Christine SouzaThe multipurpose aspect of many reservoir projects adds an extra layer of regulation to those projects–and gives government agencies and advocacy organizations additional opportunities to seek more water and other concessions from reservoir operators. That scenario is playing out in attempts to relicense California hydroelectric projects that also provide water supplies to farms, ranches and […]