At the height of the recent drought, the legislature passed and Gov. Brown signed legislation, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), that for the first time required California water agencies to account for groundwater pumping and held them accountable for the development of sustainable plans for the future. Groundwater accounts for approximately 30% of the […]
California has always been America’s leader on environmental policy, and water is no exception. So it was hardly surprising when the state made headlines across the nation in early June with a new policy on residential water use: Californians will be limited to 55 gallons per person per day for their indoor water needs.
While the 2017 fire season was a perfect storm culminating five years of drought, a heavy rain year and a hot summer, the 2018 fire season has already begun. This year, with the relatively light snowpack, CalFire officials are keeping a close eye on elevations above 6,500 feet that have already begun to dry out.
Don’t call them the weather gods, but this company can actually make it rain. North Dakota-based Weather Modification International uses planes to target clouds and draw out more rain from them. The concept, called cloud seeding, has been around for decades. But there is new urgency due to climate change and a rapidly growing global […]
On June 23, 1988, a sultry day in Washington, James Hansen told Congress and the world that global warming wasn’t approaching — it had already arrived. The testimony of the top NASA scientist, said Rice University historian Douglas Brinkley, was “the opening salvo of the age of climate change.” Thirty years later, it’s clear that […]
California irrigation districts that supply water to farms are required by state law to annually report to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) the amount of water actually delivered to farmers’ fields. However, as of 2017, only 12 percent of the state’s largest irrigation districts had turned in all of the required reports, and […]
A Deep Dive Into Groundwater, Desalination
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Capitol Weekly (Sacramento)by Keith Van Der MaatenAt the height of the recent drought, the legislature passed and Gov. Brown signed legislation, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), that for the first time required California water agencies to account for groundwater pumping and held them accountable for the development of sustainable plans for the future. Groundwater accounts for approximately 30% of the […]
California Limits Daily Personal Water Use to 55 Gallons – Kind Of
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Gayle Falkenthal /Water Deeplyby Matt WeiserCalifornia has always been America’s leader on environmental policy, and water is no exception. So it was hardly surprising when the state made headlines across the nation in early June with a new policy on residential water use: Californians will be limited to 55 gallons per person per day for their indoor water needs.
Intense wildfire seasons now normal in California
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Gayle Falkenthal /The Union (Nevada County)by Elias FunezWhile the 2017 fire season was a perfect storm culminating five years of drought, a heavy rain year and a hot summer, the 2018 fire season has already begun. This year, with the relatively light snowpack, CalFire officials are keeping a close eye on elevations above 6,500 feet that have already begun to dry out.
Drought woes? This tech can literally make it rain
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Gayle Falkenthal /CNNby Kaya YurieffDon’t call them the weather gods, but this company can actually make it rain. North Dakota-based Weather Modification International uses planes to target clouds and draw out more rain from them. The concept, called cloud seeding, has been around for decades. But there is new urgency due to climate change and a rapidly growing global […]
Warned 30 Years Ago, Global Warming ‘Is In Our Living Room’
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Associated Press by Seth Borenstein and Nicky ForsterOn June 23, 1988, a sultry day in Washington, James Hansen told Congress and the world that global warming wasn’t approaching — it had already arrived. The testimony of the top NASA scientist, said Rice University historian Douglas Brinkley, was “the opening salvo of the age of climate change.” Thirty years later, it’s clear that […]
Data Gone Missing: Farm Water Information Falls Through The Cracks During California Drought
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Natural Resources Defense Council (New York)by Laura WestCalifornia irrigation districts that supply water to farms are required by state law to annually report to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) the amount of water actually delivered to farmers’ fields. However, as of 2017, only 12 percent of the state’s largest irrigation districts had turned in all of the required reports, and […]