With snow failing to pile up in the Sierra Nevada, Californians are starting to think about the unthinkable again — another round of drought to shrivel lakes, parch the landscape and roil power markets. The mountain range hasn’t been this bare since the depths of the monster dry spell that was declared over only last […]
Amid a winter marked by more sun than storms, California is desperate for rain and snow. An end-of-winter burst of wet potent California storms, aka a Miracle March, is the only hope to bolster the Sierra Nevada snowpack and boost the rainfall totals, but meteorologists say the odds of this happening are almost none. Even […]
It was a great exam question (at least I thought so – you’ll have to ask my Environmental Law and Policy students if they agree): Does the disposal of treated wastewater from a municipal wastewater treatment plant into the ground through injection wells located a short distance from the ocean require a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) […]
Last week, the California Department of Water Resources officially announced it would seek to build a single tunnel, but now the Metropolitan Water Agency of Southern California could change that. The Sacramento Bee reported that Metropolitan, the largest public water agency in the state, was contemplating a plan to fund a significant portion of California WaterFix. […]
Although California water watchers let their guard down after last winter’s deluge of hydration, the San Jose Mercury News published a reminder this week that the state’s drought is probably not over. In fact, it may turn out to be a decade-plus affair. The Mercury News quoted Heather Cooley of the Oakland non-profit Pacific Institute (which keeps tabs on water use) cautioning prudence […]
Cloud seeding has become big business worldwide as a means to boost water supplies. Utilities and governments spend tens of millions of dollars on the process, which is especially common in Western states that rely on winter snowpack to meet year-round water demand. The basic process involves spraying silver iodide from a plane as it flies through storm […]
Snow-Starved California Could Face Another Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /Bloombergby Brian K Sullivan and Mark ChediakWith snow failing to pile up in the Sierra Nevada, Californians are starting to think about the unthinkable again — another round of drought to shrivel lakes, parch the landscape and roil power markets. The mountain range hasn’t been this bare since the depths of the monster dry spell that was declared over only last […]
Why Meteorologists Say Even A ‘Miracle March’ Can’t Save California’s Dismally Dry Winter
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /San Francisco Gateby Amy GraffAmid a winter marked by more sun than storms, California is desperate for rain and snow. An end-of-winter burst of wet potent California storms, aka a Miracle March, is the only hope to bolster the Sierra Nevada snowpack and boost the rainfall totals, but meteorologists say the odds of this happening are almost none. Even […]
Ninth Circuit Ruling On The Clean Water Act Raises More Questions
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /Water Deeply (New York)by Holly DoremusIt was a great exam question (at least I thought so – you’ll have to ask my Environmental Law and Policy students if they agree): Does the disposal of treated wastewater from a municipal wastewater treatment plant into the ground through injection wells located a short distance from the ocean require a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) […]
Executive Summary For February 16th
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /Water Deeply (New York)Last week, the California Department of Water Resources officially announced it would seek to build a single tunnel, but now the Metropolitan Water Agency of Southern California could change that. The Sacramento Bee reported that Metropolitan, the largest public water agency in the state, was contemplating a plan to fund a significant portion of California WaterFix. […]
California Drought Could Last More Than A Decade
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Curbedby Adam BrinklowAlthough California water watchers let their guard down after last winter’s deluge of hydration, the San Jose Mercury News published a reminder this week that the state’s drought is probably not over. In fact, it may turn out to be a decade-plus affair. The Mercury News quoted Heather Cooley of the Oakland non-profit Pacific Institute (which keeps tabs on water use) cautioning prudence […]
Study: Cloud Seeding Really Does Work To Artificially Induce Snowfall
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt WeiserCloud seeding has become big business worldwide as a means to boost water supplies. Utilities and governments spend tens of millions of dollars on the process, which is especially common in Western states that rely on winter snowpack to meet year-round water demand. The basic process involves spraying silver iodide from a plane as it flies through storm […]