On January 19, the California Department of Water Resources responded to the motions by Delta Tunnels opponents that charge DWR and State Water Resources Control Board staff with “unlawful exparte communications” and call for a 90-day stay in the California WaterFix hearing. DWR requests the State Board Hearing Officers to deny the pending motions to stay or […]
Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to drill two enormous tunnels to divert water to the Central Valley and Southern California should have been buried a long time ago. The $17 billion price is too high, as is the risk of an out-and-out water grab at the expense of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on […]
A series of stories this week renewed talk about the potential that Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration would scale down its $17 billion twin tunnels proposal, California WaterFix. Last fall, after two water agencies balked at the price tag, the state’s project to build new water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta looked to be faltering. […]
Critics who say state water policy tilts too far toward Southern California got additional ammunition last week, when Gov. Jerry Brown named a new director to run his Department of Water Resources. New DWR Director Karla Nemeth is married to Tom Philp, an executive strategist with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Nemeth’s duties […]
A winter storm system is heading to California, and is expected to bring the first significant snow to the northern Sierra Nevada since November, but spare Southern California the threat of mudslides. On Thursday, rain is forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area, while the Sierra is expected to see heavy snowfall by Thursday afternoon […]
Nevada Researchers Warn of More ‘Snow Droughts,’ Even in Wet Years
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Las Vegas Review-JournalThere’s a term for what’s going on right now in the Sierra Nevada and the mountains that feed the Colorado River. It’s called a “snow drought,” and Nevada climate scientists warn that Westerners had better get used to the phenomenon. https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/science-and-technology/nevada-researchers-warn-of-more-snow-droughts-even-in-wet-years/Periods of below-average snowpack have become increasingly common in some Western mountain ranges, and more […]
Calif. Department of Water Resources Asks State Board Hearing Officers to Deny Motions by Delta Tunnels Opponents
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Elk Grove NewsOn January 19, the California Department of Water Resources responded to the motions by Delta Tunnels opponents that charge DWR and State Water Resources Control Board staff with “unlawful exparte communications” and call for a 90-day stay in the California WaterFix hearing. DWR requests the State Board Hearing Officers to deny the pending motions to stay or […]
OPINION: A Single Tunnel Might Make Sense for California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa)Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to drill two enormous tunnels to divert water to the Central Valley and Southern California should have been buried a long time ago. The $17 billion price is too high, as is the risk of an out-and-out water grab at the expense of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on […]
Executive Summary for January 19th
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)A series of stories this week renewed talk about the potential that Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration would scale down its $17 billion twin tunnels proposal, California WaterFix. Last fall, after two water agencies balked at the price tag, the state’s project to build new water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta looked to be faltering. […]
New State Water Chief is Married to SoCal Water Strategist. Critics Say That’s Too Close
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento BeeCritics who say state water policy tilts too far toward Southern California got additional ammunition last week, when Gov. Jerry Brown named a new director to run his Department of Water Resources. New DWR Director Karla Nemeth is married to Tom Philp, an executive strategist with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Nemeth’s duties […]
Big Storm Expected To Dump Heavy Snow In Sierra Nevada
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Rong-Gong Lin IIA winter storm system is heading to California, and is expected to bring the first significant snow to the northern Sierra Nevada since November, but spare Southern California the threat of mudslides. On Thursday, rain is forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area, while the Sierra is expected to see heavy snowfall by Thursday afternoon […]