The storm that swept through the Sacramento region Monday and Tuesday helped compensate for a dry December while causing its share of flooding and downed trees. The downpour began with 2.38 inches of rain in downtown Sacramento on Monday, the most on Jan. 8 since the National Weather Service began recording data in 1877, and […]
As crushing mudslides buried homes and left more than a dozen dead in fire-ravaged Southern California on Tuesday, state and local officials were closely watching burned swaths of Wine Country to make sure the state’s biggest storm of the season didn’t bring similar devastation. Authorities reported minor rock slides along the Sonoma County coast, but […]
California water officials have always insisted public safety was their only concern as they struggled with the crisis unfolding last February at Oroville Dam. The forensic team investigating what happened at Lake Oroville, however, has pinpointed another factor guiding the decisions made by the Department of Water Resources: the state’s desire to continue shipping water […]
“Long-term and systemic failures” by California dam managers and regulators to recognize inherent construction and design flaws at the tallest U.S. dam caused last year’s near-disaster there, an independent panel of dam safety experts said Friday, calling it a wake-up call for dam operators around the country. Members of the Association of State Dam Safety […]
With the first significant storm of the winter season targeting the Southwest, many residents may be wondering if the weather pattern is finally flipping with more needed rain and mountain snow in the offering. Aside from the concern for flooding and mudslides in the burn areas and widespread travel delays, a turn to wet weather would […]
For the next few months much of the talk around water issues in California and the rest of the Western United States will be about how much precipitation falls, the water content of the snowpack and how temperatures will impact runoff in the spring. So far, we know we’re off to a slow start in terms of […]
Two-Day Storm Boosted Sacramento Rainfall To 88 Percent Of Average
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Cathy Locke, Barbara Harvey and Benjy EgelThe storm that swept through the Sacramento region Monday and Tuesday helped compensate for a dry December while causing its share of flooding and downed trees. The downpour began with 2.38 inches of rain in downtown Sacramento on Monday, the most on Jan. 8 since the National Weather Service began recording data in 1877, and […]
Deadly Mudslides Plague Southern California, But Wine Country Stays Firm
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Sarah Ravani and Kurtis AlexanderAs crushing mudslides buried homes and left more than a dozen dead in fire-ravaged Southern California on Tuesday, state and local officials were closely watching burned swaths of Wine Country to make sure the state’s biggest storm of the season didn’t bring similar devastation. Authorities reported minor rock slides along the Sonoma County coast, but […]
Safety Wasn’t The Only Thing On Oroville Dam Operators’ Minds As They Responded To Crisis, Report Shows
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan SabalowCalifornia water officials have always insisted public safety was their only concern as they struggled with the crisis unfolding last February at Oroville Dam. The forensic team investigating what happened at Lake Oroville, however, has pinpointed another factor guiding the decisions made by the Department of Water Resources: the state’s desire to continue shipping water […]
Safety Probe Warns California’s Dam Crisis A ‘Wake-Up Call’
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Associated Press (As published by Fox 25 Boston)by Ellen Knickmeyer“Long-term and systemic failures” by California dam managers and regulators to recognize inherent construction and design flaws at the tallest U.S. dam caused last year’s near-disaster there, an independent panel of dam safety experts said Friday, calling it a wake-up call for dam operators around the country. Members of the Association of State Dam Safety […]
Will More Needed Rain Follow Early Week Storm Into California?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Accuweatherby Kristina PydynowskiWith the first significant storm of the winter season targeting the Southwest, many residents may be wondering if the weather pattern is finally flipping with more needed rain and mountain snow in the offering. Aside from the concern for flooding and mudslides in the burn areas and widespread travel delays, a turn to wet weather would […]
Outlook 2018: The Biggest Water Topics In The West This Year
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Tara LohanFor the next few months much of the talk around water issues in California and the rest of the Western United States will be about how much precipitation falls, the water content of the snowpack and how temperatures will impact runoff in the spring. So far, we know we’re off to a slow start in terms of […]