California has many unmet needs in its water system—most notably in the areas of flood protection, safe drinking water, stormwater treatment, and ecosystem support. While dedicated funding over the long term has been hard to come by, water bonds have helped fill some gaps in these areas. Looking at how the 2014 water bond is […]
Is it too early to mention the dreaded D-word? Maybe. After five years of drought — Gov. Jerry Brown declared an end to the drought last April — it’s almost unthinkable to imagine we could return to critically dry conditions so soon.But where the heck is the rain?
The Sierra Nevada mountains grew nearly an inch taller during the recent drought and shrank by half an inch when water and snow returned to the area, according to new research from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. Researchers used 1,300 GPS stations throughout the mountain range to closely observe how its elevation […]
Another 27 million trees died in California last year due to the lingering effects of drought, according to new aerial survey data from the U.S. Forest Service. That brings the total number of trees killed statewide to a staggering 129 million since 2010. In a typical year, about one million trees die across California. But […]
It’s official: 2017 is the deadliest and most destructive year on record for wildfires in California. Dry conditions, high temperatures, roaring winds and bone-dry trees and brush are all factors responsible for the devastation. But one underlying question is how much of a role has climate change played? “There is no singular cause for any real significant […]
Why is California burning? One answer is simple: California always burns. But this latest inferno — three wildfires eating at the hills in and around Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city — is frightening even for people who are accustomed to big burns. What’s more, it follows the state’s deadliest fire on record by only a few weeks.
BLOG: How California’s Water Bond Is Being Spent
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Public Policy Institue of CaliforniaCalifornia has many unmet needs in its water system—most notably in the areas of flood protection, safe drinking water, stormwater treatment, and ecosystem support. While dedicated funding over the long term has been hard to come by, water bonds have helped fill some gaps in these areas. Looking at how the 2014 water bond is […]
Using The D-Word: Is It Too Soon?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Bakersfield.comIs it too early to mention the dreaded D-word? Maybe. After five years of drought — Gov. Jerry Brown declared an end to the drought last April — it’s almost unthinkable to imagine we could return to critically dry conditions so soon.But where the heck is the rain?
Water Loss Caused Sierra Nevada To Grow An Inch During California Drought, Researchers Say
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles TimesThe Sierra Nevada mountains grew nearly an inch taller during the recent drought and shrank by half an inch when water and snow returned to the area, according to new research from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. Researchers used 1,300 GPS stations throughout the mountain range to closely observe how its elevation […]
Drought Kills 27 Million More Trees in California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /89.3 KPCC (Los Angeles)Another 27 million trees died in California last year due to the lingering effects of drought, according to new aerial survey data from the U.S. Forest Service. That brings the total number of trees killed statewide to a staggering 129 million since 2010. In a typical year, about one million trees die across California. But […]
Southern California Is Burning — Is Climate Change to Blame?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /KQED News (San Francisco)It’s official: 2017 is the deadliest and most destructive year on record for wildfires in California. Dry conditions, high temperatures, roaring winds and bone-dry trees and brush are all factors responsible for the devastation. But one underlying question is how much of a role has climate change played? “There is no singular cause for any real significant […]
Why Are California’s Wildfires So Historic? For Starters, A Diablo Is At Work.
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Washington PostWhy is California burning? One answer is simple: California always burns. But this latest inferno — three wildfires eating at the hills in and around Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city — is frightening even for people who are accustomed to big burns. What’s more, it follows the state’s deadliest fire on record by only a few weeks.