December has been bone dry in California, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much wetter by the time the 2018 rolls around. Precipitation levels in Sacramento and most major California cities are below average for this time of year. The Sierra Nevada snowpack is just 37 percent of normal. The U.S. Drought […]
Water conservation statewide dipped into single digits during October according to a report issued last week by the State Water Resources Control Board. The water board said on average Californians used 8.5 percent less water than in October 2013, the benchmark pre-drought year. Mandatory water conservation targets and penalties for excessive use were dropped this […]
California’s dam inspectors appear to be doing their jobs well. Unfortunately, too many dam operators aren’t, and could be placing the public at risk. That’s the conclusion we reached after reading a report by The Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, we’ll be left with […]
It is always difficult to reflect back on a year and identify the most notable annual events on any given issue. Water is no different and perhaps more challenging. Progress in the water sector, for the most part, seems at times to move at a glacial pace with a few exceptions. As I look back […]
Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will continue to see dry conditions for the next week, and possibly longer, according to the National Weather Service. Sunshine and clear skies are in the forecast for the Tahoe Basin through the week. Some clouds could move into the region Friday evening, but they are not expected to […]
Winter is off to a dry start across the West, raising the specter of ongoing drought in many locations. The culprit could be La Niña – a periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator that often brings drought. And not just any La Niña, but a “double whammy” effect, which latest research concludes […]
Dry Weather Continues in California. Time To Start Worrying About Another Drought?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento BeeDecember has been bone dry in California, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much wetter by the time the 2018 rolls around. Precipitation levels in Sacramento and most major California cities are below average for this time of year. The Sierra Nevada snowpack is just 37 percent of normal. The U.S. Drought […]
Statewide Water Savings Down To Single Digits In October
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Chico Enterprise-Record NewsWater conservation statewide dipped into single digits during October according to a report issued last week by the State Water Resources Control Board. The water board said on average Californians used 8.5 percent less water than in October 2013, the benchmark pre-drought year. Mandatory water conservation targets and penalties for excessive use were dropped this […]
Pay To Fix Dams Or Pay More In A Catastrophe
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Modesto BeeCalifornia’s dam inspectors appear to be doing their jobs well. Unfortunately, too many dam operators aren’t, and could be placing the public at risk. That’s the conclusion we reached after reading a report by The Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, we’ll be left with […]
3 Ways The Course Of Water Sustainability Changed In 2017
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Green Biz (Oakland)It is always difficult to reflect back on a year and identify the most notable annual events on any given issue. Water is no different and perhaps more challenging. Progress in the water sector, for the most part, seems at times to move at a glacial pace with a few exceptions. As I look back […]
Lake Tahoe Weather: No Snow In Forecast; Low Temperatures To Reach Single Digits
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Tahoe Daily TribuneLake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will continue to see dry conditions for the next week, and possibly longer, according to the National Weather Service. Sunshine and clear skies are in the forecast for the Tahoe Basin through the week. Some clouds could move into the region Friday evening, but they are not expected to […]
Second La Niña Winter Could Extend Drought Across the West
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)Winter is off to a dry start across the West, raising the specter of ongoing drought in many locations. The culprit could be La Niña – a periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator that often brings drought. And not just any La Niña, but a “double whammy” effect, which latest research concludes […]