When I first moved to California from Ohio in the 1990s, I spotted a postcard in a gift shop that noted the state’s four seasons: wildfires, mudslides, earthquakes and riots. The postcard wasn’t entirely wrong. Outside of drought years, the state does suffer through a regular cycle of fires, slides and earthquakes, although the riots […]
In a new report on the state’s water priorities, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) offered the nation some guidance on how it might address issues that are burdening regions all over the country. “This past year was a prime example of California’s highly variable climate — and a precursor of the types of […]
From this vantage point, the deck of a cargo ship skims by above, beyond the fragile levee wall that holds back the mighty San Joaquin River. It passes effortlessly through the wide flat river that, due to the levee and the perspective, is completely out of view on a crisp winter morning. With the ship’s […]
The Sierra snow pack for this year is lower than it was previously. This year appears to have the lowest amount of snowfall in the past three years. However, in one month, from Dec. 2016 to Jan. 2017 the snow pack exploded to its highest level in the last three years. This could be a […]
Memories of perpetual blue sky and months on end without rain faded quickly after last winter’s drought-busting storms. But with a bone-dry December and a good chance of sunshine well into the New Year, many Californians are getting flashbacks.
With the diverse mix of crops grown in the state and the complex nature of different farming systems, California farmers and their advocates told the State Water Resources Control Board that its one-size-fits-all approach to regulating water quality remains burdensome, expensive and infeasible for many farmers. They shared their concerns during a public workshop on […]
OPINION: California’s Infrastructure is Crumbling (When It’s Not Burning)
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The American Spectator (Arlington, Va.)When I first moved to California from Ohio in the 1990s, I spotted a postcard in a gift shop that noted the state’s four seasons: wildfires, mudslides, earthquakes and riots. The postcard wasn’t entirely wrong. Outside of drought years, the state does suffer through a regular cycle of fires, slides and earthquakes, although the riots […]
OPINION: Report: What California Learned From Drinking Water/Wastewater Challenges In 2017
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water OnlineIn a new report on the state’s water priorities, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) offered the nation some guidance on how it might address issues that are burdening regions all over the country. “This past year was a prime example of California’s highly variable climate — and a precursor of the types of […]
Restoration Work in the California Delta Could Be Key To Addressing State’s Water and Climate Challenges
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Earth Island Journal (Berkeley)From this vantage point, the deck of a cargo ship skims by above, beyond the fragile levee wall that holds back the mighty San Joaquin River. It passes effortlessly through the wide flat river that, due to the levee and the perspective, is completely out of view on a crisp winter morning. With the ship’s […]
Maps Show Sierra Snowfall Lowest in Last 3 Years
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /ABC 7 NewsThe Sierra snow pack for this year is lower than it was previously. This year appears to have the lowest amount of snowfall in the past three years. However, in one month, from Dec. 2016 to Jan. 2017 the snow pack exploded to its highest level in the last three years. This could be a […]
Dry December in California Stirs All-Too-Recent Memories of Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Francisco ChronicleMemories of perpetual blue sky and months on end without rain faded quickly after last winter’s drought-busting storms. But with a bone-dry December and a good chance of sunshine well into the New Year, many Californians are getting flashbacks.
State Water Board Hears Concerns About Regulation
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /AgAlert (Sacramento)With the diverse mix of crops grown in the state and the complex nature of different farming systems, California farmers and their advocates told the State Water Resources Control Board that its one-size-fits-all approach to regulating water quality remains burdensome, expensive and infeasible for many farmers. They shared their concerns during a public workshop on […]