The East Bay and California as a whole greatly benefited Tuesday when the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board courageously stood up to Gov. Jerry Brown and rejected his $17 billion plan to build twin water tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. But the unanimous vote against the 35-mile long, four-story tall tunnels begs […]
Bringing more certainty to an unruly and unpredictable Colorado River system was a common theme among water managers speaking at the Colorado River District’s annual seminar September 15. Although the drought that has gripped much of the Colorado River Basin for the past 16 years has eased up a bit, population growth and the long dry […]
Can the city of excess teach the world to thrive on less water? That’s the new goal. In 2015, Nevada governor Brian Sandoval and his office of economic development dedicated $1.8 million to launch WaterStart, a think-tank and startup incubator organized to lure new businesses that would push the envelope on water-related technology. This year, the state […]
After enduring the driest stretch of years in our history, and then logging the wettest spell on record this past winter, befuddled Californians have one question on their minds these days: What’s next? In two words: La Niña. But whether the water temperature pattern hatching right now in the Pacific Ocean will leave the Golden […]
Federal water storage among California’s Central Valley Project (CVP) reservoirs started the 2017 water year with 8.9 million acre feet, nearly twice held in the same six key reservoirs scattered about the state a year earlier. This is 145 percent of the 15-year average carryover of 6.2 million acre feet, still a “safe level” with […]
A Northern California water agency has voted for a stripped down, less costly version of Gov. Jerry Brown’s $16 billion project to build two massive water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board voted 7-0 Tuesday to adopt a set of principles endorsing a project with just one […]
OPINION: Delta Water Tunnel Vote Raises Question of What’s Next?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /East Bay Times (San Jose)The East Bay and California as a whole greatly benefited Tuesday when the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board courageously stood up to Gov. Jerry Brown and rejected his $17 billion plan to build twin water tunnels through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. But the unanimous vote against the 35-mile long, four-story tall tunnels begs […]
Water Managers Seek Certainty in Colorado Basin
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)Bringing more certainty to an unruly and unpredictable Colorado River system was a common theme among water managers speaking at the Colorado River District’s annual seminar September 15. Although the drought that has gripped much of the Colorado River Basin for the past 16 years has eased up a bit, population growth and the long dry […]
How Las Vegas Aims to Be the Next Silicon Valley for Water Innovation
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)Can the city of excess teach the world to thrive on less water? That’s the new goal. In 2015, Nevada governor Brian Sandoval and his office of economic development dedicated $1.8 million to launch WaterStart, a think-tank and startup incubator organized to lure new businesses that would push the envelope on water-related technology. This year, the state […]
New Federal Forecast: What the Coming La Niña Means for California Rains
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Mercury News (San Jose)After enduring the driest stretch of years in our history, and then logging the wettest spell on record this past winter, befuddled Californians have one question on their minds these days: What’s next? In two words: La Niña. But whether the water temperature pattern hatching right now in the Pacific Ocean will leave the Golden […]
CVP Reservoirs Start with Comfortable Carryover
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Western FarmPressFederal water storage among California’s Central Valley Project (CVP) reservoirs started the 2017 water year with 8.9 million acre feet, nearly twice held in the same six key reservoirs scattered about the state a year earlier. This is 145 percent of the 15-year average carryover of 6.2 million acre feet, still a “safe level” with […]
District OKs Smaller Water Tunnel Plan for California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Associated Press (As published by Finance & Commerce)A Northern California water agency has voted for a stripped down, less costly version of Gov. Jerry Brown’s $16 billion project to build two massive water tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board voted 7-0 Tuesday to adopt a set of principles endorsing a project with just one […]