California governor Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014, following years of wintertime rainfall levels dipping below historic averages. A lack of rainfall throughout 2015—precipitation was 20% below average—sustained the drought. Surface water levels got so low that residents had to increasingly tap into groundwater resources in order to meet agricultural, […]
A proposed desalination facility producing 5 million gallons of drinkable water a day would satisfy the needs of all South Coast Water District customers, district General Manager Andy Brunhart said this week, though he added the agency would not rely completely on that source to serve ratepayers. The 5-acre Doheny Ocean Desalination Project would be […]
Representatives for Oroville and downstream communities affected by the spillway crisis said they got the attention they were seeking in Washington this week. Sen. Jim Nielsen, Assemblyman James Gallagher, and members of the Oroville Dam Coalition are seeking federal assistance on issues relating to the dam they say need to be resolved. They met with […]
Weather forecasting has come a long way, but it still has a long way to go before it will be a reliable tool for making water management decisions. That was the message delivered by various expert speakers during a half-day workshop titled “Can We Really Predict the Weather? The Latest in Forecasting.” The workshop, co-sponsored […]
Most Americans may not realize it, but we really don’t know with a lot of accuracy how much snow there is sitting in the mountains during winter. We also don’t always have a precise picture of where the snow level is when a storm moves in, or how much will run off when the snow melts. […]
Wildfires burned millions of acres of land across the western United States over the past several months, leaving many areas at risk of flooding and mudslides during winter. As of Nov. 6, wildfires have burned over 8.8 million acres across the United States, more than 2 million acres above normal, according to the National Interagency […]
Tracing Water’s Path Through the Santa Clara Valley Aquifer
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Journal of Geophysical ResearchCalifornia governor Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014, following years of wintertime rainfall levels dipping below historic averages. A lack of rainfall throughout 2015—precipitation was 20% below average—sustained the drought. Surface water levels got so low that residents had to increasingly tap into groundwater resources in order to meet agricultural, […]
South Coast Board Poised to Make Another Decision on Doheny Desalination Facility
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles TimesA proposed desalination facility producing 5 million gallons of drinkable water a day would satisfy the needs of all South Coast Water District customers, district General Manager Andy Brunhart said this week, though he added the agency would not rely completely on that source to serve ratepayers. The 5-acre Doheny Ocean Desalination Project would be […]
Oroville Dam: Coalition, Politicians Say D.C. Lobbying Trip a Success
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Mercury News (San Jose)Representatives for Oroville and downstream communities affected by the spillway crisis said they got the attention they were seeking in Washington this week. Sen. Jim Nielsen, Assemblyman James Gallagher, and members of the Oroville Dam Coalition are seeking federal assistance on issues relating to the dam they say need to be resolved. They met with […]
Workshop Explores The Importance Of Improved Forecasting On Water Management
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /ACWA (Sacramento)by Emily AllshouseWeather forecasting has come a long way, but it still has a long way to go before it will be a reliable tool for making water management decisions. That was the message delivered by various expert speakers during a half-day workshop titled “Can We Really Predict the Weather? The Latest in Forecasting.” The workshop, co-sponsored […]
What Do We Know About Mountain Snowpack, Runoff? Far Too Little
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)Most Americans may not realize it, but we really don’t know with a lot of accuracy how much snow there is sitting in the mountains during winter. We also don’t always have a precise picture of where the snow level is when a storm moves in, or how much will run off when the snow melts. […]
Wildfire-Ravaged Areas of California Face Elevated Risk for Flooding, Mudslides This Winter
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /AccuWeatherWildfires burned millions of acres of land across the western United States over the past several months, leaving many areas at risk of flooding and mudslides during winter. As of Nov. 6, wildfires have burned over 8.8 million acres across the United States, more than 2 million acres above normal, according to the National Interagency […]