More than 10,000 firefighters were battling 23 large wildfires statewide, California fire officials said Tuesday. The Helena Fire in Trinity County was among the most troublesome, with 72 homes destroyed and more than 11,000 acres consumed about five miles northwest of Junction City. Kelly Wood, a fire information officer, said crews spent Tuesday on strategic […]
The clues that the main spillway at the Oroville Dam could fail were embedded deep in state records, but officials did not recognize the evidence before the structure broke apart in February, investigators said Tuesday. A history of damage when the spillway was used, cracking in the concrete surface and unexpectedly large amounts of water […]
One of California’s largest Colorado River farm water districts is suing the state’s largest municipal water agency, charging that efforts to move farm water to cities are threatening the viability of agriculture in one of the oldest farming valleys on the river.
The delta smelt is on a trajectory toward extinction in the wild. Heading into 2017, the spawning adult population was at an all-time low, although this past wet winter has apparently seen a small resurgence. However, increasingly warm summer temperatures in the Delta may dampen any upswing. Given the long-term trajectory of the population and […]
After suffering more than a week under searing, desert-like heat, winter might be the furthest thing from the minds of Southern Californians. However, to borrow a phrase from TV’s “Game of Thrones,” winter is coming. The only question is whether the gods will allow a rerun of last winter which unexpectedly dumped record amounts of […]
When the National Weather Service announced that Hurricane Harvey had set a new rainfall record for a tropical storm in the continental United States — with 51.88 inches at Cedar Bayou, Texas — that seemed to epitomize just how massive and unprecedented Harvey was. In terms of sheer volume, Harvey’s rainfall could fill the Great […]
More Than 10,000 Battle Major Fires Throughout California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento BeeMore than 10,000 firefighters were battling 23 large wildfires statewide, California fire officials said Tuesday. The Helena Fire in Trinity County was among the most troublesome, with 72 homes destroyed and more than 11,000 acres consumed about five miles northwest of Junction City. Kelly Wood, a fire information officer, said crews spent Tuesday on strategic […]
Clues to Oroville Dam Spillway Failure ‘Were All There In The Files,’ Top Investigator Says
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles TimesThe clues that the main spillway at the Oroville Dam could fail were embedded deep in state records, but officials did not recognize the evidence before the structure broke apart in February, investigators said Tuesday. A history of damage when the spillway was used, cracking in the concrete surface and unexpectedly large amounts of water […]
BLOG: Palo Verde Irrigation District Sues Metropolitan Water District Over Colorado River Water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /InkstainOne of California’s largest Colorado River farm water districts is suing the state’s largest municipal water agency, charging that efforts to move farm water to cities are threatening the viability of agriculture in one of the oldest farming valleys on the river.
Reasons for Optimism About California WaterFix From a Fish Perspective
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)The delta smelt is on a trajectory toward extinction in the wild. Heading into 2017, the spawning adult population was at an all-time low, although this past wet winter has apparently seen a small resurgence. However, increasingly warm summer temperatures in the Delta may dampen any upswing. Given the long-term trajectory of the population and […]
‘Winter is Coming’: What Do Climate Scientists Predict for Southern California?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /San Gabriel Valley TribuneAfter suffering more than a week under searing, desert-like heat, winter might be the furthest thing from the minds of Southern Californians. However, to borrow a phrase from TV’s “Game of Thrones,” winter is coming. The only question is whether the gods will allow a rerun of last winter which unexpectedly dumped record amounts of […]
California’s Past and Coming Superstorm: Flooding that Will Make Harvey a Dim Memory
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Salon Media GroupWhen the National Weather Service announced that Hurricane Harvey had set a new rainfall record for a tropical storm in the continental United States — with 51.88 inches at Cedar Bayou, Texas — that seemed to epitomize just how massive and unprecedented Harvey was. In terms of sheer volume, Harvey’s rainfall could fill the Great […]