Record rains are a double-edged sword for California’s Salinas Valley: While the recent deluge virtually ended the state’s historic drought, it also created muddy, unworkable fields – sending prices for everything from kale to cauliflower soaring. The famed agricultural region just south of Silicon Valley is usually a springtime sea of green vegetables. But this […]
A case in point is how the state Department of Water Resources has handled Lake Oroville for years. It continues despite considerable public and political pressure since the spillway collapse. Two developments last week perfectly illustrate the point. One involves awarding a nine-figure bid to a company to fix the spillway without any detail about what the […]
Official reports released Monday say the catastrophic damage to Oroville Dam’s main spillway probably stemmed from swift water flows under the concrete chute, which was cracked and of uneven thickness. The observations, contained in consultants’ reports prepared for the state Department of Water Resources, echo much of an independent assessment made for UC Berkeley’s Center […]
A new nationwide study has unearthed the huge hidden potential of tapping into salty aquifers as a way to relieve the growing pressure on freshwater supplies across the United States. Digging into data from the country’s 60 major aquifers, the U.S. Geological Survey reports that the amount of brackish – or slightly salty – groundwater […]
While California is breathing a sigh of relief and rightfully celebrating an epic water year, efforts in Sacramento threaten to make seismic changes in the way our water has been managed in the Coachella Valley and across the state. Last week, the governor released a report outlining steps for long-term water conservation by residential and […]
Hoping to boost water supplies during future droughts, Silicon Valley’s largest water provider is working on a plan to build a new $800 million dam and reservoir in the remote hills of eastern Santa Clara County, just off Pacheco Pass. The idea, still in the early stages, could result in the construction of one of […]
Record California Rains Could Drive Up Vegetable Prices
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /The Weather NetworkRecord rains are a double-edged sword for California’s Salinas Valley: While the recent deluge virtually ended the state’s historic drought, it also created muddy, unworkable fields – sending prices for everything from kale to cauliflower soaring. The famed agricultural region just south of Silicon Valley is usually a springtime sea of green vegetables. But this […]
Editorial: Oroville Is A Model Of How NOT To Deal With A Flood Emergency
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /The Mercury News (San Jose)A case in point is how the state Department of Water Resources has handled Lake Oroville for years. It continues despite considerable public and political pressure since the spillway collapse. Two developments last week perfectly illustrate the point. One involves awarding a nine-figure bid to a company to fix the spillway without any detail about what the […]
Water Under Oroville Spillway Probably Caused February Collapse, State Consultants Say
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /Los Angeles Timesby Bettina BoxallOfficial reports released Monday say the catastrophic damage to Oroville Dam’s main spillway probably stemmed from swift water flows under the concrete chute, which was cracked and of uneven thickness. The observations, contained in consultants’ reports prepared for the state Department of Water Resources, echo much of an independent assessment made for UC Berkeley’s Center […]
USGS Finds Vast Reserves of Salty Water Underground
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Phys.orgby Devika G. BansalA new nationwide study has unearthed the huge hidden potential of tapping into salty aquifers as a way to relieve the growing pressure on freshwater supplies across the United States. Digging into data from the country’s 60 major aquifers, the U.S. Geological Survey reports that the amount of brackish – or slightly salty – groundwater […]
OPINION: Local Control A Key Element In Water Use Efficiency
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Peter NelsonWhile California is breathing a sigh of relief and rightfully celebrating an epic water year, efforts in Sacramento threaten to make seismic changes in the way our water has been managed in the Coachella Valley and across the state. Last week, the governor released a report outlining steps for long-term water conservation by residential and […]
Plans For Major New Reservoir In Santa Clara County Moving Forward
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Mercury Newsby Paul RogersHoping to boost water supplies during future droughts, Silicon Valley’s largest water provider is working on a plan to build a new $800 million dam and reservoir in the remote hills of eastern Santa Clara County, just off Pacheco Pass. The idea, still in the early stages, could result in the construction of one of […]