Donald Trump was elected to the drain the swamp, not the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The president’s choice of David Bernhardt to serve as deputy Interior Department secretary would be a disaster for California’s environment and water quality. The former lobbyist for the mammoth, water-sucking Westlands Water District is the last person the state should want representing […]
A parcel tax, if approved by voters sometime next year, would fund projects to capture more rain and percolate it underground so it can be used to augment drinking water supplies. Last winter was the second wettest winter in California history. But only a fraction of the rain that fell in Los Angeles County is […]
The DWR Division of Safety of Dams really stepped up their efforts to protect public safety when they sent Paradise Irrigation District a letter a couple of weeks ago. Under the direction of Gov. Brown, the DSOD directed PID in the letter to assess the safety of the Magalia and Paradise reservoir spillways, provide them […]
I’ve just returned from Ecuador, which is famous among environmentalists across the world because it has “rights of nature” enshrined in its national constitution. Ecuador is the only country in the world to have such a constitutional provision which allows for nature to be a “plaintiff” in a court of law. Further, Ecuadorian activists are […]
Work is underway right now at the Oroville Dam spillway, but many questions remain. How much will it cost? Will repairs be complete in time for the rainy season? Will life under the shadow of the dam return to normal?The best answer is that it’s a work in progress. So far, an estimate for repairs […]
The more snow melting into Lake Tahoe the colder the water will be this summer, right? Wrong. Though it might seem logical that the large amount of snow melting into the lake would affect its temperature, according to Geoff Schladow, director at UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, that isn’t the case. “Even in the […]
EDITORIAL: Trump Pick Would Drain Delta Water Supply
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Mercury NewsDonald Trump was elected to the drain the swamp, not the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The president’s choice of David Bernhardt to serve as deputy Interior Department secretary would be a disaster for California’s environment and water quality. The former lobbyist for the mammoth, water-sucking Westlands Water District is the last person the state should want representing […]
LA County Voters Could Be Asked to Approve New Tax for Water Projects
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /89.3 KPCC (Los Angeles)A parcel tax, if approved by voters sometime next year, would fund projects to capture more rain and percolate it underground so it can be used to augment drinking water supplies. Last winter was the second wettest winter in California history. But only a fraction of the rain that fell in Los Angeles County is […]
EDITORIAL: Now that the State is Paying Attention, Money Will Needed
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Paradise PostThe DWR Division of Safety of Dams really stepped up their efforts to protect public safety when they sent Paradise Irrigation District a letter a couple of weeks ago. Under the direction of Gov. Brown, the DSOD directed PID in the letter to assess the safety of the Magalia and Paradise reservoir spillways, provide them […]
Three Reasons Why Water Markets May Be Damaging the West’s Rivers
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Gary WocknerI’ve just returned from Ecuador, which is famous among environmentalists across the world because it has “rights of nature” enshrined in its national constitution. Ecuador is the only country in the world to have such a constitutional provision which allows for nature to be a “plaintiff” in a court of law. Further, Ecuadorian activists are […]
Who Pays For Oroville Dam Spillway Repairs?
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /Chico Enterprise-Recordby Heather HackingWork is underway right now at the Oroville Dam spillway, but many questions remain. How much will it cost? Will repairs be complete in time for the rainy season? Will life under the shadow of the dam return to normal?The best answer is that it’s a work in progress. So far, an estimate for repairs […]
Snowmelt Not Enough To Chill Tahoe
/in California and the U.S. /by Andrea Mora /The Record-Courier (Gardnerville, Nev.)by Claire CudahyThe more snow melting into Lake Tahoe the colder the water will be this summer, right? Wrong. Though it might seem logical that the large amount of snow melting into the lake would affect its temperature, according to Geoff Schladow, director at UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, that isn’t the case. “Even in the […]