In the years before California’s civil engineers got around to confining the Sacramento River, it often spilled over its banks, inundating huge swaths of the Central Valley. Sometimes the floodwater would stand for a hundred days at a time. The botanist William Henry Brewer, writing in 1862, after a season of torrential rains, described the […]
After learning a lesson from what could have been the largest dam disaster U.S. history, California officials are reported to be considering withdrawing from the National Flood Insurance Program. Capital Public Radio is reporting that a proposal to exit the NFIP is based on the research of Nicholas Pinter with the UC Davis Center for […]
The floodgates at Oroville Dam in California were re-opened on Friday, March 17, for the first time since the end of February. The dam has been releasing water up to 50,000 cubic feet per second since, according to a press release. The flow in the Feather River also increased because of the release, and Lake […]
Reportedly, an effort to save millions of salmonoid fish below the Oroville dam may have caused a delay in releasing water from Oroville Dam on February 12. It set up the evacuation of at least 188,000 people in the area after authorities warned of an emergency spillway in the structure was in danger of failing […]
While federal funding is on its way to help Tuolumne County and others in California pay for damage related to storms in late January, more will be needed to cover the same for February. The assistance is the third request by Gov. Jerry Brown that the Trump administration has approved for more than $500 million […]
While a nearly record-breaking rainy season has battered California’s dams and stretched the limits of local levees, the storms that began to hit Sacramento on Tuesday aren’t expected to put much additional strain on the state’s flood-control system. Spanning into next week, the storms are expected to drop as much as two inches of rain […]
California’s Drought May Be Over, But Its Water Troubles Aren’t
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The New Yorkerby Jeremy MillerIn the years before California’s civil engineers got around to confining the Sacramento River, it often spilled over its banks, inundating huge swaths of the Central Valley. Sometimes the floodwater would stand for a hundred days at a time. The botanist William Henry Brewer, writing in 1862, after a season of torrential rains, described the […]
California May Exit Federal Flood Program, According to Reports
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Insurance JournalAfter learning a lesson from what could have been the largest dam disaster U.S. history, California officials are reported to be considering withdrawing from the National Flood Insurance Program. Capital Public Radio is reporting that a proposal to exit the NFIP is based on the research of Nicholas Pinter with the UC Davis Center for […]
Oroville Dam Floodgates Opened for 1st Time Since February
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Yahoo Newsby Elizabeth IngramThe floodgates at Oroville Dam in California were re-opened on Friday, March 17, for the first time since the end of February. The dam has been releasing water up to 50,000 cubic feet per second since, according to a press release. The flow in the Feather River also increased because of the release, and Lake […]
Saving Fish May Have Caused Oroville Disaster
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /California Ag Todayby Jessica TheismanReportedly, an effort to save millions of salmonoid fish below the Oroville dam may have caused a delay in releasing water from Oroville Dam on February 12. It set up the evacuation of at least 188,000 people in the area after authorities warned of an emergency spillway in the structure was in danger of failing […]
Feds Approve Aid To California Counties, More Still Needed
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Union Democratby Alex MacLean,While federal funding is on its way to help Tuolumne County and others in California pay for damage related to storms in late January, more will be needed to cover the same for February. The assistance is the third request by Gov. Jerry Brown that the Trump administration has approved for more than $500 million […]
What This Week’s Storms Mean For California’s Flood Control System
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Sacramento Beeby Ryan Sabalow and Phillip ReeseWhile a nearly record-breaking rainy season has battered California’s dams and stretched the limits of local levees, the storms that began to hit Sacramento on Tuesday aren’t expected to put much additional strain on the state’s flood-control system. Spanning into next week, the storms are expected to drop as much as two inches of rain […]