California surfers are stoked after showers at state beaches that were turned off during the drought are flowing once again. The parks department turned off the showers in July 2015 at the height of the dry spell as Gov. Jerry Brown urged state officials to cut back on water use. Brown issued an executive order […]
With their deadline less than three months away, local governments in many critical California groundwater basins still haven’t settled on a local entity to implement the state’s new pumping regulations, a key water official says. Counties, cities and water districts in many areas have submitted “a hodgepodge of overlapping claims” to be their region’s groundwater […]
In early February, a massive crack opened in a concrete chute that carries water from America’s tallest dam. For nearly a week, Oroville Dam managers assured the public there was no imminent danger as they slowed releases of water down the main spillway to assess the damage. Then, with the lake behind the dam swelling […]
With California’s surface drought over, the state can prioritize investing in groundwater recharge and floodplain restoration to help fight one of its biggest lingering problems: groundwater overdraft. As it does so, the relatively unknown Cosumnes River watershed has emerged as a model. Roughly half of the groundwater basins in California’s Central Valley are critically overdrafted, including […]
After years of drought the mosquito population is poised to make a comeback — with a vengeance. Our exceptionally wet winter left no shortage of places for mosquitoes to breed. Santa Clara County Vector Control spokesperson Russ Parman says, “They’re very good at finding all of that water. So, we will have higher than average […]
A coalition of environmental groups that had warned Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway was fatally flawed long before it nearly washed away this winter is demanding that federal regulators open up dam repair plans for public vetting. In a filing Wednesday with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a coalition of environmental groups led by Sacramento-based Friends […]
Drought’s End Means California Beachgoers Get Showers Back
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /U.S. News & World ReportCalifornia surfers are stoked after showers at state beaches that were turned off during the drought are flowing once again. The parks department turned off the showers in July 2015 at the height of the dry spell as Gov. Jerry Brown urged state officials to cut back on water use. Brown issued an executive order […]
Many Areas Struggling To Set Up Groundwater Agencies as Deadline Looms
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Pressby Tim HeardenWith their deadline less than three months away, local governments in many critical California groundwater basins still haven’t settled on a local entity to implement the state’s new pumping regulations, a key water official says. Counties, cities and water districts in many areas have submitted “a hodgepodge of overlapping claims” to be their region’s groundwater […]
Documents Provide Play-By-Play of Dam Crisis Response
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Associated Press (As published by U.S. News & World Report)In early February, a massive crack opened in a concrete chute that carries water from America’s tallest dam. For nearly a week, Oroville Dam managers assured the public there was no imminent danger as they slowed releases of water down the main spillway to assess the damage. Then, with the lake behind the dam swelling […]
Cosumnes River Provides Model for Floodplain Restoration in California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /News Deeplyby Michelaina JohnsonWith California’s surface drought over, the state can prioritize investing in groundwater recharge and floodplain restoration to help fight one of its biggest lingering problems: groundwater overdraft. As it does so, the relatively unknown Cosumnes River watershed has emerged as a model. Roughly half of the groundwater basins in California’s Central Valley are critically overdrafted, including […]
California’s Rainy Winter Likely To Give Mosquito Populations A Boost
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /CBS SFBayArea (San Francisco)by Devin FehelyAfter years of drought the mosquito population is poised to make a comeback — with a vengeance. Our exceptionally wet winter left no shortage of places for mosquitoes to breed. Santa Clara County Vector Control spokesperson Russ Parman says, “They’re very good at finding all of that water. So, we will have higher than average […]
Groups Demand Transparency on Oroville Dam Spillway Repairs
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Ryan Sabalow and Dale KaslerA coalition of environmental groups that had warned Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway was fatally flawed long before it nearly washed away this winter is demanding that federal regulators open up dam repair plans for public vetting. In a filing Wednesday with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a coalition of environmental groups led by Sacramento-based Friends […]