California Governor Jerry Brown officially declared the drought over last Friday, a dramatic conclusion to years of dry weather capped off by two winters of violent storms. Though drought damage will take years to undo, and another drought may even be around the corner, it was a remarkable turnaround. In fact, according to the National […]
Last week Gov. Jerry Brown declared California’s five-year drought over while proposing new long-term water conservation measures that must be passed by the Legislature. All Californians can be relieved that the drought has finally passed. Unfortunately, the state’s arid climate and its history all but ensure that it will return, so continued conservation measures are […]
Fresno City Council members voiced no objections Thursday to allowing residents to water their landscaping up to three days a week during the hot summer, and two days a week during the milder spring and fall months. A wet winter with ample rainfall is creating the relief for residents who want to keep their lawns […]
Increases in California’s gas tax and vehicle fees approved last week are expected to raise $52.4 billion over 10 years for the state’s backlog of road and bridge repairs. It is, by any measurement, a significant amount of money — Gov. Jerry Brown dubbed the proposal “a hell of a good deal” — but only […]
Thanks to a historically wet winter, Central Valley farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta got some long-awaited good news this week from federal water managers. For the first time in more than a decade, they will receive their full allotment of groundwater from the Central Valley Project. It’s a remarkable turnaround from last year, when […]
The Sutter County Board of Supervisors approved a letter to be sent to top California officials about concerns surrounding Oroville Dam and its spillways. The “coalition letter” is the result of a pair of meetings guided by Assemblyman James Gallagher and state Sen. Jim Nielsen in the weeks following February’s evacuations. “We convened all these […]
Climate Scientists Say California Had Less Than One Percent Chance Of Beating Drought
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Curbed San Franciscoby Adam BrinklowCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown officially declared the drought over last Friday, a dramatic conclusion to years of dry weather capped off by two winters of violent storms. Though drought damage will take years to undo, and another drought may even be around the corner, it was a remarkable turnaround. In fact, according to the National […]
A Missed Opportunity To Press For More Water Storage
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Press (Salem, Ore)Last week Gov. Jerry Brown declared California’s five-year drought over while proposing new long-term water conservation measures that must be passed by the Legislature. All Californians can be relieved that the drought has finally passed. Unfortunately, the state’s arid climate and its history all but ensure that it will return, so continued conservation measures are […]
Wet Winter Means Fresnans Can Water Three Times A Week This Summer
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Fresno Beeby Tim SheehanFresno City Council members voiced no objections Thursday to allowing residents to water their landscaping up to three days a week during the hot summer, and two days a week during the milder spring and fall months. A wet winter with ample rainfall is creating the relief for residents who want to keep their lawns […]
California Officials Want $100B For Dams, Roads And Water From Trump. Will They Get It?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /ABC 10 (Sacramento)by Jesse MarxIncreases in California’s gas tax and vehicle fees approved last week are expected to raise $52.4 billion over 10 years for the state’s backlog of road and bridge repairs. It is, by any measurement, a significant amount of money — Gov. Jerry Brown dubbed the proposal “a hell of a good deal” — but only […]
Why Farmers Getting More Water Won’t Lower Produce Prices
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /KQED (San Francisco)by Ben BergmanThanks to a historically wet winter, Central Valley farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta got some long-awaited good news this week from federal water managers. For the first time in more than a decade, they will receive their full allotment of groundwater from the Central Valley Project. It’s a remarkable turnaround from last year, when […]
Sutter County Signs On To Letter On Oroville Dam Concerns
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Chico Enterprise-Recordby Joshua GutierrezThe Sutter County Board of Supervisors approved a letter to be sent to top California officials about concerns surrounding Oroville Dam and its spillways. The “coalition letter” is the result of a pair of meetings guided by Assemblyman James Gallagher and state Sen. Jim Nielsen in the weeks following February’s evacuations. “We convened all these […]